SP–Arte 2023 brings together 168 exhibitors and consolidates itself as the largest art and design gathering in Latin America

Promoting the thriving art and design market in its 19th edition, SP–Arte is the most relevant art and design fair in Latin America. From March 29 to April 2, the Bienal Pavilion will host 168 exhibitors, including 86 national art galleries, 15 international art galleries, and 45 design exhibitors – a sector that has grown 30% compared to the previous edition – as well as 14 publishers, 8 cultural institutions, and autonomous spaces. Approaching its 20th anniversary, the fair consolidates its role as a catalyst for the national visual arts market and a driving force for the creative economy of the city.

“Through the participating galleries, SP–Arte has presented various generations of artists since its first edition, from those who are emerging in the market and starting their careers to those who are already established in the circuit. The fair has a careful approach to the excellence of what is shown at the event. In this sense, it not only serves as a driver of dynamism and renewal in the market, but also of the national and international art scene itself,” points out Fernanda Feitosa, founder and director of SP-Arte.

Art: 1st and 2nd floors

On the first and second floors of the pavilion, modern and contemporary art galleries, cultural institutions, autonomous spaces, and the Iguatemi Arena – which will host the Talks program – will be concentrated. Among the national galleries, highlights include exhibitors such as Almeida & Dale, which, in addition to its traditional booth with Brazilian artist treasures, occupies a second space in partnership with Galleria Fonti (Italy), which already exhibited at SP–Arte 2018, with a solo show by Salvatore Emblema (1929-2006) and curated by Jacopo Crivelli Visconti; Mendes Wood DM, with American Lynda Benglis and her bronze work from the new series recently presented in the United States; Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, which will have two booths, one of them dedicated to new works by Anderson Borba and Gokula Stoffel; Luisa Strina with sculptures by renowned Portuguese artist Leonor Antunes and Bahian artist Marepe; Marcelo Guarnieri with a focus on works by Alice Shintani and Liuba; Gomide&Co featuring works by León Ferrari and Lucio Fontana, and Central, which emphasizes Carmézia Emiliano, an artist who has a solo exhibition at Masp this year. In addition to the veterans, newcomers Lima Galeria, based in São Luís do Maranhão, and Asfalto, the only commercial gallery based in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, arrive to strengthen the lineup of this edition.

International: 1st and 2nd floors

Among the foreign newcomers of the 19th edition are Galerie Younique (France and Peru), Maât Gallery (France), and Nil Gallery (France) – the latter two are galleries that represent African artists – and Night Gallery from Los Angeles (USA). Galería Sur, which has participated in SP-Arte since its first edition in 2005, and Galería de las Misiones, both from Uruguay; Zielinsky (Barcelona, Spain); El Museo/Fernando Pradilla (Colombia and Spain); and Herlitzka & Co. + Henrique Faria (Argentina and the USA) will also be present. In addition, two other important galleries will participate in the fair: Opera Gallery (France) and Piero Atchugarry Gallery (USA and Uruguay).

Cultural institutions and autonomous spaces

Cultural institutions such as MASP (Museu de Arte de São Paulo), Instituto Inhotim, and IAC (Instituto de Arte Contemporânea) participate in SP-Arte with their respective design object and art multiples shops specially selected for the event, as well as autonomous spaces such as Instituto Inclusartiz, Ateliê397, Solar dos Abacaxis, Casa do Povo, and Pivô Arte e Pesquisa.

Design and publishers: ground floor

This year, the fair celebrates a 30% growth of the sector compared to the previous edition, now gathering 45 exhibitors on the ground floor of the pavilion. The public will be able to see works by renowned Brazilian furniture designers such as ETEL, ,ovo, Atelier Hugo França, Passado Composto Século XX, and Teo – with 20 pieces from the 1930s to 1980s developed by the students of the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2023 –, among others, as well as newcomers FAS, Guto Requena, and Porfirio Valladares.

Publishers participating in the fair (including Act. Editora, Cobogó, BEI, Taschen, and Ubu) will also be on the ground floor.

Book launches, such as “Lina Bo Bardi Design: The Furniture of the Pioneering Times 1947-1958,” by Artemobilia, “Digo e tenho dito” by Anna Maria Maiolino, by Ubu, and “Indigenous Banks of Brazil,” by BEI, will also be held on the ground floor.

Showcase: 1st and 2nd floors

For its 19th edition, SP–Arte also seeks to create new points of contact between the diverse audiences visiting the fair and visual arts, with the introduction of a new sector called Showcase. Curated by Carollina Lauriano, the new sector is a kind of exhibition that will spread across 13 stands present at the fair, creating a circuit within the fair with works by artists selected by Lauriano and gathered under the same theme.

Entitled “Recover paradises: not needing the end to arrive,” the project is based on the reflections of Martinican thinker Malcom Ferdinand and questions, through art, the separation between anti-racist social movements and environmental and ecological discussions – a false antagonism inherited from colonialism – bringing to light possible transformations in the face of a collapsing world.

Participating in Showcase: Aline Bispo (Luis Maluf), Aislan Pankararu (Galatea), Claudia Andujar (Vermelho), Emanoel Araujo (Simões de Assis), Frederico Filippi (Athena), Jaime Lauriano (Nara Roesler), Laryssa Machada (Asfalto), Maré de Matos (Galeria Lume), Panmela Castro (Luisa Strina), Rebeca Carapiá (Leme), Rosana Paulino (Mendes Wood DM), Rubem Valentim (Almeida & Dale), and Uýra (C.galeria).

