The Aragonese Institute of Contemporary Art and Culture (IAACC), popularly known as the Pablo Serrano Museum, is a center dedicated to modern and modern art, which has as its founding repertoire a large collection of works by the Aragonese sculptor Pablo Serrano (1908 – 1985). In addition, thanks to the private collection Circa XX (attached in 2013), there are examples of well-known Spanish and foreign artists from throughout the 20th century, from Emil Nolde, Pablo Picasso and Calder to Warhol, Jean Tinguely and Anthony Caro.

It is located on Paseo María Agustín, 20 in Zaragoza, Spain.The museum is located in the old offices of the provincial hospice, known as Hogar Pignatelli, which were rehabilitated by the Aragonese architect José Manuel Pérez Latorre to adapt them to his new museum function.

The center opened its doors on May 27, 1994 and has its origins in the foundation created by Pablo Serrano shortly before his death. In 1995 the foundation was dissolved and its assets became the property of the Government of Aragon, which in a few months created the current institution: the Aragonese Institute of Contemporary Arts and Culture Pablo Serrano (IAACC).

The need to increase the spaces of the IAACC Pablo Serrano, for the conservation of its collections and the organization of exhibitions and other activities promoted the extension of the building in 2005. The architectural project was drafted by José Manuel Pérez Latorre and in 2007 were awarded the works Of construction to Obrascón Huarte Laín. The extension triples the useful space, from 2500 m² to more than 7000 m², of which 3000 m² are intended for exhibition spaces. On March 23, 2011, the new Museum was inaugurated as the Aragonese Institute of Contemporary Art.

In its interior, it is exhibited to the public an ample sample of the work of Pablo Serrano. The permanent exhibition of his work includes the informal sculptures of the 1950s. The museum also has an important set of works by Pablo Serrano’s wife, Juana Francés, as well as a collection of contemporary graphic art and a selection of Painting of Santiago Lagunas recently incorporated.

In 2013, the institution turned its repertoire of works, adding the valuable private collection Circa XX, initiated by Pilar Citoler in 1969 and enriched over four decades. The artists represented cover almost the entire international artistic arch between German expressionism (Emil Nolde) to art brut (Jean Dubuffet); Among them are Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Fernand Léger, Alexander Calder, Le Corbusier, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Enzo Cucchi … to which we must add a generous Spanish sample of the last decades : Tàpies, Miquel Barceló, Antonio Saura, Rafael Canogar, Gerardo Rueda, José Manuel Broto, Guillermo Pérez Villalta, Cristina Iglesias … This surprising collection, consisting of about 1,200 pieces, was obtained through a combined donation and sale formula, Well the amount of money paid is only 15% of the value of the collection, which was valued at about ten million euros.

The center also hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary painting and sculpture. It also has a library and an area dedicated to the realization of workshops, which have become a benchmark in the field.

ORIGINAL BUILDING
Top view of the original building Top view of the original buildingThe original building, designed by the architect Julio Bravo, is an example of the Aragonese industrial architecture of the early 20th century. Its interior housed, in origin, the carpentry and other offices of the old Hogar Pignatelli, where Pablo Serrano’s grandfather had practiced as a master carpenter. After ceasing their activity and after a few decades of abandonment, these ships were acquired in the eighties of the twentieth century by the newly created Pablo Serrano Museum Foundation, thanks to the free transfer carried out by its own institution, the Provincial Council of Zaragoza .

FIRST RENEWAL
Exterior view of the first renovation Exterior view of the first renovation In 1987 the rehabilitation and refurbishment project began, with the project of the architect D. José Manuel Pérez Latorre, who used concrete as a constructive element. This characteristic was what gave the building its own physiognomy when presenting the finishes to the exterior in this material.

As a result of the extension, it was provided with open, spacious, yet intimate spaces, structured on two floors: street level and basement.

In the floor street they had the address, administration, technical departments, archive, library specialized in contemporary art and museology and documentation center. To these spaces could be added the three workshops intended for didactic activities.

