Advertisement

The Artsy Guide to SP-Arte

Artsy Editorial
Mar 25, 2014 8:29PM

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, SP-Arte, the São Paulo International Art Fair, promises not to disappoint with a special focus on galleries based in Brazil, more exhibitors than ever—136, to be exact—and a new solo presentation sector. Representing 18 countries worldwide, SP-Arte is sure to live up to its acclaim as São Paulo’s must-see international art fair.

1. When? Where? How?

SP-Arte takes place April 3rd through 6th, at Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo (Parque do Ibirapuera, Portão 3), the same site where the São Paulo Biennial takes place. Tickets may be purchased online, here.

2. Why visit?

Founded in 2005, SP-Arte has become a highly-esteemed Latin American art fair, with a distinguished selection of modern and contemporary art. The fair presents the unique opportunity to experience top Brazilian galleries alongside a slice of top-notch galleries from around the world. Located in the vibrant, cultural center that is São Paulo, the city, embedded in art history due to its famed Bienal of São Paulo, and home to a thriving artist community, serves as the perfect backdrop to an art fair, between internationally renowned art institutions, galleries, and private collections. In addition to the fair’s main exhibitors, two additional sectors offer more specialized presentations.

3. Solo

This year SP-Arte debuts its Solo sector, a new platform to highlight emerging artists from 13 international galleries, organized by Rodrigo Moura, a leading Brazilian curator and director of the contemporary art center Inhotim. Each of the 13 galleries in this section is given an alternative, 25-square-meter space to showcase a single artist. Highlights include Nathan Peter at PSM, Anna Bella Geiger at Henrique Faria, Virginia de Medeiros at Nara Roesler, Jose Dávila at Travesía Cuatro, and Mariana Telleria at Ruth Benzacar. 

4. Showcase

Now in its second iteration, the Showcase sector is comprised of 23 galleries that will focus on the works of three artists. Of the 23 international galleries in Showcase, several have never shown at SP-Arte before, including Rolf Art, Johannes Vogt Gallery, and Gallery Nosco.

5. Curatorial Lab

Now in its third edition, SP-Arte’s Curatorial Lab offers two young curators the opportunity to create exhibitions to be shown at the fair. Organized by esteemed curator Adriano Pedrosa, the curators chosen for this year’s lab are Carolina Vieira and Traplev, both of whom are from northeastern Brazil.

6. Dialogues

Also organized by Pedrosa, Dialogues, the fair’s talks program, was established with Curatorial Lab to encourage local art professionals to engage with SP-Arte. The Dialogues function to disseminate issues and ideas encountered in the Curatorial Labs each year, and also to inform a larger public about the art market. Participants include artists, curators, and collectors. See the full schedule of Dialogues here.

7. Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo

The fair’s venue, Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo, is a historic, architectural landmark that was created for the Bienal of São Paulo in 1957, in the Parque do Ibirapuera. Named after the Bienal’s founder, the three-story pavilion, offering 30,000 square meters of space, was designed by a team of top international architects led by Oscar Niemeyer and Hélio Uchôa. The pavilion is now an icon of modern architecture and is inextricably linked to the trajectory of art and architecture in Brazil. 

8. amfAR Inspiration Gala, São Paolo

Now for the fourth year, amfAR holds an Inspiration Gala in São Paulo to coincide with the beginning of SP-Arte, to support AIDS research. This year’s gala, on April 4th, continues to be the largest of these galas outside of the U.S. and gathers influential figures in fashion, music, film and advertising. Learn more here.

Explore SP-Arte on Artsy.

Artsy Editorial