February 2–5, 2018
Preview & vernissage:
Thursday, February 1, 12–9pm, by invitation
Arte Fiera
Bologna
Italy
Arte Fiera 2018 applications are now available online. A new section dedicated to Perfomance, curated solo shows, site specific installation in town and an international Conference entitled “Part trade show, part exhibition—entre chien et loup” will feature the second edition directed by Angela Vettese.
Arte Fiera returns in 2018, once again as Italy’s premier trade show in the sector. Our approach is rooted in an awareness that in the global-local debate, the art world often loses sight of the local—a word that we interpret positively as those special features belonging to a particular culture that should not be submerged in an all-enveloping international style.
This does not mean that Arte Fiera will not give ample space to what is going on in the art world beyond Italy, especially when it comes to the direction taken by current historical and theoretical investigation. Indeed, understanding whether we can talk of an “Italian way of doing art” requires comparison with the outside world and its different approaches. Only then can we grasp what Italy has been able to give to the world during its history and what it still has in store.
The up-coming trade show will continue the new direction taken in 2017, with a restricted number of gallery exhibitors, selected strictly on content quality. As is the tradition, the show will again extend to encompass the city of Bologna where numerous exhibitions and meetings will be held, largely curated or funded by BolognaFiere.
A new edition of the bookshop Printville will again be a focal point for visitors. The bookstore will also have a display of rare editions (not for sale) as well as a wide array of titles and handicraft items.
The walkways between the booths will be enlivened by a series of small personal exhibitions dedicated to artists of all generations. Entitled “Modernity,” it will be a walk through the approach to modern art.
Again present will be the curatorial sections Nueva Vista, dedicated to emerging artists of any age bracket and Photo, a section meeting with wide public interest. A series of Solo Shows will again be presented by galleries wanting to focus on just one of their artists.
New features will be a section dedicated to Performances by artists employing a range of expressive media, especially time, space and the body, as well as a section looking at the relation between art and business within the vibrant “made in Italy” context. The Polis section will again continue the successful interweave between Arte Fiera and the city of Bologna. A tangible example of the trade show’s civic commitment, this ‘extra-mural’ section will include film screenings and open-air art exhibitions around the town.
An international conference is also scheduled. Entitled “Part Trade Show, part Exhibition – entre chien et loup,” it will examine the two types of event, seeking to define the differences but also the aspects that link the art market—made up of those who commission or buy art and its makers—and the world of non-commercial exhibitions. The conference will be organized in cooperation with major Italian University.
Applications for the selection are open, please visit the website.
