Arco ’26. The Event
AD and Massimo Dutti brought together a select group of guests at Espacio Argén, in the Tetuán neighborhood, to celebrate an evening conceived as an immersive experience. Art, architecture, and gastronomy were intertwined under a single concept inspired by the AD stand presented at ARCOmadrid.
( 01 ) THE CONCEPT
An experience conceived as a space for cultural exchange among artists, designers, art dealers, and gallery owners who are emerging in our country. The gathering brought together different voices from the creative scene in a setting designed for dialogue, reflection, and connection between disciplines.
All the elements and materials of the installation were linked to the rebirth of nature after wildfires, establishing a symbolic narrative that runs throughout the entire project. The proposal was articulated through a striking concept that offers a renewed perspective on the cycle of life, fire, erosion, and the processes of landscape transformation.
( 02 ) SET UP
The proposal stems from the work developed by architects Manuel Bouzas, Pablo Sequero, and Laura Salazar for the contemporary art fair. Burnt wood from the Galician mountains becomes the protagonist material, transforming a landscape marked by fire into an architectural gesture full of meaning.
The gathering took place at Espacio Argén, in the Tetuán neighborhood, a creative enclave within Madrid’s cultural scene. Its high gabled ceilings reinforced the atmosphere of the experience. The scenography incorporated trunks recovered from burnt forests and the Filum Lamps by Felipe Morenés, whose light and geometric forms added a subtle luminous accent.
( 03 ) ART & FOOD
Tiberi Bar, a gastronomic space that combines contemporary cuisine, design, and creative culture, was responsible for developing the event’s culinary proposal. A sensory itinerary structured in three chapters — Fire, Ash, and Rebirth — translated the natural cycle into the language of flavor, temperature, and texture.
Each moment offered a gastronomic interpretation of the landscape transformed by fire, accompanying the conceptual narrative of the project. During the evening, a visual support completed the experience through the projection of images from these three universes, together with photographs of the architectural project documented by AD for the Guest Lounge at ARCOmadrid 2026.
( 03.01 )
TASTE / FIRE
The most dynamic moment of the journey. Guests were welcomed with a warm, spiced welcome drink, accompanied by a scenic gesture with fire and translucent jellies in amber and red tones that evoked the shifting movement of the flame.
( 03.02 )
TASTE / ASH
After the initial intensity, the experience moved into Ash, the central moment of the evening. The proposal evoked the post-fire landscape — silent and mineral — through different gastronomic creations. Dishes featuring charcoal, gray salt, or crunchy vegetables brought to the palate the memory and texture of the burnt territory.
( 03.03 )
TASTE / REBIRTH
The journey concluded with Rebirth, the third movement of the menu. The dessert, inspired by sprouts emerging from the earth, evoked the regeneration of the landscape after the fire. Its fresh, green notes brought lightness to the ending, recalling nature’s capacity to renew itself.
( 04 )
THE CALL
A selection of personalities from the worlds of art, architecture, design, and culture gathered to inaugurate the fair in an atmosphere conducive to conversation and the exchange of ideas.
The event became one of the highlights of Madrid’s Art Week.
( 05 ) GRATITUDE
To close the evening, each guest received a goodie bag as a souvenir of the gathering. The gift included the special March issue of AD Spain, published to celebrate the magazine’s 20th anniversary, an ARCO brochure, and a Massimo Dutti scented candle.