ARCO LISBOA: Art Fair Week in Lisbon
ARCO LISBOA has opened its doors to international collectors. Here is our review of the art fair, which includes interviews with participating galleries.
Arco Lisboa location
If you are familiar with ARCO Madrid, you might be surprised by this unique historical vibe. It’s unlike any other contemporary art fair held in convention centers. It takes place again in the Cordoaria Nacional, a former manufacturing center for the Portuguese navy dating from 1779. This long building is supported by sturdy iron pillars and covered by old timber roofs. You can not get lost in the exhibition space, as there are only two aisles – one along the street, the other along with the garden. Large windows allow maximum daylight and air flow naturally. ARCO Lisboa is one of the most relaxing international art fairs we have visited.
We will dive into each section, showing the art we liked and some interviews with the artists, gallerists and curators there:
ARCO Lisboa’s context
Portugal is now a hotspot for high-net-worth individuals for several reasons:
- The Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime grants tax exemptions and reductions on specific types of foreign income for a period of ten years.
- A highly favorable tax environment for businesses with competitive corporate tax rates.
- The golden visa policy.
- Portugal isn’t much impacted by the war in Ukraine as it wasn’t dependent on Russian fossil energy.
ACQUISITIONS
The artworks exhibited in the acquisition section were previously acquired by the government. However, these pieces are not all from past ARCO editions. Notably, only one artwork from 2023 was present and wasn’t the one shown (refer to the Gallery 111 story later in the article). This results in a lack of consistency with the rest of the fair.
Adriana Molder
“I started working with her last year. She is a mid-career artist already well-established. Her father, Jorge Molder, a well-known photographer, dramatically inspires her work.
The portrait series she crafted mirrors old movies she watched during the lockdown. And the standout piece shows a Victorian woman. Like the previous year, this artwork made a striking impression at the expo.”
A little anecdote
“Last year’s piece caught the attention of the city hall, who were keen to purchase it. Unfortunately for them, a collector had already secured it. They requested that I call him so he could reconsider, but he declined. Supposedly, both parties were happy when the city hall agreed to acquire another piece that wasn’t on display. But the collector never showed up afterwards.”
– Rui Brito | Gallery 111
GENERAL PROGRAM
ARCO LISBOA’s GENERAL PROGRAM has 59 galleries selected by the organizing committee; are all gallery owners: Bruno Múrias and Matteo Consonni (Lisbon), Sabrina Amrani (Madrid), finally, Cornelia Grassi (London).
Pedro A.H. Paixão
(Gallery 111)
This work is from a monochrome series featuring graphite and pencil drawings. This series focuses on the neocolonial period in Central Africa, exploring themes of struggle, emancipation, and the possibility of reparations. The political history is depicted in a dreamlike, magical atmosphere, suggesting animist beliefs and journeys of initiation.
Parallel events
Arco Lisboa has solidified its presence this year, maintaining a similar scope to last year. The primary difference is its increased footprint in the city through various official and unofficial parallel events.
“Arco’s officials approached me to organize a parallel event in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of 111. I accepted because, as a collector, I like it most when a gallery opens its doors and reveals its “behind the scenes” collections. So, I curated an exhibition highlighting the gallery’s curatorial history.”
– Rui Brito
Marina Vargas
(Gallery Fernando Pradilla)
With these masks, Marina Vargas assembles a mystical dialogue between talismanic elements, playing with the idea of the occult. The artist is inviting new interpretations of the role of women in society from a feminist perspective.
THE SHAPES OF THE OCEAN
“As Formas de Oceano” was originally named “Africa in Focus” with 8 participating galleries. Africa’s rich artistic culture is spotlighted in the Africa in Focus program for the third consecutive year, curated by Paula Nascimento and Igor Simões.
M’barek Bouhchichi
(L’Atelier 21)
M’barek Bouhchichi’s work explores social segregation within the Berber community and the widespread invisibility they face, captured through his poignant series of portraits.
Advice for young galleries
“As a gallery owner, it’s crucial to visit an art fair before participating in it. Absorb, learn, and then ponder upon its suitability for your gallery. Take a look at the committee and the galleries’ list. Put in the effort to discern whether your gallery aligns well with the fair.”