Talks at Arena Iguatemi: 2nd floor

The Talks program takes place at Arena Iguatemi. Jacopo Crivelli Visconti, Ana Carolina Ralston, and Felipe Molitor lead conversations with artists and curators on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, March 30th, 31st, and April 1st, always at 3pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm. The organization is led by Felipe Molitor, curator and researcher of SP-Arte.

On Sunday, April 2nd, the space will host editorial launches with book signings.

Day 30 (Thursday)
Jacopo Crivelli Visconti
3pm: Lenora de Barros (Gomide&Co)
4:30pm: Alexandre da Cunha (Luisa Strina)
6pm: Alex Cerveny (Millan)

Day 31 (Friday)
Ana Carolina Ralston
3pm: Darks Miranda (Projeto Vênus)
4:30pm: Elian Almeida (Nara Roesler)
6pm: Marcia de Moraes (Leme)

Day 01 (Saturday)
Felipe Molitor
3pm: Márcia Falcão (Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel)
4:30pm: Andréa Hygino (Superfície)
6pm: Ros4 Luz (Central)

Day 02 (Sunday)
Editorial launches with book signings
2pm: Launch – “Histórias Contadas em Tecidos – O Carnaval Negro Baiano”, Alberto Pitta (Carmo Johnson Projects)
3pm: Book signing – “Amazônia Ocupada” and “Pantanal”, João Farkas (Edições Sesc São Paulo)

Audioguides and guided tours

Developed and narrated by art and design experts, the content offers an immersive experience that permeates the artists and works exhibited at the fair. For the 19th edition, SP–Arte will present five audioguides developed by Ariana Nuala, Carollina Lauriano, Henrique Menezes, Ludimilla Fonseca, and Livia Debbane, which will be available on Spotify. The transcript of the audioguides will also be available on the SP–Arte website.

The same experts from the audioguides will be present at the fair to conduct free guided tours of the booths. The tours take place on Friday (03/31), Saturday (04/01), and Sunday (04/02) between 1pm and 5pm. Registration can be made one hour before the start of the tour – a limit of 12 participants per time slot.

Lounges

In this edition, the fair will have three lounges spread throughout the event, all designed by interior designer Marina Linhares. Among them, the main novelty is the Collectors Lounge, located on the third floor, an exclusive space for guests and exhibitors.

Gastronomy

Kitchin, Fome de Quê?, and Le Pain Quotidien are the official restaurants of the fair. Chandon, Terrazas, Whispering Angel, Blue Moon, and Amázzoni will have bars distributed throughout the event. The official coffee of SP–Arte is Café Orfeu, and Lindoya will provide water.

SP–Arte Circuit In its 19th edition, the main art fair in Latin America condenses its public programs – Ateliês Abertos, Gallery Night, Gallery Weekend – into one program: the SP–Arte Circuit, the official schedule of events that take place before and during the SP–Arte fair.

The Circuit began on March 18, with the inauguration of Casa SP–Arte, a permanent space of the fair, with the exhibition Mundo-Labirinto by Hélio Oiticica, and continues until the end of the fair on April 2, with various activities promoted by exhibiting galleries: cocktails, openings, conversations, guided tours, open studios, and more. The full program can be found on the SP–Arte app and website, and the Circuit is sponsored by Blue Moon.

SP–Arte App

For this 19th edition, SP–Arte also announces the launch of an app, the first to be used for a fair in Latin America. The app organizes all events that occur during the fair – book launches, free guided tours, conversations with artists – and in the city during the SP–Arte Circuit. All activities can be favorited and will be available in the “My Schedule” tab, which transforms into a personalized itinerary.

In the app, visitors can also browse all the useful information about the fair, view the map and list of exhibitors, and receive reminders about the schedule. The app is free and available on Android and IOS versions.

Casa SP–Arte

SP–Arte has inaugurated a permanent space dedicated to the exhibition and events related to visual arts and design in São Paulo: Casa SP–Arte. Installed in Vila Modernista, designed by Flávio de Carvalho (1899-1973), Casa SP–Arte occupies the only property – among the 17 that make up the village – entirely restored to its original version.

“After almost 20 years of successfully organizing several art fairs, we wanted to take another step. Opening a permanent space allows us to give wings to our own projects (which are many!) and those of partner galleries,” says Fernanda Feitosa, director of SP–Arte.

Casa SP–Arte was inaugurated with the exhibition Hélio Oiticica: mundo-labirinto, organized by Gomide&Co and Luisa Duarte, artistic director of the gallery. The exhibition brings together works from different phases of Oiticica’s production (1937-1980) – from works from 1955 to productions from the 1970s.

Among the highlights is the unprecedented development of a Cosmococa (CC4) executed by Neville d’Almeida (1941) for the exhibition. It is a domestic version of CC4, something planned by Oiticica during his lifetime, but never realized. Also noteworthy is the first Penetrável (PN1), which will occupy the center of the gallery. Built by the artist in 1961, the installation is a tribute to the art critic Mário Pedrosa (1900-1981).