ARCOmadrid Goes Deep into the Discovery of Artists, Creates New Platforms for Professionals to Meet, Debate

ARCOmadrid, to be held on February 19 - 23, will be paying special attention to artists and the participation of curators in the Fair’s special sections. Over 60 galleries are going to present one or two artists in their booths within the framework of the new Solo/Duo proposal, as well as sections #Solo Projects, #FocusFinland and #Opening. In the same breath, the show is set to be attended by more than 150 directors of institutions, curators of biennales and other international figures from the world of art. These are the main aspects that make ARCOmadrid stand out among other fairs: artists, curators, gallery owners and collectors play a leading role in the way ARCOmadrid strengthens its position as a one-of-a-kind experience in terms of art and debate.

GALLERIES

As a result of a renewed trust in the market, ARCOmadrid’s main section – General Program – is going to be attended by 164 international galleries: Nicolai Wallner, Peter Kilchmann, Bob Van Orsouw, Micheline Szwajcer, Andersen's Contemporary, Kewenig, Esther Schipper, Chantal Crousel, Vera Munro, Mehdi Chouakri, Vermelho, Gregor Podnar or Mai 36, just to mention some.

ARCOmadrid’s willingness to work a line of discovery and knowledge of artworks, and the work of galleries and artists, will be reflected in the presentations of 25 projects included in the General Program, which are going to make up the Solo/Duo proposal with such artists as Hanne Darboven in Crone Galerie; Julio Le Parc in Del Infinito Arte; Jose Maria Sicilia in Chantal Crousel; Jan de Cock in Deweer or the dialogue between Luis Gordillo and Susana Solano in the proposal of Maior.

The curated sections are also going to include solo presentations in several booths. #FocusFinland will take us into the work of Elina Brotherus, Anti Laitinen (one of the representatives of Finland in the past edition of Venice Biennale) or Heta Kuchka. Artists like Elena Damiani, Carlos Motta, Luciana Lamothe or Pablo Rasgado are set to participate in #SoloProjects, and Juliana Borinski, Olve Sande or Raphael França are going to show individual projects in #Opening.

Galleries

A new series of round tables, titled Artists' Talks, will be exploring the relation between the processes of creation and presentation of works within the framework of a fair. Head by Mª Ines Rodriguez – the next director of CAPC, Bordeaux-, they will become spaces to reflect on the works showcased in ARCOmadrid, through different transversal dialogues with such artists as Julieta Aranda; Dora Garcia; Jorge Mendez Blake; Felipe Arturo; Fernanda Fragateiro; Alessandro Balteo; Fernando Bryce or Dan Graham.

PROFESSIONALS

One of the most outstanding features of ARCOmadrid is the presence of professionals, including over 150 directors of museums, curators of biennales and other remarkable figures. That’s the reason why ARCOmadrid represents a platform to share ideas and projects among guests, galleries and artists.

Some of the guests that have already confirmed their participation are Moritz Küng, freelance curator; Kasper König, Manifesta Curator 10; Dirk Snauwaert, Director Wiels or Adam Szymczyk, Curator of Documenta 14. These professionals will be joining Daniela Zyman, Chief Curator Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary; Vincent Honoré, founder Director and Chief Curator David Roberts Art Foundation; Julieta Gonzalez, Curator, Tamayo Museum, and Andrea Bellini, Director, Centre d'Art Contemporain Genève.

The Professional Meetings, Collectors Forum and the 3^rd Meeting of Museums from Europa Latin America, will be joined this year by the meeting of directors from more than 15 international institutions, organized by ADACE  (Spain’s Association of Contemporary Art Directors), a space to share ideas and projects.

Curators & Speakers

MADRID

Galleries and museums will once again showcase their finest exhibitions within the framework of ARCOmadrid. The displays of important contemporary art collections include Fundación ARCO, at Alcobendas Art Center; Grazyna Kulczyk Collection, at Santander Art Hall; Colección Jozami, at Lazaro Galdiano Foundation, Colección Telefónica and Museum Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Likewise, the Guest Country will be showing Finnish contemporary art with over 10 exhibitions and workshops by Finnish artists in Madrid, including Kustaa Saksi, at CentroCentro; the screening by Aki Kaurismäki, at Reina Sofia National Museum Art Center, and Residencias El Ranchito with Finnish artists, in Matadero. Other outstanding museums are going to host important displays, such as the Thyssen-Bonemisza with the first monographic on Cézanne or show Bill Viola [in dialogue] at San Fernando’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts.