“We will feature works by the Canadian artist Renée Gagnon, renowned for her remarkable work in Angola, depicting the musseques of the 1970s, approved by President Agostinho Neto himself,” stated gallerist Carlos Cabral Nunes during the setup of their stand at the fair, officially opening on Thursday.
The term musseque is derived from the local Kimbundu language and refers to the sandy lands around Luanda, where suburban neighborhoods have been situated since the 18th century.
Renée Gagnon documented life in the musseques through photography, highlighting the cultural and artistic richness of these structures, focusing on the intricate details of the streets, alleys, windows, and doors.
In addition to showcasing Canadian artist’s work, Perve Gallery aims to introduce João Artur da Silva, one of the pioneers of the surrealist movement in Portugal from the 1940s, who is “practically unknown in the country.”
“This artist has had a notable career in England and Canada and is probably the only surviving artist from this movement, born in the 1920s, who is still active. At 97, he continues to paint,” highlighted Cabral Nunes.
The gallerist recalls previous participations in ARCOlisboa positively and holds high expectations for the eighth edition: “This year, we made a bigger investment, we have a larger stand. It’s a higher risk, but marking the 50th anniversary of the independence of Portuguese-speaking countries is also very important.”
The ARCOlisboa International Contemporary Art Fair opens Thursday with 83 galleries, new awards, and extended free entry “to attract young audiences,” according to the organization, which has dedicated two free days for visitors under 25 years old.
Until Sunday, the eighth edition, which will again take place at the Cordoaria Nacional building, will bring together galleries from 17 countries, including 30 from Portugal and 53 international ones, with a special emphasis on the presence of galleries from Spain, Germany, Italy, and Brazil.
In previous editions, ARCOlisboa has offered free entrance for young people under 25 during one afternoon of the event. This year, the decision was made to extend free entry to two afternoons, on Friday (May 30) and Saturday (May 31), starting at 3:00 PM.
The fair consists of three sections: the General Program with 61 galleries, Opening Lisboa curated by Sofia Lanusse and Diogo Pinto with 18 galleries, and “The Forms of the Ocean” curated by Paula Nascimento and Igor Simões, featuring projects centered on Africa, its diaspora, and other geographies, in five galleries.
The planned international program will bring 150 guests to Lisbon, including museum directors, curators, gallerists, and other sector professionals, “to give visibility to the fair and to engage with the city’s offerings in this area,” stated the organizer to Lusa.
Over the past three years, attendance at ARCOlisboa increased from 11,000 visitors in 2022 to over 13,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to the organization’s figures.
This year, new awards will be introduced, including the Armando Martins Contemporary Art Museum Acquisition Award (MACAM), launched at ARCOmadrid, and the Studiolo Collection Acquisition Award – Candela A. Soldevilla, from the Spanish collector.
Additional existing awards include the Opening Lisboa Award, the Millennium bcp Foundation Award for Best Stand, and acquisitions by the ARCO Foundation and the Lisbon City Council.
The General Program will see the debut of galleries such as Travesia Quatro, Duarte Sequeira, Set Espai d’Art, and Each Modern, while others, like Vermelho, Nuno Centeno, Rosa Santos, Fonseca Macedo, and Galeria de Las Misiones, will return after a hiatus, joining regular participants like Portuguese galleries Vera Cortês, Francisco Fino, Madragoa, and Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art.
This section will also feature solo projects by artists such as Diogo Pimentão, Miki Leal, Andrei Ibarra, Amélie Esterházy, Sonia Navarro, Justin Weiler, and Manuel M. Romero, among others.
The curated segment “The Forms of the Ocean” will bring together five galleries: African Arty (Morocco), Afronova (South Africa), Christophe Person (France), Karla Osorio (Brazil), and Reiners Contemporary Art (Spain).
The program for this eighth edition of ARCOlisboa also includes museum and art gallery visits, book launches, talks, and debates.
The official opening of ARCOlisboa is scheduled for 4:30 PM at Cordoaria Nacional, with the presence of the Minister of Culture, Dalila Rodrigues, and the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, who will tour the fair with the guests.
