José Guirao (1959–2022) – Artforum Worldwide
Former Spanish tradition minister José Guirao, a central determine in Spain’s artwork world because the director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía after which of La Casa Encendida earlier than accepting his authorities put up, died July 11 at his residence in Madrid on the age of 63 of most cancers. The information was confirmed by the Montemadrid Basis, for which he was working shortly earlier than his demise, and was initially reported in Spanish day by day El País. Guirao was identified for his capacity to dealer peace amongst people, collectives, and organizations, in addition to for his hardworking character and open and egalitarian strategy: He was of the opinion that each particular person had one thing to say and the means to say it.
José Guirao was born June 9, 1959, within the city of Pulpí, in Spain’s Andalusia province, the youngest of 4 brothers in a middle-class household. Regularly ailing as a baby, he was an avid reader, with many pursuits. After acquiring a level in Spanish philology from the College of Murcia, he in 1983 assumed to put up of supervisor of the Cultural Division of the Provincial Council of Almería. In 1988, he was named chief supervisor of cultural belongings for Andalusia’s regional authorities. He remained within the position till 1993, when he served a quick stint managing the archives for Spain’s Ministry of Tradition earlier than assuming the position of director of the Reina Sofía. In the course of the roughly seven years he spent there, he staged numerous exhibits by rising artists, reshaped the establishment’s everlasting assortment, and oversaw a serious enlargement of the museum by architect Jean Nouvel. He served as director of cultural middle La Casa Encendida in Madrid from 2001 to 2014, in 2013 changing into chief supervisor of Fundacíon Montemadrid when that entity took of over operations of La Casa Encendida.
In 2018, Guirao was tapped as Spain’s minister of tradition and sport below the Pedro Sánchez administration after the previous minister abruptly departed in the midst of a scandal. Throughout his almost two-year tenure within the place, he established a committee to maneuver ahead the so-called Artist Statute, which might award Spain’s artists entry to social safety, medical and maternal go away, and pensions. He moreover shepherded the discount of VAT, or value-added tax, imposed on cultural establishments, from 21 % to 10 %. Guirao left his put up in 2021 because the incoming administration sought to emphasise sport over tradition, and returned to his position at Fundacíon Montemadrid, which he gave up in 2021. Guirao in September had been requested by the Ministry of Tradition and Sport to chair the chief committee answerable for occasions for the fiftieth anniversary of Picasso’s demise, to be celebrated in 2023, however he was not capable of undertake the duty, owing to his ailing well being.