[ARTNOTES] 30_09

We could see it coming, we had already announced it: art is getting over, with certain determining factors, but it is getting over. The end of the USA recession, the incipient job creation… and, as a result, our market seems to see the light after a dark period, something quite different from the situation we experienced a year ago. We think there are new expectations, new upturns; we could see and experience it in the auctions in New York in November. Sotheby’s and Christie’s are experiencing important increases, reliable bets and investments closer to the financial market than other bets: art is a reliably worthy whenever the artist is reliable. That’s why we were looking forward to last edition of Art Basel|Miami Beach, in order to confirm something or to look back to last year darkness, and what we could see was a reflection of what we announced previously: good news for the art field whose market has assimilated the crisis better than others, and although we cannot still talk about ‘past time’ when there was certain passion for buying and selling, when the first day of the fair solved the whole gallery business; we can confirm that there have been sales. If we are more specific: good, consolidated and reliable pieces were sold, standing out the price increase of Warhol, the American ‘Picasso’, and Calder, together with Yves Tanguy as the most important sales. In parallel with Art Basel|Miami Beach, the other satellite fairs have also overcome the difficult situation in a dignified way, we are referring to Art Miami, NADA, Scope, Pulse and up to twenty art events. So we hope Europe starts to recover so that next editions of ARCOmadrid, Art Basel, etc can show the signs of recovery we could already see in America. On the other hand, the Turner Prize (the one-time polemic contest owing to the final decision) for Contemporary Art was held in the United Kingdom. This time the prize was awarded to an artist within the age limit (49 years old), the British Richard Wright, who has become the oldest artist winning an award. Will this fact mean that art field is changing and being young, shameless and ‘original’ is not enough to have certain options to appear within the new talents? Who knows! On the other hand, we would like somebody to be able to explain the age limit in the contests: 30, 35, 40, 50 years old… Why not under 60, 70 or even 100 years old? Without any doubt, the range of possibilities would be more. Let’s suggest it as a proposal. In Galicia Espacio Atlántico fair (the one-time Puro Arte fair) is being held in January, some time before ARCO. Let’s trust the new people in charge and our bet is that events like this one should place the Galician Atlantic horizon in the good position it deserves, and we deserve; let it be so.

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

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LAS ESCUELAS DE BELLAS ARTES PRODUCEN EXCELENTES ASESINOS. Manuel Allué

LA REVOLUCIÓN DEL CUBO. Luz Paz Agras

MIRANDO AL NORTE. MÁS ALLÁ DE LAS CIUDADES. Nuria Ruibal

ELEOMAR PUENTE. Amable López Meléndez

ARTE PÚBLICO EN CÓRDOBA. EL PATIO DE MI CASA. Juan-Ramón Barbancho

Special:
art basel|miami beach

National exhibitions: information and Reflection on Current Exhibition Practice in Spain

International: A look at the more interesting proposals beyond our frontiers, from our correspondents in New York, Geneva, and Berlin.Regular columns from New York and Portugal (also in Portuguese)

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Culture: Film, music, and the performing arts. The most attractive events: festivals, meetings...

Interview: Iñaki Lacuesta

Art Notes

Public Announcements: detailed information on courses, seminars, workshops, competitions and awards

Agenda: Calendar of exhibitions in Spain and Portugal

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