“On average, our gallery takes part in four art fairs per year. “
Nadia Amor | L’Atelier 21
Houda Terjuman
(African Arty)
The series of paintings, through natural symbols, tells us about the story of migration, exile, attachment to roots, and the search for identity
Selection
“As Formas de Oceano” is a selection of galleries. Last year, it focused solely on African art, but galleries from South America have been included this year. This broader representation is likely why the name changed from “Africa in Focus.” The primary benefit of this curation is that it helps galleries by reducing booth fees.”
– Jacques Antoine Gannat | African Arty
SOLO SECTION
The new SOLO Projects will feature new works from international artists to enhance the general program.
Laetitia Ky
Before being recognized as an artist, Laetitia Ky was an activist and influencer, so her message is as important for her as her visual expression. The idea of self-portraits with figurative shapes and hairstyles comes from colonial photos. Her paintings and sculptures celebrate the artist’s roots and are a powerful tool of communication designed to raise public awareness around issues of race, gender equality, and social justice.
Edin Zenun
(Zeller Van Almsick)
Edin’s painting explores composition with handmade pigments, oil, and clay with an eclectic inspiration from jazz, German expressionist brick architecture, and Greek sexuality.
ARCO Lisboa compared to other fairs
“The organization is really good, and it has the advantage of being an easier entry than ARCO Madrid. People tend to buy the last days; in contrast to fairs like Frieze and Basel, you are done if you don’t sell the 1st day. Compared to last year, ARCO Lisboa has now established itself. I’ve observed an influx of Austrian art galleries and collectors. The fair also appears to have piqued the interest of numerous Brazilian collectors. On top of that, the new Solo section was attractive! So much so that it appealed to me to return again this year. This year marks my third art fair following my experiences at Art Rotterdam and Art Dusseldorf.”
– Cornelis van Almsick
ARTSLIBRIS
This section is dedicated to art publications and editions.
ArtsLibris
ArtsLibris organizes its own fairs with curatorial projects, seminars, debates, exhibitions, performances, and interdisciplinary collaborations. It is a dynamic publishing community connecting art and society through book-objects.
ArtsLibris also has a permanent space shared with the Rocio Santa Cruz Gallery in Barcelona. And a store specializing in artist books, photo books, and self-publishing. They support a network of publishers, artists, and institutions.
ArtsLibris curation
If you are an artist self-editor, you can contact ArtsLibris. If accepted, they can propose you take a commission on sales or adopt the deposit technique, which consists of acquiring a stock of books upfront.
Artslibris doesn’t limit its curatorial to Spanish books and accepts English content.
El Naufraguito
Here is an example of their collection with El Naufraguito from Ceferino Galán, an artist from Barcelona who has been publishing a small art fanzine every month since 1989.
Al-Tiba9
Al-Tiba9 also combines an art gallery and an editorial.
Founded and curated by Mohamed Benhadj, Al-Tiba9 releases a new edition at every ARCO Madrid. All interviews are available on the official website, with a selection included in the books.
Artists featured in Al-Tiba9 often contact the platform directly, and their work can be featured for free. However, for venues and festivals, Al-Tiba9 offers paid professional services.
Oviedo Art School
Founded in 1785 in Oviedo, Asturias, the School of Art of Oviedo has evolved into an institution with modern facilities and advanced technology. During our visit to the school, we were impressed by their expertise in diverse media and techniques and their deep passion for them. On top of that, professors and the school director come all along to Lisbon at Arco to show the work of their students.
OPENING SECTION
The OPENING section includes 21 galleries promoting new and relevant artworks, with the best stand being awarded the Opening Lisboa prize for the fourth consecutive year.
Tamar Nadiradze
(Gallery 4710)
The artwork series “as if I fall asleep” explores the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, emphasizing the importance of choices in social and political contexts. The pieces reflect how our environment influences decisions and question the concept of homeland, freedom, and survival under pressure. The artist uses watercolors and pencils to convey these themes, focusing on composition, color, and symbolism.
The gallery is named after Ushba, which stands at 4,710 meters, the favorite mountain of Nini Darchia, its owner. This name complements the gallery’s curatorial practice, which draws inspiration from various poems for its exhibition titles. Nini Darchia, who has a punk approach to running the gallery, initially resisted participating in art fairs. However, she now acknowledges their necessity for gaining recognition and plans to attend three or four fairs annually.
Too much hallway video – not enough focus on the art.