Whilst the stands are not by any measure uniform, there is a distinct coherence between the galleries’ presentations. There is an overriding presence of Arte Povera and Post-minimalism works on display: the winner of Heineken’s best ‘Opening’ gallery was Spanish Et Hall, whose presentation is very much in the conceptual line. Galleria Cardi also presents works by Arte Povera originals Piero Manzoni, Lucio Fontana and Enrico Castellani, whilst a number of other galleries have pieces by younger artists who work in line with the Italian tradition.
Sergio Prego. 00 Pared abultada. dibujos y membrana presurizada. 2014
It is not only Arte Povera that proves to be an inspiration for artists exhibiting at ARCO, we arrived at a number of stands expecting to see the name of one emblematic artist or another marked beneath a seemingly archetypical work, only to find that it was a lesser-known artist who had produced the piece. For example, a Gerhard Richter-esque Strip painting turned out to be created by Markus Linnenbrink at Max Estrella.
This copycat recurrence is nonetheless symptomatic of the fair’s accessibility in terms of price range as well as visitor demographics. This accessibility is also exemplified by the amount of photographs and works on paper on offer. Additionally there is the notable absence of New York and London-based galleries, two cities that host a large percentage of the world’s heavyweight galleries who cater to the most ambitious collectors.
Amongst the 212 galleries, there is a strong German and Spanish presence, the latter explains itself quite simply, the former alludes to Berlin’s lagging market and its galleries’ subsequent need to export themselves. ARCO is therefore a good point of entry for these galleries in terms of approachability. It is also worth noting the strong links between Germany and Spain, aside from the swathes of German tourists who hit the beaches of Palma Majorca every summer; there is a German presence in the galleries of this part of the world. Rebecca Horn is indeed represented by Pelaires Centre Cultural Contemporani in Palma de Mallorca.
Among the numerous Spanish galleries there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of competing at an international level: Elvira Gonzalez is presenting an Olafur Eliasson at €137,000; a €225,000 Lee Ufan; as well as what could well be the star piece of the fair, a Basquiat on offer at €2.8 million.
Whilst London is absent throughout the majority of the fair, there are still a few ambitious young Londoners in the ‘Opening’ section for young galleries. This includes Carlos Ishikawa gallery who has chosen to present a recent work by Colombian Oscar Murillo on sale for $150,000.
It is worth noting that Colombia has been selected by ARCO to be highlighted at this year’s fair under the umbrella of a focus on Latin America with galleries bringing visibility to local artists such as Edwin Sánchez at Valenzuela and Angélica María Zorrilla at Sextante.
Whilst ARCO might not be making any surprising sales, it remains a respectable market staple, tapping into key trends in the market, notably digital art: the work of Madrid-based artist Daniel Canogar particularly stands out at Max Estrella. As Director of Galería Cayón, Adolfo Cayón, points out, “ARCO is a very important fair for us in order reach the European and South American markets that choose to present here rather than at other fairs.” Additionally, as one of the oldest fairs around, ARCO seems safe in its position despite the mushrooming numbers of international art fairs. It caters to its audience and continues to draw in the crowds with galleries that have remained faithful to the fair for years, as not all galleries are simply looking to access new markets; gallerist Christopher Grimes makes the annual pilgramage for the "calibre of curatorial symposiums" and the attendance of engaged curators and "considerate" collectors.
