ART CITIES: Madrid-Warhol,Pollock y otros espacios americanos

On the ground floor of the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, a bold exhibition titled “Warhol, Pollock y otros espacios americanos” arrives to subvert everything we knew about the two “giants” of American art. For decades, art history has presented them as polar opposites: the tortured, introspective Jackson Pollock versus the detached and commercial Andy Warhol.

By Mimika Christodoulopoulpou
Photo: Mimika Christodoulopoulou

Curator Estrella de Diego manages to dismantle this dichotomy by presenting over 100 works that prove these two artists shared far more in common than previously imagined: the use of repetition, the play with camouflage, and, above all, a deeply autobiographical disposition.

The exhibition is structured into six thematic sections. Although the exhibition design follows a rather conventional museum path without particular scenographic flourishes, the “dialogue” established between the works is exceptionally compelling. It is striking to observe Pollock’s works revealing figurative traces while simultaneously seeing Warhol’s series deconstruct traditional space, flanked by masters such as Mark Rothko and Lee Krasner.

Despite Pollock’s historical weight, the true surprise of the visit lies in Warhol. Often accused of “shallowness,” he is revealed here as a deeply emotional artist who touches upon the darkest facets of human existence.

The point that truly stuns the viewer is the series “Electric Chair” (1964/1967). Here, Warhol utilizes repetition not to demystify the object, but to intensify its tragic nature. The image of the empty execution chamber, bathed in unexpected, pulsating colors, creates a deafening silence. The absence of the human body renders death even more present. In this series, Warhol manages to evoke emotion in a way that transcends technical abstraction, proving that behind the “persona” resided an individual of rare complexity.

The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue, supported by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, featuring texts by curator Estrella de Diego and Patrick Moore (former director of the Warhol Museum).

Photo: Andy Warhol, Electric Chair, 1967, Exhibition view “”Warhol, Pollock y otros espacios americanos”, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza-Madrid, 2025-2026, Photo: © & Courtesy Mimika Christodoulopoulou

Info: Curator: Estrella de Diego, Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Paseo del Prado 8, Madrid, Spain, Duration: 21/10/2025-25/1/2026, Days & Hours: Tue-Fri & Sun 10:00-19:00, Sat 10:00-23:00, www.museothyssen.org/