On January 14, 2026, the first session of the year of Laberintos del Sector took place at the Ateneo de Madrid under the title Contemporary Art, Dissemination and Communication.
Moderated by María Gracia de Pedro, founder and director of Artepreneur, the event brought together Javier Aparicio, founder of El Chico Gallery; Mónica Iglesias, founder of SMI – Studio Mónica Iglesias; and Jesús Alcaide, researcher, art critic, editor, and independent curator.
The discussion focused on how professional trajectories in contemporary art are built through narrative, mediation, and communication strategies. It was emphasized that art is not only created but also narrated, shared, and accompanied, within a context in which screens and digital environments have profoundly transformed both the experience and the visibility of artistic practices.
The session opened with a reflection on the different ways in which communication has shaped the careers of the participants and the sector more broadly. For Javier Aparicio, professional development and moments of transition — leading up to the creation of El Chico — were marked by constant attention to how artistic work is communicated. From his gallery practice, he highlighted the importance of artists being aware of their own voice and how it is conveyed to the public, as well as the role of the gallery in articulating and communicating each project.
Mónica Iglesias spoke about her early professional steps in Italy and explained how building a profile in cultural communication requires articulating a discourse that engages with its context while maximizing the visibility of projects. According to Mónica, current challenges lie in reconciling authenticity, a diversity of formats, and the narrow space that exists between information overload and meaningful attention.
Jesús Alcaide shared how he has structured his career through writing, mediation, and specialized dissemination, emphasizing the value of creating original content and building a recognizable voice within a saturated environment. Drawing on his professional experience in diverse contexts — from cities such as Córdoba and Murcia to cultural centers like Madrid and Barcelona — he reflected on how these movements have enriched his practice and his understanding of the sector’s different landscapes. Along this path, he stressed the importance of direct, material experience over digital mediation, noting, as he himself stated, that “it is not the same to hold something in your hands as it is to look at a screen.”
Once the individual trajectories had been presented, the conversation opened into a more dynamic exchange between the speakers and the moderator. Among the key topics discussed were the main professional challenges currently facing the art and communication sectors, the pursuit of visibility, and specialization within a highly competitive field. The participants reflected on the most decisive moments in their careers, emphasizing that it is often the early stages — rather than success itself — that provide the most valuable lessons for developing a solid practice and a distinct voice.
The discussion was further enriched by the participation of an audience largely composed of young professionals from the sector, whose questions and concerns highlighted a strong interest in better understanding the possible paths within contemporary art, as well as the challenges and decisions that shape the early stages of a professional career.
The speakers also addressed the extent to which communicators are indispensable in relation to artists, debating whether an artistic career can be sustained solely through creation or whether the role of the communicator is essential in providing visibility, context, and recognition to projects. They concluded that while the artist remains the creative core, communicators contribute a strategic dimension that helps artistic work reach its audience and allows the artistic experience to be articulated in a broader way.
The session concluded with a shared sense that the contemporary art sector is shaped not only by what is created, but by how it is narrated, shared, and received. At a time marked by digital transformation and information saturation, this conversation helped to outline a clearer map of the labyrinths — and opportunities — that currently define the professional landscape of contemporary art.