Luis Badosa states that the saying for the sake of art encapsulates the spirit of Fabrikart to perfection. The professor at the Fine Arts Faculty is the alma mater of this journal, published and distributed by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)'s own Publication Service. The publication began in 2000 and has had a greatly eclectic content, but always to do with art, technology, industry and society as common denominators. The ninth and most recent issue, which came out last March, is a monograph on sustainability.
Fabrikart was founded on the initiative of a group of lecturers at the UPV/EHU from Fine Arts, Engineering, Architecture, Sociology and Philosophy of Values. "We saw that art could not carry on being the exclusive preserve of Fine Arts, but increasingly belonged to many fields", explained Mr Badosa, who described the determination of these entrepreneurs as "an act of faith".
Art, in the factory
Fabrikart starts from the idea of industrial iconography, that of valuing art in relation to industry, to the factory. Professor Badosa says that this connection, which appeared strange for people at first when the journal began, has ended up being reaffirmed by society itself: "The reality not only has shown us to be right, but has magnified the motive with which we started the journal. We started with a timed, hesitant approach, but now it is society itself telling us that any art not produced in a factory, that does not take the link with production into account, that does not consider current productive society, is not art".
According to Mr Badosa, "in art we have subjected ourselves to the concept of the factory as an element of production and of creativity". Which is why cities such as Barcelona have started to present their arts programmes in a factory. "Production" of art works is talked about – cannons launching wax against a wall of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or Puppy, the huge dog made of flowers and which guards its entrance. In fact, Mr Badosa points to Jeff Koons, author of this floral sculpture, as a paradigmatic example of this new productivity.
Monographs
Ever since the seventh issue, each Fabrikart has been a monographic one, in which a specific topic is dealt with from different perspectives, article by article. Issue number seven was about nature and landscape; the eighth on the change of century (outstanding in which was Simón Marchán Fiz's article, based on his debut speech at the San Fernando Real Academia de Bellas Artes); and this ninth one, on sustainability. Effectively, Mr Badosa stresses that, with this latest issue, "we have consolidated the monographs and which have sparked particular interest. It has been an issue that has enabled us to see that it is possible to talk of all these generalities from a common viewpoint: that of art".
Concretely, this Fabrikart on sustainability is made up of twenty articles, which touch on aspects such as glass factories, natural and cultural heritage, sustainable development, ecodesign learning spaces and the art market. Moreover, a number of novelties have been incorporated, such as resumes in English of the articles or key words that facilitate the search. With regard to the tenth edition, this will be a monograph on innovation, and will also include novelties, as an index is to be drawn up of all the articles published in the ten issues of Fabrikart. Also, the reader will be shortly able to have all issues in PDF format, through the portal of the UPV/EHU's Publication Service.
Transversality
Professor Badosa explained that the fundamental feature of the journal is transversality, having given shape to such an interdisciplinary publication, thanks in part to papers from professors and lecturers from various universities. "I believe it to be highly positive that there are contributions from a number of firms in different fields and who share a common theme through art. What started out being something linked to just industrial iconography, has taken shape gradually and made sense with regard to current society. A form and an interest which I believe have been greatly valid", stated the professor.
He also believes that it is now when Fabrikart is beginning to be recognised ("let's go for more", he says), and has only words of thanks for contributors to the journal, as well as for the Publication Service of the UPV/EHU: "It is highly satisfying to see the set of contributors we have had and who have helped and who are with me. It is important to underline this help from all those who, in some way or other, have contributed to the development of this project".