The Círculo Ecuestre closed the series of conferences of the fifth edition of its International Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibition, By Invitation 2024, with the dialogue The Museum of Forbidden Art, from a private collection to a museum, starring Tatxo Benet, businessman, collector of contemporary art and owner of the Museu de l’Art Prohibit, and moderated by art advisor and market analyst Llucià Homs.
During the talk, which was presented by Enrique Lacalle, president of the Círculo Ecuestre and curator of the exhibition, Benet shared with the public his reflections on the value of freedom of expression in art and recounted his career as a collector committed to culture and the defense of creative freedom.
The co-founder of Mediapro began the discussion by talking about his evolution from journalism to the business world and collecting. “I have always been someone who lives in the present. I started acquiring art without thinking that one day I would have a collection, and even less one that would be so focused on censored art”, he explained. He recalled that the turning point came in 2018, when he acquired the controversial work “Political Prisoners in Contemporary Spain” by Santiago Sierra, withdrawn from the ARCO fair that same year. “It was not an act of political activism, but of personal conviction: I wanted to have a work that had already become a symbol of censorship in contemporary Spain”, he clarified.
During the colloquium, Benet detailed the reasons behind the creation of the Museum of Forbidden Art, which currently exhibits more than 40 works from a collection of 300 pieces censored in different parts of the world. “For me, the value of each work does not lie only in its aesthetics or in the fame of the artist, but in the history of censorship behind it. This museum is a reflection of how, over time and in different places, art has been subject to restrictions and attacks”, he explained. He also said that the admission of a work into his collection is based on whether it has faced censorship or repression, regardless of its economic or artistic value.
The collector stressed the importance of individual freedom in the enjoyment of art and his rejection of censorship imposed by any entity, whether public or private. Quoting American judge William J. Brennan, Benet said: “What may be vulgar for one person may be lyrical for another”. “Censorship should not be in the hands of anyone, because each person should have the freedom to decide for themselves what they want to see and what they don’t. If we let someone decide for us how far we can see, then we are no longer talking about freedom”, he argued.
Throughout the discussion, Tatxo Benet also addressed the challenges of maintaining a museum dedicated to such a complex subject without support or subsidies. “The museum is self-sustaining, from admissions and some parallel activities. In addition, we are exploring the possibility of taking the museum to other cities; this summer, for example, we will open a temporary headquarters in Andorra”, he explained. However, he added that independence is essential for the project to remain faithful to its principles, stressing that he himself ensures that each work meets the museum’s objective without restrictions. “It is something very personal. I consider myself the only person who can decide whether a work enters or not, because I am clear that nothing is censored here”, declared.
The discussion concluded with a reflection on Benet’s vision for the future of the museum and his legacy in defending freedom of expression in art. “I do not consider myself a patron; I do this because I believe in art as a tool for dialogue and reflection. For me, each censored work is a reminder that freedom should not be taken for granted. When a work is censored, it is limiting people’s right to think and question”. he said.
Benet thanked the By Invitation audience for their participation and expressed hope that the museum would inspire greater understanding and tolerance. “If we can get people to think and question, then we will have achieved our goal. In the end, censored art is a testament to the human struggle for freedom in all its forms”.