Art Brussels
(25.04.2014 - 27.04.2014)
http://www.artbrussels.com/
Art Brussels
INTRODUCTION
The 32nd edition of Art Brussels, – within a continuing spirit of
creative and artistic renewal - features several new initiatives. For
the 10th consecutive year, the fair could again count on the support of
ING as main sponsor. After consistently building up its reputation over
the years and following on the success of Art Brussels 2013, the fair
now confidently occupies a position among the top five international
art fairs, while maintaining its unique features and welcoming
convivial atmosphere.
As their proliferation seems to testify, art fairs continue to provide
important economic, networking, and exhibition opportunities for
artists; whilst for collectors and the public they remain unique
platforms where one has the opportunity to see many artists and
artworks under one roof, something that would not be possible in other
circumstances.
ART BRUSSELS DIRECTORSHIP: TWO WOMEN
AT THE HELM
A new addition to the Art Brussels team is Anne Vierstraete, who
assumed the role of Business Director in August last year. Anne comes
to Art Brussels with an impressive track record and wide range of
professional experience in her eighteen years as Head of Marketing
& Communication at Bank Degroof and eight years as the director of
the Erasmus Fund for medical research.
Internationally recognised curator Katerina Gregos (who recently
curated both the Göteborg International Biennial in Sweden and the
annual exhibition of the Steirischer Herbst Festival in Graz, Austria)
will continue in her role as Artistic Director, which includes
developing the artistic profile and strategy of the fair as well as the
production of artistic content, participating in the gallery selection
processes, and programming all the artistic projects and discursive
events. Art Brussels 2014 will thus be piloted by a close-knit and
complementary duo.
BRUSSELS: EUROPE’S RISING ART CITY
It is no longer a secret that Brussels is, in the last years,
experiencing a creative renaissance in all fields of culture, and
especially the visual arts. The city continues to attract international
attention and more newcomers in terms of artists, galleries and
curators. This, in addition to the committed cultural institutions that
already exist, is solidifying Brussels’ reputation as one of Europe’s
most interesting and promising contemporary art cities, which is
quietly stealing the limelight from other established cultural
metropoles. Brussels offers easy access (under 2 hours by train) from
other neighbouring major European cities, the promise of multiple
cultural discoveries, an increasing number of new artistic initiatives
in the city, and an excellent culinary culture. The strong collector’s
base in Belgium (Belgian as well as international) further reinforces
the position of Art Brussels as one of the major, not-to-be-missed
cultural events in Western Europe and one of the flagship events in
Europe’s capital.
PARTICIPATING GALLERIES & SECTIONS
SECTIONS: PRIME, YOUNG, FIRST, SOLO, CURATOR’S VIEW (new)
Apart from the renewal of each edition, Art Brussels continues to
maintain its profile as a fair that brings together emerging artists
and galleries (the YOUNG section) with more established ones (the PRIME
section), thus offering the best of both worlds: an established market
combined with a youthful appeal. At the same time it continues to
reinforce and build upon its identity as a ‘discovery fair’ and the
place where one can identify artists at the beginning of their careers.
Indicatively, this year the FIRST section, which includes young and
upcoming galleries that have never shown at
the fair before, will be enlarged after a record number of
applications. FIRST, which is supported by Swatch, the
Swiss watchmaker, is a unique section at Art Brussels as it is upon
invitation only. It is scouted and selected by a
committee of curators including:
Daria De Beauvais, Curator, Palais de Tokyo, Paris
Chris Fitzpatrick, Director, Objectif Exhibitions, Antwerp
Nathalie Hartjes, Artistic director Nieuwe Vide, Haarlem, and
Coordinator of the Gallerist Programme at
de Appel arts centre, Amsterdam
Johan Holten, Director, Kunsthalle Baden-Baden
Katerina Gregos, Curator, Artistic Director, Art Brussels.
In addition to FIRST, 75 galleries will be exhibiting in the YOUNG
section, meaning that almost half of the fair is dedicated to emerging
and younger generation artists. Katerina Gregos selects the best booth
in YOUNG25m2. The winning Gallery will be rewarded with the Karen
Renders Award.This year, more emphasis will also be placed on
individual presentations of artists, in the SOLO section, providing the
opportunity to see the work of an artist (whether established or young)
more in-depth, and allowing for larger scale projects. Art Brussels is
partnering, for the second time with Pirelli, for the Pirelli Prize,
which will be awarded to the best SOLO presentation. The galleries in
the SOLO section are pre-selected by Katerina Gregos, and the prize is
selected by the members of the Art Brussels Collector’s Committee. The
SOLO shows are spread throughout the 2 halls of the fair.
Finally, a new section has been added to the fair this year entitled
CURATOR’S VIEW. This section brings together a selected number of
galleries who bring a curated thematic group exhibition in their stand
to the fair. These curatorial proposals can be curated either by an
artist, or by a curator, or by the gallery themselves and are selected
by Katerina Gregos.