ARCOmadrid, just like any other international fair devoted to contemporary art, has been reformulated as years go by –keeping those strategies that have led it to success– in order to maintain the interest and, therefore, the attendance and confidence of the most important galleries, collectors, museum directors, curators and promoters.
The 2012 edition is to be held on February 15 - 19, and its organizers have already announced the participation of 150 galleries from over thirty country within the General Program, besides 57 exhibition spaces selected for different Commissioned Programs (Opening: newly created European galleries, Focus Netherlands and Solo Projects: Focus Latin America).
With the collaboration of Mondriaan Foundation, the special invitation to Netherlands promises to be one of the most attractive elements, with 14 galleries handpicked by curator Xander Karskens, responsible of the collection and program of international contemporary art showcased at Hallen Museum, in Haarlem. At the same time and as an innovation in this edition, a participative space will be opened for cultural and artistic Netherlander institutions –named Assembly of Netherlands–, where performances, talks and screenings are to be carried out among other activities to promote the interaction among attendees.
After ARCO project is to be another initiative in which Netherlands will be playing the leading role, conceived to coordinate, after the Fair closure, cultural and leisure activities in different spaces of the city (screenings, musical performances, etc.). This proposal looks forward to temporally extending the actions of ARCO, maintaining in the collective imaginary and the opinion of specialists as a “life” event, which is not only circumscribed to the four days of exhibition. After that, ARCO will be complementing a vast program of exhibitions carried out by Netherlander artists in museums and art centers in Madrid.
Among the novelties for 2012, Artista Destacado (Outstanding Artist) section invites galleries to suggest special presentations of some of their artists. ARCOmadrid will highlight those creators within its communication campaign and provide a publication, for critics, commissioners and visitors, including profiles and images of their work in other to boost the gallery’s promotional work. Solo Objects is another bet on new elements, devoted to art in monumental scales, and it’s undoubtedly an extremely attractive option for visitors during the event.
Experts Forum and Professional Meetings were called again, as well as the Program of International Collectors, which will be welcoming some 200 active collectors. This one, along with the invitation to the main international art consultants, as well as museum groups and art center all over the world, will sustain the dynamism of acquisitions. It’s joined by First Collector program, and this bulletin shed light on its details two weeks ago.
ARCOmadrid is, undoubtedly, one of the most significant events for the art market in Europe and the world. We invite you to remain posted on the events linked to the Fair through our digital and printed issues.
Source: Press release
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