León is a paradigm of the ongoing dialogue between History and Modernity. The city recounts a vivid, rich and faithful chronicle of its historic past, told through the language of its architecture: along its walls we follow in the wake of the Roman legion; at the Basilica of San Isidoro we journey through the lower Middle Ages of the 10th and 11th centuries, before entering the early 13th century under the naves of the cathedral and then emerging into the Modern Age of the 15th century in the current Parador de San Marcos. And this historical narrative continues into the present day with the Musac museum of modern art and auditorium, both designed by Mansilla + Tuñon.
Our proposal aims to pick up that historical narrative, building a bridge between the 15th century and modernity, highlighting the dialogue between both periods, making them coexist in the same place: History reflected in the architecture, merging with Modernity represented by the modern art. Bringing together both conversations by allowing the artistic production of the 20th and 21st centuries to coexist in a 15th century setting.
Our cultural history is lived within the walls of the Parador de San Marcos: spaces, routes, capitals – true history books. We return to the proven idea of using historic architecture as an explanatory context, where the fusion of History and modernity serve to mutually reinforce each other, acquiring a new meaning.
We are able to not only Live Art in an emblematic place of our historical past, but also to Inhabit History through art, the theme of our intervention: we examine the routes, we enhance the spaces, we locate the most appropriate focal points and perspectives, playing with the spectacular nature of the site and the dramatisation of the artistic works.