Le Mur, Madrid. Conveying the relevance of accessibility in the arts industry
«We are breaking apart from established-photography galleries in Madrid». Le Mur intends to revitalize the relevance of critical-thinking through a photographic medium
Le Mur in Madrid
Spawn from conversation between friends, Le Mur Photo Gallery is a photography gallery and bookshop based in Madrid, Spain. Founded in April 2019 by Bernardo Mur, the gallery sits at two-stories-high on the street of Calle de Amaniel, with a bookstore on the first floor and an exhibition hall in the basement. Mur wanted to open a contemporary-art space, but his background in graphic design drew him to photography. «I come from the graphic design world and photography has been its essence, but as a final object versus an accessory to the realization of an idea». He sees photography as a way to translate creativity, and interests. He focuses on photography as an object and mode of presentation.
The namesake gallery and its founder emphasize accessibility in the sphere of photography by opting for price tags within reason. «There are three or four photography galleries in Madrid, but their pieces come with a hefty-price tag. I wanted to make a gallery for people who do not have thousands of euros to spend». He says, «in our time of societal and systemic change, we should not leave the arts behind. Culture aids our thought process. It is a way for us to put ourselves in another person’s shoes. Empathize with their thoughts, points of views and to question our beliefs».
Sourcing for artists and books at Le Mur
Le Mur’s clientele are photographers, photography aficionados, fine-art students, or anyone with a passion for the arts. Clients are greeted with the bookshop-library, which Mur says serves as a companion to the exhibition space and vice versa. «You can go inside to buy a book or you can buy a photograph with ease». Mur’s neighborhood is tourist-friendly. «I would say, my priority is the photography scene, but I would not say my space is directed at a demographic». Mur is not a fan of margins and does not set them when he looks for artists to showcase. «There is no format or style we look for».
Mur finds a majority of artists through Instagram. «In the digital age, it’s hard not to be surrounded by photographs». People approach him from time to time, but Instagram is sufficient. Le Mur Gallery’s photography exhibitions feature emerging-talent, an attribute that contributes to their pricing. «They are not established-artists, they are emerging. I want the gallery to act as a platform for them to climb up the ladder». When sourcing for books, Mur is conservative due to his lack of space. «I find books or magazines on the Internet and contact the team for distribution details. I do not have factors in place when sourcing».
Lampoon review: A digital-space at Le Mur
Lawmakers described the relief package as ‘ambitious’. Further, representatives from the EU’s creative-industries say it does not provide adequate funding for the arts. Called Next Generation EU, the recovery plan cuts three cultural education programs – Erasmus+, Creative Europe and European Solidarity Corps. Cultural-officials warned the commission that this would be «bad news for the youth», and would send a «terrible message» to the cultural, creative and media sectors.
Le Mur was a year old when the pandemic hit, but they have been financially-independent since the beginning. Government cuts haven’t therefore affected them. «Le Mur has not depended on state aid, but there has been a decrease in sales». The reality keeps the gallery alive by adopting a digital-space, but Mur explains it will remain a complement to the store for now. «In the future, the possibility to have digital-exhibitions remains. Gallery visits are a part of the cultural-experience, besides meeting and sharing ideas. People need to be able to take a book into their hands, open it, smell it and feel it. I would like to keep it that way while continuing our virtual-space as an addition».
Le Mur
Calle de Amaniel, 20, Madrid, Spain
Le Mur is a photography gallery and bookshop based in Madrid, Spain.
