Ignacio Cortés purchased his first work of art at the age of eighteen, and the experience opened the door to a passion. His vast collection is centered on the Caribbean basin, although it also includes pieces from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Since 2012 it has been exhibited for the public's enjoyment and education. The Ignacio Cortés del Valle and Pedro Cortés Forteza Galleries honor a family legacy of love for art. 

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Creating the collection has required curiosity, study, and patience. The art of this region does not circulate widely. To that point, Cortés says, "We do research on what region or island is not represented in the collection and one way or another - visiting it or studying - we arrive at it... Sometimes we think about the Lesser Antilles as tourist destinations. But there is a great artistic and cultural effervescence in them; they spill over with pride."

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This exhibition revolves around works in the collection that have not been exhibited. It is titled Provocations because for Ignacio Cortés and his wife, Elaine Shehab, a work of art is a provocation to thought and to the senses. Throughout the two floors of the Cortés Foundation, works by 53 artist from 18 nations are shown. They include abstract works; pieces that enter into dialogue with politics in the Caribbean; images that deal with emigration, paintings and photographs that emphasize the gaze and spirituality; and other works that allude to identity and history, sexuality and gender. Fragments of our conversation about the practice of collecting accompany the works in order to encourage a dialogue between the viewer, the artwork, and the collector.

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Curator: Mercedes Trelles Hernández