Review
SP–Arte 2022

SP–Arte‘s 18th edition took place from April 6 through 10 2022 back at the Bienal Pavilion, in São Paulo, gathering over 130 art and design galleries, in addition to publishers and special projects.

According to Fernanda Feitosa, founder and director of SP–Arte, this edition’s mood is festive. “We are very happy with this edition, which had a special feeling of reunion and return to the traditional Bienal Pavilion, a place we have occupied since 2005. In addition, we were able to carry out a new project, the result of an earlier provocation we made, in 2020, but that could now be accomplished in person, which was the Radar SP–Arte, a project of independent artistic and institutional mapping, bringing new agents to the art scene in an event with such visibility, as happened to Solar dos Abacaxis, Casa Chama, Casa do Povo, IAC and Pivô. I am very proud of my extraordinary team of architecture, design, communication, production, curatorship, photography and video for having accomplished a historic edition, with great impact on the public and the national and international press.”

Among the innovations of this edition, the highlight was the new Radar SP–Arte sector, which gave greater visibility to independent initiatives, NGOs, and artists without commercial representation, curated by Felipe Molitor. The exhibition Arte Natureza: ressignificar para viver, curated by Ana Carolina Ralston, also attracted public attention. At the same time, there were talks (Talks program at Arena Iguatemi), guided tours, book launches, as well as the SP–Arte Weekend, which enlivened the city’s cultural itinerary during the two weekends preceding the fair, offering the public multiple activities as openings and closings of exhibitions, tours and celebrations in several galleries, cultural centers, and art-related institutions.

Museums and institutions also had a presence at SP–Arte’s website with profiles to publicize their programs, artists and publications.

According to most of the exhibitors, the return of the fair to the Bienal Pavilion, after two years, was marked by enthusiasm and good business. At the same time that the Fair enabled new business deals to be made, catalyzing and bringing together the market as a whole, it succeeded once again in attracting new types of buyers and collectors, reinforcing its importance and credibility with the more traditional groups. One of the most striking points for the exhibitors was the greater diversity represented at the event and the amount of new customers and public visiting the fair: young, diverse, curious, and ethnically plural.

The commercial success of the fair was acknowledged by the gallery owners, such as Luisa Strina, who celebrated the sales of 21 works, considering the fair an excellent period for negotiations. The gallery owner pointed out the formation of a new generation of collectors: “we noticed a new public at the fair, younger and well qualified, who try to learn about the subject, visit museums, and do research”. Myra Babenco, from Raquel Arnaud Gallery, also considered the fair a great opportunity for sales and attracting new clients. “We made at least five relevant sales of pieces by important artists such as Julio Vilani, Waltercio Caldas, Carla Chaim, Iole de Freitas, Célia Euvaldo and Cruz-Díez.”

Ricardo Rinaldi, director of Kogan Amaro gallery, says: “very good public, very busy edition every day. The best of all in terms of results (he participates since 2018). In terms of numbers, we had about 20 works sold. It is always a good occasion for innovations, so we presented artworks in NFT to the market, which were very well received.”

Among secondary market gallerists, Antônio Almeida, from Almeida & Dale, comments: “In terms of audience, this was an excellent SP–Arte, with high attendance, young clients and many young people buying”. In terms of sales, the evaluation is also positive: “we sold well, it was the best edition ever. The fair has settled very well in the building, allowing customers to map it, with wide aisles and distance to appreciate the artworks, with excellent pieces on display”.

Paulo Darzé, from Paulo Darzé Gallery, in Salvador, who brought to the fair only works by the artist Genaro de Carvalho, from Bahia, sold 90% of his booth. “In the first hours of the opening day of the fair I had already sold 80% of the booth. It was excellent”, he celebrates.

In the Design sector, making its debut at the event, Wentz appreciated the 18th edition very well, with an excellent audience for the brand and contacts. “We noticed a very nice interest from the public, an energy of recovery, and we think it’s very nice that Design is occupying the first floor of the Pavilion, giving more visibility to the sector,” declares Cintia Wentz.

For Mônica Novaes Esmanhotto, from Casa do Povo, the benefits go beyond the Fair: “We had three goals for this edition: to sell the works from Comum Presença collection that we made especially for the occasion, to support the renovation of our building; to expand our network of regular supporters; and to promote Casa do Povo by engaging more people in the institution’s mission. We can say that we were very successful on all three fronts”. Paula Signorelli, who leads Pivô, reinforces this perspective: “It was a very important moment for Pivô. Besides the good sales, it was very important to be in contact with people who didn’t know our work, our kind of research and residency project, and who collaborated by donating materials and buying products”.

Radar SP–Arte

One of the special projects inaugurated at this edition is Radar SP–Arte sector, with participations from five collectives and NGOs that presented their projects in commercial or institutional exhibitions. The Hora grande exhibition, curated by Felipe Molitor, with young artists without commercial representation was also a part of Radar.

"Arte Natureza: ressignificar para viver" exhibition

Besides Radar SP–Arte, the exhibition Arte natureza: ressignificar para viver, curated by Ana Carolina Ralston, reflects on the relations between art and sustainability, with great names such as Ernesto Neto, Joseph Beuys, Frans Krajcberg and Daiara Tukano.

SP–Arte Weekend

During the weekends before the Fair, openings and closures of exhibitions, guided tours and celebrations in many galleries around São Paulo happened, enriching the city’s cultural itinerary. It was SP–Arte Weekend, 26 and 27 March, in galleries and cultural spaces around Barra Funda, Centro and Higienópolis, and 02 through 03 April, at Vila Madalena, Pinheiros and Jardins. The programming spread throughout the city in many locations, gathering over 60 events in town.

Donations

SP–Arte has always had a strong bond with cultural institutions in its commitment to the arts in the country. Since our first editions, we dedicate ourselves to enriching the collections of national institutions through a donation program that happens traditionally at the Fair.

Since our first editions, Iguatemi, SP–Arte’s sponsor, acquires and donates works presented by our galleries to the collection of an important Brazilian museum.

This time, Iguatemi has donated to the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo collection, a work from the series “Gritos de alerta (Políptico)” (2022), from Davi de Jesus do Nascimento (Galeria Periscópio); and two sculptures from the series “Cupinzeiro” (2022), by Lidia Lisbôa (Galeria Millan).

Pinacoteca has also received anonymous donations of the works Untitled (2020), André Ricardo (Galeria Estação), Untitled (n/d), Antônio Poteiro (Galeria Estação), “Natureza morta” (2020), Paula Siebra (Mendes Wood DM), Untitled, from the series “Poder de Tajá” (2020) and Untitled, from the series “Elementar Fogo” (2018), UÝRA (C. Galeria).

Scholarships and nominations

In 2022, with the opening of the Radar sector, curated by Felipe Molitor, that gathers independent art collectives and young artists without commercial representation, SP–Arte looks forward to encourage the artistic production in Brazil. As a part of this commitment, SP–Arte has offered, in partnership with Instituto Inclusartiz, a scholarship/prize to one of the artists participating in the exhibition Hora grande. Luisa Brandelli (1990, Porto Alegre) was the winner of this edition’s award.