Review
SP–Foto 2017
Photography was the protagonist of São Paulo’s cultural scene last week. From August 23-27, JK Iguatemi hosted SP-Arte/Foto, the main photography event in Brazil. With exhibitions, debates and book launchings, the Fair concluded its 11th edition on Sunday. SP-Arte/Foto Week started out at Vermelho gallery with the Book Jockey and Photobook Barter event on Tuesday (22nd). The event drew a total of 17.000 people. For 2017, the Fair brought 32 exhibitors from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais,
Paraná and Bahia.
novelties
Galleries that debuted in this year’s event included DOC and Janaina Torres from São Paulo, as well as Inox from Rio de Janeiro and Periscópio from Belo Horizonte. Instituto Mario Cravo Neto had its first institutional participation in this year’s Fair. Participants were presented more than a thousand works of key
photographers from Brazil and abroad.
One of the highlights of the 11th edition were the free guided visits offered by Vivo. More than 700 people enjoyed the six circuits, which presented visitors with works and artists according to predefined themes, such as modern, contemporary, documental photography, photojournalism, image and architecture, and photography in dialogue with other artistic languages.
“Over the last editions of the Fair, we can clearly see the public’s growing interest in
photography. More and more, it’s becoming a part of people’s day-to-day, through social networks, for example, and what we do is invite people to deep dive into this language and its vision of the world,” said SP-Arte director Fernanda Feitosa. “The visits were created with the objective of shortening the gap between people and works and also incentivize the learning of people interested in art. All this movement surrounding these guided visits gives us the certainty that this is the path towards cultural inclusion,” she said.
Also for the first time, the Fair established partnerships with galleries, cultural institutions and ateliers and embraced a parallel programming to celebrate photography – the backbone of the cultural movement in the city during the August 17-27 period. Book jockey and Photobook barter, workshops, openings and guided visits by artists and specialists at galleries are some of the activities that surrounded the event at JK Iguatemi.
On Saturday, August 26, artists like Nino Cais, Marcelo Amorim, Carla Chaim, Julia Kater, Ding Musa and Ivan Padovani received in their ateliers dozens of curious and appreciators of art in the Open atelier circuit. Located in the Vila Madalena neighborhood, these spaces provided the public a pleasant stroll between the creative facets of these authors. Fonte, SAO, Fidalga and Hermes Artes Visuais were the galleries that participated in this initiative, keeping alive the atmosphere of communion and sharing of artistic flavors.
highlights
Sponsored this year by Fundação Marcos Amaro, the third edition of Talks took place
again at JK Iguatemi’s Lounge One. On Thursday, August 24, Fernanda Feitosa, collector, founder and director of SP-Arte/Foto talked with Artur Walther, collector and founder of The Walther Collection, which is dedicated to promoting photography, with units in Neu-Ulm, Germany, and New York, United States. The art of collecting, collections and cultural diversity were some of the topics discussed.
Next, was editor of Aperture magazine Michael Famighetti’s turn to talk with
photography journalist and critic Simonetta Persichetti. The two discussed the publishing market and, of course, photography platforms.
On Friday, August 25, Simon Baker, photography curator at the Tate, in London, talked
with Paulo Miyada, curator of Instituto Tomie Ohtake. As head of the Museum’s
photography department since 2009, Baker is also responsible for the expansion strategy of the institution’s photography collection. The Museum’s collection and its investigation process in the pursuit of artistic works were some of the topics discussed between the two.
The 11th edition of SP-Arte/Foto also included collective launchings and photobook
signings, the majority occurring at Editora Madalena. Launchings and autograph sessions took place on August 25-26 at a space specially reserved for this in the Fair.
Noite afora, noite adentro, by Betina Samaia; Linha vermelha, by Inês Bonduki; Missão
Francesa, by André Penteado; Farsa truque ilusões, by Joaquim Paiva; Ilha do Ferro, by Celso Brandão; and 05007-002 05005-060, by Marlos Bakker, were among the 20 titles launched during the event.
#breatheart