Situated in the heart of Valencia, Maika Sánchez’s gallery is home to an eclectic array of artwork that brings together the works of local, upcoming artists with those of international renown. The open space, just off Plaza del Ayuntamiento, allows for a fresh take on art and the various artistic expressions can be found in the form of paintings, sculptures, and photography. Visitors can also find a unique collection of jewellery for sale with intricate and delicate metalwork and various other aspects of design. The gallery was established in 1999 by curator, Maika Sánchez, and has since participated in national and international art fairs, consolidating its prestige. The contemporary exhibitions render Maika’s gallery a must-visit spot in the Valencian art scene.The gallery’s current exhibition displays Valencian based artists, as the gallery works to support local artists and amplify the visibility of their work. A member of the ‘24/7 Valencia’ team had the pleasure of meeting Maika to learn more about her artistic background, the gallery, and the current art collective…

EXCLUSIVE  ’24/7 VALENCIA’ INTERVIEW

 24/7 Valencia: Could you tell us a bit about your background and why you decided to specialise in art distribution?

Maika: My career working in the artistic field started when I finished my degree. I had certain inclinations towards the arts, but my surroundings had nothing to do with art. Most art galleries that I know in Valencia have a family tradition and are passed down from parents to children. If it is not like that, at least, it is an artist who individually intended to set up a gallery. In my case, it wasn’t like that. After studying Art History, I was lucky enough to start working in a gallery. Indeed, I was most fortunate… because it was such a coincidence that on the right day at the right time, the director came over to me at the gallery’s inauguration and said you’ve done art, get on that table and start working. I started working there by pure luck and then five years later, I became the director of the gallery! From there, I started working for the charitable foundation, ‘Fundación del Niño El Huérphanos de San Vicente Ferrer’ and I worked there for more than 10 years. I knew from that moment that I wanted to open my own art gallery and now I’ve been in the business for 30 years.

 24/7 Valencia: How do you select pieces for an installation?

Maika: The selection of the work to be exhibited in the gallery normally has two parts; one is the quality of the work and the second is a lot of intuition to know whether or not my clientele will acquire it, that is to say whether or not they will like it.

 24/7 Valencia: What are your artistic influences?

Maika: For me, it is impossible to say what my artistic influences are because I’m a super eclectic person. Having studied Art History, I am influenced so much by people and monuments or works in every moment of history that have left their mark on me. So, it would be impossible to say which one I like more or which one I like less. It’s true that I do have certain weaknesses for certain artists but in general I like to focus on either sculpture or architecture. Ultimately, it is the compendium of influences that in the end have led me to where I am today.

24/7 Valencia: How do you collaborate with artists?

Maika: The way of working with most artists is always by testing individual works first to see if it works, if it doesn’t work or if my clientele like it or not and from there, we can start collaborating. For example, in collectives like the one I have now, we see what can work and we are dedicated to doing an individual exhibition. I also participate in many art fairs both nationally and internationally, so this is a way of promoting the work of these artists both outside of Valencia and outside of Spain.

 24/7 Valencia: Could you tell us a bit more about the current exhibition at your gallery?

Maika: The current exhibition is a collective exhibition of both paintings and sculptures. Due to the Fallas festivities and the high level of footfall in the city of Valencia, I have tried to put together a small sample of different artists so that people who do not know the gallery could see a little of what we have to offer simply through this exhibition. It is an exhibition with a variety of works by different artists, different styles, different techniques. We bring together a bit of everything without delving too deeply into one artist.

Report by Imogen Hockings

Interview conducted in Spanish/Translation by Imogen Hockings

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Photo copyright Imogen Hockings/24/7 Valencia

Galería de Arte Maika Sánchez

Carrer de Moratín, 15

46002 València, Valencia

Opening Hours:

Mondays-Saturdays: 11:00am-14:00pm & 18:00pm- 21:00pm

Sundays: Closed

https://galeriamaikasanchez.com/

Email: galeria@maikasanchez.es

Tlf: +34 963 3443 664