MADRID.- ARCOmadrid 2023 closed the doors on its 42nd edition with a positive balance sheet and strong commercial pace. The quality and relevance of the galleries and art programmes at this year’s edition drew quality national and international collectors. A climate of optimism exuded at this year’s fair cementing confidence in the market, translating into sales and acquisitions by collectors and various public institutions who have incorporated new pieces into their museums and collections.
ARCOmadrid, which enjoyed the commitment of the Royal Family again this year with their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain presiding the inauguration on 23rd February, estimates over 95,000 visitors in total, surpassing the pre-pandemic figures. Similarly, there was a high standard of the professional attendance which mobilised around 38,000 professionals from all over the world.
This year the International Contemporary Art Fair enjoyed the participation of 211 galleries from 36 countries, over 450 international collectors and 200 professional guests from 40 countries.
After the initial days dedicated exclusively to professionals, ARCOmadrid recorded considerable institutional and corporate acquisitions, including those of Fundacin ARCO; Museo Reina Sofa; Comunidad de Madrid; Ayuntamiento de Madrid; Fundacin Aldo Rubino for the Museo de Arte Contemporneo de Buenos Aires MACBA; TBA21; Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary; Fundacin Mara Cristina Masaveu Peterson; Fundacin Helga de Alvear; Fundacin Mara Jos Jove and DKV Seguros, among many more (view full list of acquisitions).
Awards at ARCOmadrid
National and international institutions and companies share their support and acknowledgement of art at ARCOmadrid through the awards.
The Portuguese gallery, Monitor, with works by Lucia Cant and Elisa Montessori, was the winner of the Lexus Award for the Best Stand and Art Contents at ARCOmadrid 2023.
The HOA gallery, from So Paulo, won the IX Opening by Allianz Award in recognition of the artists Las Amaral and Ayrson Herclito. Meanwhile, the Romanian gallery Zina and the Valencia-based THE LIMINAL received special mention from the jury.
Cervezas Alhambra celebrated the seventh edition of the Cervezas Alhambra Award for Emerging Art distinguishing the artist Alberto Odriz for his work Si se pareciera a algo, ya no sera el todo, selected by an international jury of experts from the finalists proposed.
Yet again this year, illycaff supported young emerging artists present at ARCOmadrid with the XVI illySustainArt Award, granted on this occasion to the artist from Jrez, Cristina Mejas, represented by the galleries Alarcn Criado and Rodrguez Gallery.
On its XVI edition, the ARCO-BEEP Award for Electronic Art went to Evru/Zush – Galera Senda, and Peter Weibel Beckers + Kornfeld, who will be incorporated into the .NewArt
{collection;}, formerly known as the Beep Collection.
The Brazilian artist, Z Carlos Garca, from the Pasto gallery in Buenos Aires, was the winner of the I Six Senses Ibiza Sustainable Art Award, joining ARCOmadrid for the first time this year.
Coleccin SOLO granted its Acquisition Award to the work 'La liberacin del mito', by
Sandra Vsquez de la Horra, from the Galera Senda.
On this edition, the Catalina dAnglade Award went to the work of Ester Partegs -
Nogueras Blanchard-, to be incorporated into the collection.
