July 19–August 9, 2021
On the occasion of Latin American Galleries Now, an online initiative led by Artsy to showcase galleries across Latin America, five Gallery Associations from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico worked together to organize a parallel and complementary event, presenting a series of conversations with guests from all the associations participating at the fair.
With the intent of shedding light on the Latin American art scene and its place in the international art market, ABACT (Brazilian Association of Contemporary Art Galleries), MERIDIANO (Argentine Art Galleries Association), AGAC (Association of Contemporary Art Galleries of Chile), AGAC (Colombian Art Galleries Association), and GAMA (Associated Mexican Art Galleries) invited one collector from each region, as well as representatives from emerging and more established galleries from each country, to have a series of conversations exploring themes and issues related to programming, collecting, the art market, mounting exhibitions and having to adapt during a global pandemic.
17 Brazilian galleries, members of Latitude - Platform for Brazilian Art Galleries Abroad, a partnership between ABACT and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency - Apex-Brasil, are participating in the fair, as well as 37 galleries from Argentina supported by MERIDIANO and the Argentine Investment and Trade Promotion Agency, 06 galleries from Colombia, 08 from Mexico, and 06 from Chile. The complete list of participating galleries can be found here.
The first talk is already available on each association’s Instagram page, and the second one will be released on July 31.
About Latitude
Latitude – Platform for Brazilian Art Galleries Abroad is a programme developed to promote Brazil’s contemporary art market internationally. Created in 2007, in 2011 it became a partnership between Associação Brasileira de Arte Contemporânea – ABACT [Brazilian Association of Contemporary Art] and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) with the goal of creating business opportunities for the sector abroad, mainly through professional training, support for international placements and cultural and commercial promotion. As a requirement to become a member of ABACT, all participating galleries must work in the primary market. Currently nearly 62 galleries have opted to take part in the project. These galleries are located across seven different Brazilian states and represent more than 1000 contemporary artists.
About Associação Brasileira de Arte Contemporânea - ABACT
A private non-profit organization created in 2007, the Associação Brasileira de Arte Contemporânea – ABACT [Brazilian Association of Contemporary Art Galleries] currently comprises 63 art galleries of the primary art market across seven Brazilian states and the Federal District, all of which directly involved in the support and development of over a thousand artists’ careers. Acknowledging the fundamental role that contemporary art plays in the shaping and dissemination of an up-to-date image of Brazil abroad, ABACT has taken on the mission of expanding cultural exchange, promoting activities to professionalize and reducing bureaucracy in the market, while fostering dialogue and education encompassing the contemporary art sector in Brazil, placing value on the different stages of production and those responsible for them. In partnership with Apex-Brasil, ABACT has managed and operated the Latitude since April 2011.
About Apex-Brasil
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and to strategically attract foreign investment to particular sectors of the Brazilian economy. The Agency supports over 12,000 companies from 80 different industries, which in turn export to 200 markets worldwide. Apex-Brasil also plays a key role in attracting direct foreign investment to Brazil, working to detect business opportunities, strategically promote events and initiatives and to provide support to foreign investors interested in allocating resources to the Brazilian market.