ARCO 2013 – Solo Projects: Focus Latinoamérica

13th – 17th February, 2013
Halls 8 & 10 at Feria de Madrid

Artists from around the continent suggest a fresh look at Latin American art through 23 projects.

The 2nd European and Latin American Museums Meeting will bring together representatives of museums and collections of international merit, and, as a new feature, their conclusions will be revealed in a public session.

Once again this year Latin America will have a special presence at ARCOmadrid. In line with this, and in order to research and analyse the current arts scene, the Fair will offer a fresh look through the 23 projects by Latin American artists that will make up the Solo Projects: Latin America Focus section. As The 23 galleries were selected by an eclectic team of curators with very diverse visions, with the cooperation of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

The five curators who selected the projects using their inside knowledge and various perspectives on the current Latin American art scene are: Inti Guerrero, associate artistic director of TEOR/éTica (Costa Rica); Catalina Lozano, independent curator and co-founder of de_sitio (Mexico); Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro, director of the Cisneros Foundation / Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, (New York and Caracas); Alexia Tala, independent curator (Chile); and Cristiana Tejo, independent curator (Brazil).

This team has spent many months researching and discussing the Latin American art scene, including art not necessarily represented by the region’s galleries. The selection to be shown at ARCOmadrid therefore includes works from international artists and galleries without the restrictions of labels or clichés. A wide range of pieces will be shown to demonstrate the diversity of the Latin American scene beyond its borders.

The curators’ work has resulted in the selection of a total of 23 artists’ projects, which will be shown at the Fair by galleries from various countries. Chile is sending works by three artists: Álvaro Oyarzún, represented by AFA Galería, from Santiago de Chile; Bernardo Oyarzún, represented by the Parisian gallery Bendana Pinel, and Isidora Correa, represented by Die Ecke, from Chile.

Contemporary Brazilian art will be headed by three artists: Erica Ferrari, shown by the Sao Paulo-based Emma Thomas Gallery; Maria Thereza Alves, whose work will be shown at the stand of the Parisian gallery Michel Rein, and Delson Uchôa, who will be shown by Brazil’s Sim Galeria from Curitina, in the state of Paraná.

Another of the countries to be represented in this edition of Solo Projects: Focus Latin America is Colombia, which will have a presence at the Fair through three very different artists: Wilson Diaz, shown by the gallery Valenzuela Klenner, from Bogotá; François Bucher, who was born in Cali, one of the most exciting scenes in Colombia today, and whose work will be presented by Mexican gallery Proyectos Monclova ; and Álvaro Barrios, represented by the New York gallery Henrique Faria, which has participated in several editions of ARCOmadrid.

From Peru, the programme’s curators have selected three sets of work for this edition of ARCOmadrid: firstly the work presented by the Málaga gallery Isabel Hurley by the artist Alberto Borea, from Lima; the Lima-based Wu Galeria’s exhibition of works of artist Sandra Nakamura, and also from Lima, 80 M², which will be showing the artist Iosu Aramburu.

The Mexican selection comprises Iván Puig, represented by the Mexican gallery Arróniz; Mariana Castillo Deball, who will participate with the German gallery Wien Lukatsch; and Eduardo Abaroa, whose works will be shown at the stand of Kurimanzutto, the prestigious Mexican gallery that is returning to ARCOmadrid this year. This vision also includes artist Ariel Orozco – who was born in Cuba but lives in Mexico City – and who is participating at the Fair with the Mexican gallery Myto Galería.

This programme dedicated to Latin America will also involve the participation of Puerto Rico’s Jesús ‘Bubu’ Negrón, whose recent works can be seen at the stand of the Puerto Rican gallery Roberto Paradise; France’s Julia Rometti and Ecuador’s Víctor Costales, who are represented by the Parisian gallery Jousse Entreprise; Argentina’s Sebastian Gordin, who will be in attendance with the Brazilian gallery Oscar Cruz; the Argentineans Faivovich/Goldberg, who will be participating through the Nusser & Baumgart gallery from Munich, and Cuban artist Glenda Leon, who will be attending ARCOmadrid with the gallery Magnan Metz, from New York.

The selection is completed with projects by the Venezuelan artists Daniel Medina, showing with London’s Waterside Contemporary, and Oscar Abraham Pabón, whose most recent works will be shown by the Caracas gallery Oficina 1.

The Latin American presence will also be clearly reflected in the Experts Forum, where professionals will be participating in round table sessions and Professional Meetings. In addition, the Second Meeting of European and Latin American Museums, will also be held, headed by Natalia Majluf, Director of the Lima Art Museum, and João Fernandes and Jesús Carrillo from Spain’s Reina Sofía National Art Museum.

Representatives from various internationally significant museums and collections will participate in this meeting, and, as a new development, their conclusions will be exhibited in a public session. Attending will be Zdenka Badovinac, director of the Moderna Galerija, Museum of Modern Art; Agustín Pérez-Rubio, director of MUSAC; Bart De Baere, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MuHKA); Vasif Kortun, director of research and programmes at SALT; Charles Esche, director of the Van Abbemuseum; Carles Guerra, chief curator at MACBA; Rodolfo Kronfle, independent curator; Bartomeu Marí, director of MACBA; Justo Mellado; director of the Valparaiso Cultural Park; Tadeu Chiarelli, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo (MAC USP); Ann Gallagher; head of British art collections at the Tate Britain; Giancarlo Hannud; curator of the Pinacoteca do Estado de Brasil; Maria Inés Rodríguez, head curator at MUAC; Osvaldo Sánchez, curator and critic, and Roberto Amigo, curator at the National Fine Arts Museum, Buenos Aires.

Once again, illycaffè will this year be taking part in ARCOmadrid with the illy Award, which is presented to artists showing their works in the Solo Projects: Focus Latin America section. This reconfirms illycaffè’s commitment to taking part in the Fair with this initiative, which is part of a far-reaching project to support contemporary art and design launched by the company over 15 years ago.

Practical Info
13th – 17th February 2013
Professionals: Wednesday 13, from noon to 9 pm & Thursday 14, from noon to 8 pm.
General public: Friday 15, Saturday 16 & Sunday 17, from noon to 8 pm.