October is the capital’s art season and Alexander James takes a look ahead at Bogota’s famed art fair ARTBO
When: October 1-4, 12pm to 8pm daily.
Where: Pavilions 11-23, Corferias, Carrera 37 #24-67
Cost: COP$35,000 general public and COP$15,000 for students
More Information: www.artbo.co
From October 1 – 4 ARTBO will give further evidence (as if any was needed) of Bogota’s standing as the art capital of Colombia and, some might argue, of Latin America.
Now in its 11th edition, ARTBO 2015 – ‘The International Art Fair of Bogota’ – boasts a mammoth 84 galleries, 15 projects from recognised contemporary artists as well as works from 33 young artists in four self-managed spaces.
A programme run by Bogota’s Chamber of Commerce, ARTBO is now recognised as one of the foremost art fairs in the region. Sixty-nine of the 84 galleries are from places as diverse as Berlin, Buenos Aires, Havana, London, Bologna and New York. The result is a refreshing look at modern art, one which is completely unique on the international circuit.
For the 2015 version, a vast array of samples from modern and contemporary art have been chosen, responding to the current worldwide art climate. The selection committee was comprised of art luminaries such as the Elba Benitez Gallery (Madrid, Spain), Eduardo Brandao – Gallery Vermelho (São Paulo, Brazil), Ignacio Liprandi (Buenos Aires, Argentina), The Beatriz Lopez Institute of Vision (Bogota, Colombia), Mor-Charpentier (Paris – Bogota, Colombia) and Maria Eugenia (Bogota, Colombia).
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- Artecámara – Viviana Diaz.
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- Marcela Armas – Homo Orbital (2015). Arróniz Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City.
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- Iván Hurtado – Monumentos sin poder (2015). Galería de la Oficina, Medellín.
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- Marlon de Azambuja – Brutalismo (2014). Max Estrella, Madrid.
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- Leandro Katz – Uxmal – Casa de las Palomas (1993). Henrique Faría, Buenos Aires, New York.
Perhaps one of the most encouraging sections is Artecámara – a space dedicated to celebrating the tireless work of promising young Colombian artists. Since 2005, the Artecámara programme has set up permanent exhibitions in galleries all over Bogota. A huge amount of time has gone into the organisation of this year’s Artecámara ARTBO exhibition, solidifying it as the most recognised space for young artists on the national scene.
In addition to the plethora of galleries, which contain some of the best art in Latin America, ARTBO also plays host to ‘Forum’ – a series of discussions and lectures by important personalities from the world of art, including curators, collectors, scholars, artists and institutions.
Forum’s underlying theme at ARTBO 2015 will focus on the three principal elements of the art world: art production, display of work and the art market.
So whether you are an art fanatic, clueless or merely just curious, ARTBO 2015 is a not-to-be-missed event, a chance to see some world class art, created and curated by some of the finest institutes on the planet.
Photos: Cámara de Comercio
By Alexander James
