(31 May 2016) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4037956

LEAD IN:
The contemporary art fair ARCO has crossed the border for its first edition outside Madrid.
ARCO Lisboa has been showcasing some of the finest artists and galleries of the contemporary scene in the Portuguese capital.

STORY-LINE:
45 galleries and more than 100 international collectors and curators - this is ARCO Lisboa - Madrid's contemporary art fair - in Portugal for the first time.
Over 4 days art lovers have been treated to works by the likes of Mario Merz, Joaquin Torres García, Julian Opie and the artists currently leading the Portuguese scene - Julião Sarmento and Joana Vasconcelos.
Organisers say the event has attracted more than 12,000 visitors and plans for another fair next year are already in the pipeline.
"Collectors coming from abroad, local collectors, people for who it is the first time they have been to an art fair, interested people that might be collectors in the future. So I think it was a very nice mix. Also the city of Lisbon has attracted lots of people from the art circuit to see more about what was happening not only the fair but also galleries and museums. So it is a very positive balance," says ARCO's director Carlos Urroz.
For gallery owners it's a unique chance to show national artists to a wider audience.
Cristina Guerra showcases some key Portuguese artists in her gallery such as Juliao Sarmento, but there's also artists from Portuguese speaking countries such as Brazilian Rosangela Renno and Angolan Yonamine.
"All the days have been unbelievable, far beyond any expectations. It went really well for all of us. And they already said there will be a new edition (next year) so it's really great for us," she says.
Guerra says she is delighted with the Iberian bond between Spain and Portugal - she sees it as a natural and strategic platform to reach out to important markets in Portuguese speaking countries such as Brazil and the former African colonies like Angola and Mozambique.
"I think this complementary relationship between Portugal and Spain, this idea of the Iberian Peninsula is fantastic, because it can work as a north south platform and so I hope we play that game, and I believe we will win it. We have bounds with Africa, and it is very near to us, Latin America also speaks Spanish and Portuguese, so I think this is a move that we need to play seriously. It's not out of chance that this (ARCO Lisboa) went so well," she says.
ARCO celebrated its 35th Anniversary in Madrid this year. The organisation has already announced the second edition in Lisbon, scheduled to take place in May 2017, when Lisbon will become the capital for Ibero-American Culture.
ARCO Lisboa ran until 29th May 2016.

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть