ARCOmadrid’s 30th anniversary promises an exciting mix of collectors, galleries, institutions & curators.
30th International Contemporary Art Fair, ARCOmadrid
16-20 February 2011 | Open to general public from 18th
Venue: Halls 8 & 10 at FERIA DE MADRID
Organised by: IFEMA
www.arco.ifema.es
The new revamped ARCOmadrid still revolves around its core GENERAL PROGRAMME, featuring a selection of international galleries showing work spanning the historical avant-gardes, classic contemporary and the art of today, as well as the ARCO 40 subsection with galleries presenting new work from a maximum of three artists. A new feature this year is FOCUS RUSSIA, a section hosting eight Russian galleries: XL; M & J. Guelman Gallery; Aidan; Anna Nova; Marina Gisich; GMG; Paperworks and ARKA. The selection was made by Daria Pyrkina, curator at the National Centre for Contemporary Arts in Moscow and professor at Moscow State Lomonosov University. FOCUS RUSSIA will be strategically mixed in with the fair’s main section in order to foster a greater interaction with other galleries. Apart from the participation of Russian galleries and institutions, the fair is also organising a noteworthy programme dedicated to Russian collectors.
Another new feature at the upcoming edition of the fair is SOLO PROJECTS: FOCUS LATIN AMERICA, a section with galleries, artists and proposals selected by Luisa Duarte, an independent Brazilian curator; Daniela Pérez, associated curator at Museo Tamayo, Mexico; and Julieta González, associated curator of Latin American Art at Tate Modern, London.
An exciting introduction this year is the OPENING: YOUNG EUROPEAN GALLERIES programme, inviting new galleries from Europe with less than eight years. This section will pay special attention to young galleries coming from emerging countries. To carry out the selection, ARCOmadrid_2011 has relied on the coordination of Maribel López, independent curator.
The International Contemporary Art Fair is also planning a space for debate around the hottest issues concerning creation and the art market. The idea behind the Forum is to act as a meeting point for the international art community, a place where renowned experts can exchange views and projects, interact with exhibiting galleries, and expand their network of contacts. A platform open to the public, the Forum will provide an unique opportunity for analysis and debate on issues concerning collecting and Russia.
The first of these two issues will be explored in depth in two roundtables featuring a number of major collectors. The debates “The Collection, Myself, the World”, and “Expanded Collections”, will be chaired by Rosa Martínez, former curator of the Venice Biennale and other major exhibitions.
Meanwhile, a series of lectures on Russia have been programmed, to be chaired by Daria Pyrkina, with the participation of intellectuals, artists, philosophers and foundations.
On another note, and another new feature at the fair, are six Professional Encounters scheduled during the fair. In each one, an art world expert will invite another 15 to 20 colleagues to a private meeting where they can exchange views and projects while also having a chance to visit the fair and interact with galleries. The planned encounters are: “Producing Artists’ Work,” with Chus Martínez, chief curator at MACBA Barcelona; “Curating Emerging Artists”, directed by Latitudes, the independent curatorial office founded by Mariana Cánepa and Max Andrews; “What Images Today?” with Marta Gili, Director of Jeu de Paume, Paris; “Biennial Break”, directed by Adriano Pedrosa, freelance curator from Sao Paulo, and “Latin America”, organised by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-Director of Exhibitions and Programmes and Director of International Projects, Serpentine Gallery, London and “Dinosaurs? – Can the major institutions for modern and contemporary art address the current artistic climate effectively?” Lynne Cooke, Deputy Director and Chief Curator MNCARS .
International Promotion
Over the last couple of months, ARCOmadrid, in conjunction with Promoción Madrid, has been on an international promotional tour, visiting various cities around the world. To date, Sao Paulo, Moscow, Paris, Miami and Lisbon are the stopovers chosen by the fair to present itself.
At the same time, with a view to throwing a spotlight on Latin American art and to attract curators from the main Latin America countries, ARCOmadrid is counting on the active support and collaboration of AECID (Spanish Agency for International Cooperation Development).
