ARCOmadrid increases its focus on artists and creates new platforms for discussion and meetings among professionals

ARCOmadrid, which will be held February 19 to 23, will feature an increased focus on individual artists and the participation of guest curators in the fair’s special sections.

Up to 60 galleries will present one or two artists in their booths as part of the Solo/Duo proposal, #SoloProjects #FocusFinland and #Opening sections. In addition, ARCOmadrid will also enjoy the participation of over 150 invited museum directors, biennial curators and leading art world professionals. These are the key features that distinguish ARCOmadrid from other art fairs: artists, curators, gallerists and collectors all have a shared role in turning ARCOmadrid into a unique experience of art and debate.

Galleries
Reflecting a renewed confidence in the contemporary art market, ARCOmadrid’s General Programme will count on the participation of 164 leading contemporary art galleries, such as Nicolai Wallner; Peter Kilchmann; Bob Van Orsouw; Micheline Szwajcer; Andersen’s Contemporary, Kewenig; Esther Schipper; Vera Munro; Mehdi Chouakri; Vermelho; Gregor Podnar or Mai 36.

ARCOmadrid’s objective of offering visitors an opportunity to see new art and gain a deeper understanding of artists and galleries will be on display in programs such as Solo/Duo, with 25 participants such as Hanne Darboven at the Crone Gallery; Julio Le Parc at Del Infinito Arte; José María Sicilia at Chantal Crousel; Jan de Cock at Deweer; or the dialogue between Luis Gordillo and Susana Solano at the Maior Gallery.

Curated sections will also include a wide selection of individual presentations. #FocusFinland will show the work of Elina Brotherus, Antti Laitinen (who represented Finland at last year’s Venice Biennial) and Heta Kuchka. Artists such as Elena Damiani, Carlos Motta, Luciana Lamothe or Pablo Rasgado will be part of #SoloProjects, and Juliana Borinski, Olve Sande and Raphael França will participate in #Opening.

A new series of round tables entitled Artists’ Talks will explore the relationship between the creation and the presentation of art works in the context of art fairs. Directed by Maria Inés Rodríguez (incoming director of CAPC in Bordeaux), the discussions that make up Artists’ Talks focus on works on view at ARCOmadid 2014 and are structured around a series of transversal dialogues among artists such as Julieta Aranda, Dora García, Jorge Méndez Blake, Felipe Arturo, Fernanda Fragateiro, Alessandro Balteo, Fernando Bryce and Dan Graham.

More information: http://www.ifema.es/arcomadrid_01/