Vol. V @ Zoara’s Auction
Refreshing, engaging, and inherently social—this is Zoara’s auctions in a nutshell. With experience working at Sotheby’s, Ana Fernández de Araoz brings her expertise to Madrid, shaking up its art scene. Zoara’s puts a twist on the traditional auction house and creates a new way of engaging with art. With no online or telephone bidding, this is a totally in person experience, bringing back the magic of auctions as social events. With a fine selection of wine to accompany the dynamic and bubbly environment, established collectors and new bidders alike prepare themselves to partake in the trill of the evening.
Auction view. Photo courtesy: Ana Fernández de Araoz
The fifth edition of the auction took place in a luminous, renovated warehouse-style space, where visitors moved freely through the venue, embraced by artworks displayed along the walls. The curation offered a thoughtful balance of mediums and stylistic approaches appealing to all tastes. Among the international roster, Spanish artists featured prominently, joined by voices from Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, France, and the United States. Notably, female artists took centre stage—a rare and refreshing shift within the traditionally male-dominated auction house landscape.
Auction view. Photo courtesy: Ana Fernández de Araoz
True to Zoara’s signature style, bidding is done while standing, often with a paddle in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. People gather around the stage and actively engage with one another. Cheerful competition unfolds as bidders, casting cheeky side glances at one another, battle over the same lot. Gasps and bursts of laughter ripple across the room, while two eager collectors fight for their desired work. Finally, rounds of applause dissolve the charged atmosphere and lead smoothly into the next lot.
Auction view. Photo courtesy: Ana Fernández de Araoz
Bridging the gap between emerging talent and the long journey to institutional recognition, Zoara’s provides a platform for artists to gain visibility while engaging a young audience of collectors—many of them first-time buyers. This engagement with new collectors is particularly commendable in a country that unfortunately lacks a deeply rooted culture of collecting—though there are, of course, notable exceptions. While traditional art galleries puzzle over ways to engage new collectors, Zoara’s fosters an effortlessly vibrant environment where art, accessibility and experience blend into one. The artwork collectors bring home becomes a shared moment, a memorable experience. Zoara’s redefines art collecting for the 21st century, tapping into the growing desire for immersive, experience-driven engagement.
Auction view. Photo courtesy: Ana Fernández de Araoz
Operating similarly to a gallery in its commitment to protecting and promoting its artists, Zoara’s handpicks the artists featured for each auction, and many of the same names recur across editions, a reflection of Ana’s genuine admiration and deep passion for their work. While bringing contemporary artists into the auction space can seem risky, at this more accessible end of the market, concerns around price inflation are minimal. Zoara’s functions as a jumping point for emerging artists, offering visibility and momentum at a critical stage in their careers.
Auction view. Photo courtesy: Ana Fernández de Araoz
The evening is wrapped up with further wine and canapés brought round by the elegantly dressed waiters, while each lot gets wrapped and ready to leave with their newfound collector. The practicality and ease of it all makes it an unforgettable experience. There’s something too rigid about calling it an auction house—Zoara’s feels more like a party at an auction flat, where the fresh and bubbly atmosphere is as much a part of the evening as the artworks on offer.
Lucía Alonso-Lasheras,
Reviews Co-Editor, MADE IN BED