According to a press release circulated by IFEMA, official organizer of ARCOMadrid -the most important contemporary art fair in Spain-, Maribel López will be the co-director of ARCO together with Carlos Urroz, with whom she has been working closely since 2011.
The decision was motivated by the desire of its current director to undertake new projects after the 2019 edition, to be held in Madrid on February 27th and March 3rd , 2019 and thus ensure a consistent relief in the conduct of So important event.
In statements offered by Lopez expresses interest in maintaining the success of the fair with the direction of Urroz in the last decade, but says that "we cannot think that everything is done and we must remain alert to the changes that every day experiences the art market. " For her, "directing ARCO represents enormous pride (...) and a great opportunity to continue working for art. I am aware of the responsibility and the challenge that I assume, but I am confident that it has an exceptional human team and the support of a large organization to which I thank for your trust. "
Maribel, who has a degree in Art History from the University of Barcelona, has vast experience in the field of galleries, supported by her incursions as assistant director of the Estrany-de la Mota Gallery in Barcelona and the direction of Maribel López Gallery in Berlin. In ARCO she was the first person in charge of the Opening section and later she served as commercial director and curator programs.
Urroz takes his leave recognizing the honor that the responsibility assumed in ARCO has meant during the last ten years, a project of great relevance for Spanish culture and art.
It is expected that among the new approaches and perspectives of the fair is to maintain the number of participating galleries, which exceed 200 and limit the number of artists in each space, strategy that has given good results in the most recent editions of the fair.