Fire Escape Contemporary Art is an art project that works with independent and emerging artists in unexpected ways and in special locations. Fire Escape is a virtual exhibition space that represents artists across a range of different disciplines. We are not constrained by a space and we are a dynamic gallery that provides opportunities for virtual and on site exhibitions and pop-up shows. We extend beyond the confines of gallery walls and present public art projects and unique one-off performance based-work for audiences to experience. Fire Escape prides itself on presenting exhibitions, public art projects and performances that challenge, excite and provide opportunities for meaningful conversations. Directed by Catalan-Spanish born and Melbourne based, independent artist and art curator, Anna García Solana.
Fire Escape Contemporary Art launched in 2012 in Barcelona. The original space provided an art gallery, creative co-working spaces, art-making studio and stockroom. Fire Escape revitalized the local neighborhood, providing a point for creative thinkers, makers and supporters to gather and discuss art and its ideas and influences. The main goal was to democratise the art scene in Barcelona: breaking barriers between artists and audiences. Facilitating access to art and culture for all the public through exhibitions, actions, talks, workshops, markets, art fairs and art festivals.
Since the beginning, it has been defined as a cultural lab where critique and thought prevailed and in 2016 we moved our base to Fabra i Coats Art Factory in Barcelona, where we established a mixed-used program of facilities and open spaces that hosted cultural events, presented projects that investigated culture. We provided opportunities for experimentation and cross-fertilisation between different disciplines. In 2019, we took a big risk and moved to Melbourne (Australia) to continue to explore new opportunities and different ways of developing creative projects.
Fire Escape is currently developing exhibition proposals and developing a range of art projects to bring Spanish and Australian artists together. Fire Escape is featuring a strong digital platform, curating exhibitions, devise unusual pop-up projects and creating meaningful debate about art. Our conversations with artists, critics and curators is based to enhance critical thinking skills and provide opportunities for deep reflections. The objective is to explore art and in doing so develop critical thinking and enhance emotional intelligence.
VISION. Fire Escape Contemporary Art’s vision is to build an international art community and present exciting and engaging online and in situ exhibitions, performances and events in different locations and unexpected venues.
MISSION. Our mission is promoting art experiences connecting artists, curators, critics, audiences and restless minds. Working across Australia and Europe generating synergies between them and professionalising the art industry.
DIRECTED by
Fire Escape is running by Anna García Solana, independent artist and art curator. She graduated with a Double Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Teaching from Barcelona University in 2008, with specialties in photography and video art. Also, studies in Cultural Management (Barcelona) and Project Management (Melbourne). Furthermore, she was formerly the Director of the Young Gallery Weekend art festival in Barcelona (2015-2018) and Advisor in 2019 for the same Art Festival.
Currently, running Fire Escape Contemporary Art from Melbourne, an art project that she started in 2012 in Barcelona. Concurrently studying a Master in Creative Industries.
Her research and her performance are focused on developing and establishing an art community in Australia from an outsider position. So connecting artists, curators, managers, collectors, spaces likewise sponsors and brands, and the beloved audience across Europe and Australia. Since 2012, she has concentrated her efforts on the development of a social environment suitable to encourage the creative process as well as intellectual skills from a critical thinking point of view.
MANIFESTO
Fire! Fire!
Finally.
Fire always simplifies. It eliminates the superfluous, the uninteresting. And what remains is creation. That kind of magic worth getting second-degree burns for.
Do you see that ladder? Go up.
In this culture lab, we experiment through the red scales.
We get as much volcanic material as possible out of a photograph.
We replace pencils to torches within the illustration.
The architecture has as a reference ‘The Towering Inferno’.
Video creation throws its armies against the fireproof.
Performances from the ashes.
The creation scientific process is deconstructed.
The art as a catalyctic.
The open wound at last understood.
There are many stairs that promise to take you to Heaven. This is the one that guarantees you direct access to the fire.
PURE SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
BURNING WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN
ART FOR EVERYONE
ART WITHOUT LIMITS
A PLACE FOR THE CRITICAL THINKING
INTELLECTUAL SKILLS THROUGH ART EXPERIENCES
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY ART
Do you smell that?
Something is on fire.