Felix Gonzalez-Torres spent a short, formative stretch of his childhood in Madrid in 1971, sent from Cuba as part of a programme relocating children away from the island. He didn't return until 1991, for a group show where he first presented a sculpture made of blue cellophane-wrapped candies. Remembering that return, he wrote: "I've come back to Madrid after almost twenty years: sweet revenge." The Reina Sofía's Dulce venganza (Sweet Revenge), running 27 May to 12 October 2026, takes that phrase as its curatorial lens for the first large-scale presentation of his work in Madrid.
What it is
Curated by Alejandro Cesarco and Nancy Spector, the exhibition spans ten interconnected rooms across more than fifty works on the first floor of the Edificio Sabatini, including loans from the Guggenheim, SFMOMA and Glenstone. Gonzalez-Torres (1957–1996) built a body of work from unglamorous, replenishable materials — stacks of paper, piles of candy, strings of lights, beaded curtains — that visitors are invited to physically interact with, take pieces of, and in some cases alter. "Untitled" (Revenge), the candy pile that gives the show its title, has an "ideal weight" of 325 lbs and is continuously restocked as visitors take pieces away.
Working through the height of the AIDS crisis and against the backdrop of conservative U.S. politics in the late '80s and early '90s, Gonzalez-Torres used quiet, formally simple materials to hold real political and emotional weight — works that speak to loss, love, exile and collective memory without ever raising their voice.
Why it's worth attending
Free general-admission hours make this an easy visit, and the participatory element — crossing a beaded curtain, taking a piece of candy, picking up a stack poster — gives the show a different rhythm from a typical retrospective hang. It rewards slow, attentive looking rather than a quick walkthrough. Worth allowing at least 90 minutes given the ten-room layout.
Practical info
Dates: 27 May – 12 October 2026. General admission €12 (combined ticket with audio guide €16.50; reduced €10.50 for students and over-65s). Free entry Monday, Wednesday to Saturday 19:00–21:00 and Sundays 12:30–14:30; also free on 12 October. Closed Tuesdays. Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday–Saturday 10:00–21:00; Sunday 10:00–14:30. Access via Edificio Sabatini, Calle Santa Isabel 52. Nearest metro: Atocha (lines 1 and Renfe).
FAQ
Do I need to book a specific time slot?
Yes, tickets carry an assigned entry time slot except during free-entry hours, when a reservation is still required but slots are open.
Can visitors really take the artworks?
Yes — works like the candy piles and paper stacks are designed to be taken by visitors and are continuously replenished as part of the piece's concept.
Is the museum open on Tuesdays?
No, the Reina Sofía is closed on Tuesdays.
Does general admission include this exhibition?
Yes, standard Reina Sofía admission covers both the permanent collection and this temporary exhibition.
How long does a visit take?
Around 90 minutes given the ten connected rooms, longer if combined with the permanent collection.
