Alalimón Galería, Barcelona. The phrase ‘al alimon’ means ‘together’ and implies collaboration

words Shanay Taylor

The gallery-bookshop space was used as a textile facility for five years «Our store is filled with books that have a few in copy. We are not looking for mainstream novels, but for one-of-a-kind finds»

Alalimón Galería in Barcelona

Alalimón Galería is located in Espai Serrahima near Placa d’Espanya in downtown Barcelona’s Poble-Sec neighborhood. The gallery houses art and a curation of books. Its creation had the aim of uniting two art galleries: Art Deal Project and El Catascopio. The phrase ‘al alimon’ means ‘together’ and, therefore, implies collaboration. Community Relation Manager, Edoardo Rivoiro Pellegrini and Gallery Manager, Isabel Lazaro Garcia describe the gallery as being born under the unity of strength. «At Alalimón we search for methods and strategies being used by others in the industry».

Sharing a location, Art Deal Project is an art gallery that brings forward projects by emerging artists. While, El Catascopio’s objective is to bring art to the public through exhibitions of emerging-art and souvenirs. Situated between architecture, design and facilities such as the Mnac, Caixaforum, Mies van der Rohe Foundation and the Joan Miro Foundation, Alalimón takes part in exhibitions in which they organize, produce and support. One of the first exhibitions to take place this year is The Beautiful Flight of The Coin.

Exhibitions at Alalimón Galería

«David Salcedo designed the project. It aims to portray the memories of his friend’s life through images that represent a frozen period of time when he lived with his grandparents. He refused to leave the security bubble that his grandparents’ house gave him which left him making no concern to anything other than the home comforts he grew inseparable from». The exhibition will allow for consumers to recollect their frozen periods in time. The Spanish photographer has worked with Alalimón Galería for up to six years. Opening in mid-January, the project will last until the end of February 2021.

Alalimón Galería represent artists such as Gerard Boyer, Mar Martin, Vanessa Munoz, Nathalie Rey, David Salcedo, Pascual Martinez & Vincent Saez, Rocio Verdejo and Juan Miguel Munoz. They have worked with a total of twelve artists, long term, who they collaborate on projects with. Designer Eduard Resbier planned an exhibition referred to as Silentum. The display portrayed a series of superstitions of spaces and superstitions of times linked together.

The idea behind the project was for it to act as a game between ‘figurative’ and ‘specular’ spaces that coexist to create an atmosphere that infiltrates them. The artist’s paintings are famous for capturing time expanding. The exhibition is available to visit virtually at Red Collectors through Alalimón Galería’s website.

Workshops and teaching programs at Alalimón Galería

The gallery has also showcased a project in the past surrounding reflection on a current-moment and the paradigm shift named Reconstruction. Nathalie Rey designed the exhibition, which was available as a pop-up, with pieces by her, sold to customers of the project. «Rey changes her gaze to aspects that her work encompasses: the public, her experience, the latest concepts of distance and closeness as well as the reinvention of objects and memories».

In addition to exhibitions, the gallery is famous for workshops and teaching programs. A workshop being released at the end of this month is Those Wonderful Years. It is a visual-narrative and creative-workshop. The ambition is to create an invented family album, made with photographs and the prospect of a family cult mystery. The participant will learn from an open-dialogue to visualize the hidden-sentiment of an image, dependent on its place in a narration and images to accompany it.

Lampoon review: Alalimón Galería, a platform for designers

The workshop is an in-person activity, entailing working as part of a team with the professor and a bibliography. The workshop will run from the 27th of February 2021 and is priced at forty-five euros. Alalimón provides a platform for their designers to transfer their artistic skills to members of the community in order to pave a way for aspiring artists of the future. Alalimón Galería also curates a selection of reads in their space. Having an area occupied with art novels and author books on design, photography and artwork. «We curate books that are limited in reach. Our store features books that have a few in copy. We are not looking for mainstream novels, but for one-of-a-kind finds».

The gallery hosts book presentations on a regular-basis, which are taking place over Zoom due to the Coronavirus pandemic. «We have found the coronavirus outbreak to be a challenge. Projects and preparations we had in place for the year, in fact, were put-on hold». The gallery attends to and hosts private and public events around the year, involving the neighborhood. The Barcelona Gallery Weekend is an item on the social calendar Alalimón continues to join.

Alalimón Galería’s promotional activities

«The Barcelona Gallery Weekend is an opportunity for us to network, we host party events at the gallery and show initiative to collaborate with the local community. The past event was postponed. Nevertheless, we are hopeful that this year’s festivities can go ahead as planned». Alalimón attends fairs and festivals such as Art Photo BCN, Loop Barcelona, Swab Barcelona Contemporary Art Fair, Art Nou, Not Cancelled and Just Mad X Edition. The Gallery Manager, Isabel Lazaro Garcia tells us that «during Christmas break, our productions stopped. It was a task to continue working but we are now on track with ideas in place, selling and offering services online».

Further, the bookstore avenue of the gallery stays active on social media through content and advertisements of the books they have in store. According to Edoardo Rivoiro Pellegrin, «we post on social media to let customers know the book of the week. One of our favored readings was the ‘Editorial Cabeza de Chorlito’ course/speech by Gonzalo Golpe, Ricardo Baez and Alejandro Marote. An exercise and materialization of a speech which allows a transcend from the object itself for an innate appreciative».

Activities at Alalimón Galería

The gallery also hosts book launches, author meet and greets and talks on subject matter of novels found in store. Winning photobook of the year is Gloria Oyarzabal’s Woman Go No’Gree. «Oyarzabal explores colonialism and white feminism in West Africa through the use of found imagery, archives, and her personal photography. Through the book, Oyarzabal challenges the viewer to engage with their preconceptions and expectations».

Alalimón highlight their work of the week throughout social media. A preferred piece is the Intertwining an Object II by artist Vanessa Munoz. The artist produces abstract-sculptures in order to generate apprehensions between forms and materials, under a guise of constructivist dyes, to produce descriptions that transcend in its form. A represented photographer of Alalimón Galería is Virginia Rota.

Providing space and management to out-of-town galleries

Gallery manager, Isabel Lazaro Garcia is at the front of controlling photography and instant-image for the gallery. «Virginia Rota is a Spanish photographer who looks to photography with scenes of simple-arrangements, found without pretense, a form of grisaille». A workshop with Ana Benavent, The World at The Beginning, targeted children aged five to twelve. The objective was to explain the project and work with children to photograph the surroundings and find clues to El Mundo, the exhibition by Virginia Rota.

Taking part in collaborations with up-and-coming artists and youths, Alalimón Galería also provides space and management to out-of-town galleries. «We collaborate with artists in the community, through emerging pop-art exhibitions helping to open up opportunities in today’s art world».

Future development at Alalimón Galería

Alalimón features white walls, concrete flooring and displays of art and books. The gallery space was a textile facility for five years. «We converted the wall area and changed the aesthetic of the store space. We added the bookstore in order to broaden our reach. It is an approach to provide customers with the items they desire to read and learn about. We desire to work alongside artists, photographers and authors to showcase the skills and expertise surrounding the creative industries».

The space is made available to view virtually through a 3D viewing experience found on their website. «A tour of the exhibition ‘Allegory of Memory’ by Rocio can be found in this 3D programming proficiency». Alalimón Galería is planning their reopening of their space following the contemplations of the Coronavirus pandemic. «We are functioning online with the services we are able to provide on our website as well as social media sites. We also have events and projects planned for the year that we are taking precautions and measures for. Further, we are planning to collaborate with galleries and art studios in proximity to us».