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Rodrigo Oliveira, À procura da utopia (estado actual), 2014-15. Courtesy of Galeria Filomena Soares, Lisbon. Booth B-02.
After founding the Latin American art fairs PINTA New York and PINTA London, Argentinian art entrepreneur and director of the Collection Mundus Novus, Alejandro Zaia set his sights on the Costa del Sol of Spain. “Art/Marbella was born after a thorough study of and research into many topics: demographics, multiculturalism, collectors in the area, etc.,” he says, “We put together all of these and thought, why not?”
Misha Bies Golas, Untitled, 2012. Courtesy of AdHoc, Vigo, Spain. Booth G-03.
Establishing a new art fair in an untested (albeit popular) region is no small task, especially considering the proliferation of art fairs and biennials in recent years adding to an already packed art calendar. To make the new fair “a premiere stop in the international cultural calendar,” Art/Marbella has brought in a group of curatorial advisers, including New York-based Omar Lopez-Chahoud of the critically acclaimed UNTITLED fair in Miami Beach, Italian curator and critic Maria Chiara Valacchi, London-based art consultant and advisor Neri Torcello, and Stockholm-based curator Aura Seikkula as senior artistic advisor. Along with these various advisors, Art/Marbella has invited a number of independent curators to produce solo exhibitions and other projects, such as Portuguese curator Bruno Leitão, who is curating a special section of the fair devoted to showcasing the diversity of the current Portuguese art scene, and Rolando Carmona, who is curating a solo presentation of multimedia and interactive works developed between 1949 and 1963 by French artist Nicolas Schöffer.
Nicolas Schöffer, S.E.C. (Sculpture à Eléments Combinables) N° 15a, 1974. © Eleonore de Lavandeyra Schöffer.
While Marbella itself is not particularly well known as an art hotspot, the neighboring city of Málaga has a rapidly expanding cultural sector, particularly with the announcement of the opening of the Centre Pompidou Málaga, the first pop-up outpost of the important contemporary art museum to open outside of France. Art/Marbella’s VIP program takes full advantage of the art museums in the area, Zaia told us, with “a full calendar of activities with curated visits to the CAC and the brand new Centre Pompidou in Malaga. Both are deploying a wide cultural offer in the area, and this has become a great attraction for our collectors.” In addition to the museum offerings of the Costa del Sol, Art/Marbella is wooing international collectors to the Spanish shore with “an aggressive collector’s program,” which includes luxury accommodations and exclusive parties for a select group of internationally known collectors. Not to mention the fact that Marbella itself is an enticing and attractive location: as Omar Lopez-Chahoud put it simply, “it’s a nice place to go in the summer.”
Erwin Olaf, Shenzen. Portrait 2. Waiting., 2014. Courtesy of Espacio Minimo, Madrid. Booth B-05.
And while wider cultural offerings and the location’s amenities are surely important, first and foremost is the art on offer at the fair itself. Lopez-Chahoud, as founder and director of UNTITLED in Miami, is distinctly aware of the importance of presentation, curation, and vision when it comes to art fairs. “I'm not involved in [Art/Marbella] the same way as I am with UNTITLED,” he told MutualArt over the phone one afternoon, rather he is part of the advisory committee, “advising on what I think they should do to make it successful fair.” While Lopez-Chahoud is not directly involved with the curatorial side of Art/Marbella, his recommendations and counsel will surely be felt in the way the fair is arranged and what art is on view. Quality is paramount, as well as strong projects and “a cohesiveness to the fair where you can see connections amongst the galleries and amongst the artists,” he says.
Dionisio Gonzalez, Dauphin VII (from the series Dauphin Island), 2011. Courtesy of Galería Yusto/Giner, Marbella, Spain.
As one of many satellite fairs in Miami Beach, UNTITLED has the benefit of being able to offer a focused, curated selection of contemporary works. Art/Marbella, on the other hand, is the only fair in town, and therefore must offer a wide selection for the many different types of collectors that will come to the fair. To that end, modern masters will be on display along with works by emerging contemporary artists. Zaia gave us some idea of the diverse kinds of works that will be shown at the fair: “a solo show of [work by] Nicolas Schöffer, also one of Magritte, both in modern art,” he says, while “in the contemporary field I may highlight a Dionisio Gonzalez show, and the new and fresh ‘Madrid Now’ ([a section highlighting] