On February 21, Azur, a gallery and auction house located in Retiro, Argentina, will launch Azur Contemporáneo, a fresh platform for artistic experimentation and display led by artist and curator Charly Herrera, the former executive director of the Castagnino+MACRO Museum in Rosario. This new initiative aims to blend various artistic languages and generational perspectives. The inaugural exhibition, titled 'Abrázame muy fuerte,' will feature paintings, sculptures, and sound pieces, all revolving around a common narrative thread: music.

The exhibition's title is a direct homage to the iconic album of the same name released in 2000 by Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, tailored for a summer showcase. Herrera describes the collection as an exploration of the naptime period—a moment to watch soap operas while others are asleep. He elaborates that the album and its titular song encapsulated a melodramatic and deeply Latin American perspective on love, which inspired a massively popular telenovela, further connecting the themes of the show with the cultural fabric of the region.

This initiative not only celebrates vibrant artistic expressions but also seeks to create dialogues across different mediums and generations. By emphasizing music as a narrative thread, Herrera aims to evoke a sense of shared experience among audiences, allowing them to engage with the artworks in a context that resonates with both the cultural and emotional aspects of daily life in Latin America. Azur Contemporáneo promises to be a significant contributor to the local arts scene, encouraging innovative projects and collaborations in the future.