TBA21 Collection

TBA21 Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary is a leading international art and advocacy foundation, based in Madrid, with other key hubs of action in Venice and Jamaica. Created in 2002 by Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, the foundation’s vision and ethos are woven into two interrelated programmatic strands: the production of artworks with a long-term commitment to accompany artists’ careers, and the development of art-based projects that deepen the fields of critical ecologies and social justice. 

The TBA21 Collection and commissioning program bear witness to the ethics of philanthropy by empowering artists whose practices are shaping our planetary futures. The driving forces of TBA21’s Collection are the artists themselves and a strong belief in art and culture as vehicles for social and environmental transformation.

Prioritizing works produced by commission, the TBA21 Collection explores the relationships between human activity, the Ocean, and other environmental systems, along with the histories of social and anti-colonial struggles. With a deep commitment to diverse artistic production, the collection seeks to highlight the importance of cultural and spiritual connections to the land, nonhuman and material agency, ancestors, and community, as well as the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledges and cultural practices. Interrogating social and ecological dynamics from a feminist perspective, it profiles the experiences, knowledge, and struggles of women, trans*, queer artists, by drawing attention to gender roles, stereotypes, and inequalities through art. 

From decolonial and posthuman perspectives, the collection advocates for transforming ways of relating to vegetal, mineral, aquatic, and animal worlds, recognizing the agency, integrity, and value of nonhuman entities. It encourages critical reflection through art by challenging dominant structures and anthropocentric systems, and aims to create space for emancipatory and transformative engagement. 

Lastly, the collection’s long-established performing arts program supports contemporary dance and movement practices, spoken word, and new music as well as interdisciplinary and performance art, and explores the different histories and directions of performance.