MACO 2007 Art ?
Last week I was in MACO 2007 the Mexican art fair. This is the third Art Fair I visited, I was also in Art Miami (USA) and in ArtBO (Colombia). In comparison with these other fairs, I can tell that I have seen much more painting in ART Miami and ArtBO than in MACO, here was just the opposite, much more conceptual art than painting. The places where the other fairs were settled were much more appropiate, I could be there the whole day and feel comfortable. At MACO after being there 3 hours we have to leave because it was impossible to breath with all that dust and smoke, and besides the heat was unbearable.
I am very happy to see the growth of an art fair in my own country but I am also very disappointed with the organization. Some gallerists with empty booths because the art works were still in custom house (Abel Neue Kunst) and nobody to help those gallerists who have invest in Mexico's Art Fair? How can we expect that people come back if organizers weren't able to provide the minimum confort?
I also want to say that I was pleased to see the place so crowded. People invest in art when their basic needs are fulfilled and Art tries to feed another type of hunger... a subtil and more spiritual one...because a piece of art may fascinate you, inspire you, sooth your soul and enrich your life...
Comments
I have also been to the MACO but just for a couple of hours. I have read that the location was a departments building under construction in the nice area of Palmas, that made me think that the experience could be complete. What a great idea to place Contemporary Art in such a place like something under construction! But when I got there, I realised that the idea hasn't been well developped. Under construction means under construction! Dust, trucks, noise... not exactly the best place to locate artworks. Anyway, I could enjoy for a while some galleries, but I couldn't really find something that made me open my checkbook. As you say, Odette, people invest in Art when their basic needs are fulfilled, but I also think that most of the people I have seen there, are people in their mid 30's to 50's, trying to invest as they also invest in the stock exchange or the real state. People with no previous information or background in art but willing to have an original at their homes that could become, in the future, a great investment. And this is a very important point for marketing, I think: newcomers to the Art shows are people with high incomes, oriented to risk and also oriented to eclecticism. And that is good for new artists generations!
Nevertheless I do think it is not fair to buy art just as an investment without deriving pleasure from it, it is like buying a house, you ought to enjoy it .... and art has besides an intrinsic value that nothing else could have, or what do you think of this?