ARCO 2008

 

Let’s me say really uninteresting. Nothing to do with FIAC or the young NYC fairs or the others Asian or European. And for a Fair that’s helped with public funds…

Friday, first day for public and a working day, could be a quiet day but… groups of young scholars were wherever. It’s a fair, not a museum! To make acquisitions at the Fair or prepare them you need space and the opportunity to see things with calm, moreover than discuss with gallerist without teenagers around. Secondly, if you want to eat something you have a buffet in a worst than a cantina for workers in early 50’s. Regarding the works exhibited you have a triple choice: extravaganza installations in order to be pictured in the news, very current/second class artists or a lot of photography.

When I attend a Fair I’d like to find three things: artists to discover in order to add to my collection or just appreciate his work, artists known in order to add or to admire and big names in order to become in love about art once again.

In Arco there was one Bacon, one Picasso, one Tapies and… nothing more. Nothing more!!! This also represents the value of a Fair.

It is also true that there were a lot of Spanish artists represented but without big works, only medium or drawings or small sculptures.

Regarding Brazil, all the galleries in an inadequate space and without any work to really say: woohhhooohhh!!!!

One positive thing for my collection, Chinese galleries starts to invade western fairs. In Arco ten galleries were present, with classical works of Zhang Xiaogang or Zhong Biao, but despite an original medium size work of Zhang nothing really weighted.

I found the Fair less interesting than last year, the galleries better exposed in the new pavilions but much less interesting in the continent.

In conclusion, I thing it is a private party for institutions and the usual friends at public charges.