Review
SP–Arte 2023

The 19th edition of SP–Arte, which took place from March 29 to April 2 at the Bienal Pavilion, brought together 168 exhibitors, including national and international art galleries, design studios, publishers, cultural institutions, and autonomous spaces. With encouraging results and sold-out tickets on the second-to-last day of the fair, SP–Arte reaffirms its leadership in the cultural calendar of the next year and will hold the second edition of Rotas Brasileiras from August 30 to September 3, 2023, at ARCA.

According to many of the exhibitors, the 19th SP-Arte was accompanied by enthusiasm and good negotiations. While it enabled the realization of new business, bringing together various areas of the market, the fair once again managed to attract new types of buyers and collectors, confirming its importance and credibility in the national market. Of the points emphasized by the exhibitors, two stand out: the greater artistic diversity present at the event and the number of new clients and new audiences who visited the fair.

With each edition, the event anticipates trends and attracts new audiences. This was even more evident for the more than 31,000 visitors who passed through the pavilion. Among the novelties of this edition, the newcomer Showcase, curated by Carollina Lauriano with the intention of creating new points of contact between the various audiences that visit the fair, was highlighted. Entitled “Recover paradises: not needing the end to arrive,” the project brought together 13 artists scattered throughout 13 stands under the same theme. The proposal was based on the reflections of Martinican thinker Malcom Ferdinand and questioned, through art, the separation between anti-racist social movements and environmental and ecological discussions.

The commercial success of the fair was confirmed by André Millan, head of Galeria Millan: “The success of the edition is undeniable, starting with the public, which was evidently more eclectic and quite interested, which is very positive for the market.” Millan also highlighted the quality of the fair’s organization and celebrated the good result of his booth: more than 25 works sold.

Gentil Carioca also viewed the edition with optimism. “The fair is always important for bridges, especially now that we have our space in São Paulo. We had the opportunity to reconnect with collectors who had not yet visited the new house and collectors present at international fairs,” says Ton Martins. The gallery brought about 50 works, and on Saturday, April 1, had already sold 23 of them.

Gomide&Co also celebrated its success. The gallery sold a total of 74 works, totaling more than R$ 12 million. According to Thiago Gomide, the 19th edition was “lively, with excellent content and the presence of prepared, interested, and knowledgeable collectors.”

Fernanda Resstom, from Central, agrees. “This year SP-Arte surprised me. We worked hard from sunrise to sunset, and all this dedication paid off. We sold three times more than last year, and I could not be happier with the result. In addition to acquisitions for excellent private collections, there were also purchases for public collections. More than 50% of sales were to collectors who were not on the gallery’s mailing list. I believe we will still have a lot of business to do throughout this week and month.”

For Nico Dantas Rocha, from Asfalto, the gallery’s debut at the fair exceeded expectations. “In commercial and institutional terms, it was very good. We were able to sell and obtain new clients, as well as open future dialogues – our main objective as first-time participants.”

Another newcomer, the French Nil Gallery, was also pleased with their participation. “Vibrant, surprising, and authentic. We noticed a local scene of stunning artists and galleries, with many good collectors,” affirms Hugo Zeytoun, head of the gallery.

For Carmo Johnson Projects, sales were also excellent, exceeding expectations. They sold 22 works by Bruno Novelli, Kaya Agari, Alberto Pitta, and MAHKU (Huni Kuin Artists Movement).

For Catarina Duncan, the general curator of Solar dos Abacaxis, one of the autonomous spaces present, the edition was well-organized and flowed well. “We felt a great reception from the public,” says Duncan. The good result was reflected in the institution’s sales: on Saturday, April 1st, the gallery had already sold 16 of the 30 works brought to the event.

Benjamin Seroussi, from Casa do Povo, states: “SP–Arte provides a unique moment for promoting the art market. But it is also a rare occasion for those who work in the non-commercial part of the art field to connect with the market, collectors, galleries, and recognized artists. Our booth was essential for that. It was through it that during the fair, Casa do Povo was able to strengthen its institutional positioning, work with diverse audiences, and raise funds through a collection developed especially for the fair in direct dialogue with the history and action of the institution. We sold everything on the first day – eight works were made available for sale from a series of 12 – and we asked [the artist] Rodrigo Andrade to authorize us to sell three more works that he wanted to keep. All sold, we only have one left. Total amount raised: R$ 165,000!”

In the design sector, for Teo, which this year brought pieces produced by students from the São Paulo School of Arts and Crafts to the fair, the balance was also positive. “The fair has reached an important and prominent space in the design scene. The audience present, in general, is interested and comes to seek information. We made relevant connections,” says Teo Vilela Gomes. The brand sold 60% of the exhibition taken to the booth, including the most important piece: a cabinet designed by Giuseppe Scapinelli, in caviuna wood, dated 1954, manufactured by the school.

Jacqueline Terpins states that SP–Arte intensely moves Brazilian design, bringing national and international visibility to the sector. “I have three foreign contacts interested and starting negotiations.”

For the studio ,ovo this edition was the best they have ever had in terms of sales. “The visitation was good, we met several of our clients, and we also made many new contacts,” says Gerson de Oliveira, one of the studio’s owners.

“ETEL had an exceptional participation in this edition, in which we celebrated the 30 years of our collection, and announced the entry of the great designer and inventor Percival Lafer to our team of designers. The fair surprised not only by the record number of visitors, but also by the quality of the audience who visited it. Throughout the event, we had the presence of important clients, architects and opinion makers. The extremely qualified attendance until the last minutes of Sunday set another level of event for all of us. We are very happy to have chosen SP–Arte as our stage for these celebrations,” says Lissa Carmona.

More design studios agree with the statement. Alex Rocca says that SP–Arte is “a powerful, democratic and inclusive fair.” Rocca claims to have sold 40% of what he brought to the edition. Among the most relevant pieces, special pieces from the Manto series were sold, tapestries made from residues and silk straws donated by Safira Tecidos and worked on manual looms.

For Fernanda Feitosa, SP–Arte’s founder and director, the post-edition atmosphere is one of celebration. “We are very happy with this edition for which we prepared ourselves a lot by bringing numerous changes in the event’s layout, offering rest areas for the public, and in the cultural and educational program. Very proud of my extraordinary team of architecture, design, communication, production, curation, photography and video, for having carried out a historic edition, with a record of national and international press and audience.”