Previous State of the Museum. Spherical photographsSala The Museum had three exhibition spaces:

Permanent Exhibition Hall, the largest with which it was counted. In it was exhibited, in monographic form, a selection of funds of Pablo Serrano with those that count the collections of the Center. Gallery
Temporary Exhibition Hall, housed in the corridor of communication. Dedicated to the exhibition of exhibitions and montages of contemporary art. Gallery
Temporary Exhibitions Room 3B. It was a space of great dimensions, diaphanous, destined for temporary samples.
Finally, the reserve rooms were located, where the remaining unexposed funds of Pablo Serrano were kept, together with the collections of contemporary art of the Government of Aragon assigned to the Museum on a permanent basis.

EXTENSION
Sketch of the new building of José Manuel Pérez LatorreBoceto of the new building of José Manuel Pérez Latorre Since its inauguration, in 1995, the Pablo Serrano Museum significantly increased the various activities it carried out; Expository, documentary, conservation, as well as everything related to didactic services and attention to the public. However, this increase in activities was not reflected in an increase in useful area, so that over time was depleting the possibilities offered by its primitive spaces and architectural design. Conceived initially as a monographic museum that exhibited the work of Pablo Serrano, with the passage of time was gradually assuming a greater activity around the proposal to become Center for Contemporary Art Aragonese.

For this reason, the Government of Aragon undertook in 2008 an ambitious enlargement that increased the useful area of ​​the Museum, which went from the 2,500 m2 with which it counted, to the more than 7,400 m2 with which it counts after the completion of the works Of enlargement. The main building, characterized by its sawtooth cover, is where the most important part of the expansion was executed through two performances. First, through an excavation under the room that housed the old permanent sample of Pablo Serrano to expand the reserve rooms.

The second intervention, the most visually striking, has been carried out by vertically extending the original building with saw tooth covers. This action was carried out by the erection of a large self-supporting metal structure on four large vertical reinforced concrete supports. This large raised body stands out powerfully to the outside through its forceful geometric volumes and its finishes of metal plates lacquered in black and blue. Sketches and infographics

Infographics end-of-building building On the ground floor are located the accesses of the public, control zones, information and slogans, while in the other plants are located the exhibition rooms, both the Pablo Serrano permanent, and those for temporary samples.

Access to the upper rooms is achieved by internal elevators and escalators housed on one side of the facade.

The second performance has affected what is known as Room 3B, the museum’s former temporary exhibition room. It has been divided into two heights by means of new slabs. In the upper part it houses the Management, Administration, Technical Departments and Archive, while in the lower one there is room for the cafeteria, with public access from Paseo María Agustín and a polyvalent hall.

Finally in the connecting spaces between both buildings there is an exhibition hall.

HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION
OF FOUNDATION TO MUSEUM OF THE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY
On July 29, 1985 the Act of creation of the Pablo Serrano Foundation-Museum was signed, thus fulfilling the desire of the sculptor that Zaragoza should have a museum to house his work. The museum opens its doors, on May 27, 1994.

In June 1995 the Pablo Serrano Foundation-Museum was dissolved. The property becomes the property of the Government of Aragon (Decree 164/1995, BOA July 19, 1995), which on July 5, 1995 creates the current Aragonese Institute of Contemporary Art and Culture Pablo Serrano (Decree 218/1995, BOA nº 100, 18/08/1995).

The Pablo Serrano IAACC is therefore a public museum, of tiularity and management of the Autonomous Community of Aragon. It depends administratively of the General Direction of Culture and Heritage (Department of Education, Culture and Sport).

After a thorough renovation between 2007 and 2011, the museum has increased not only its exhibition space, but also the spaces dedicated to cultural activities and the promotion of contemporary art.

MISSION
The main mission of the IAACC Pablo Serrano is the development of the cultural policy of the DGA regarding the promotion and diffusion of contemporary art and culture, by permanently displaying its funds, facilitating knowledge, research and enjoyment; The patrimonial management of its collections and the promotion of artistic creativity. His collection “… will be based around the Spanish art of the 20th century with a special emphasis on the most important Aragonese artists or the most significant artistic periods in Aragon, incorporating also those artists and international plastic movements that are considered convenient for Your best understanding ”
The Museum has the determined vocation of projecting and enhancing our cultural values and awakening the interest of the city as a cultural destination.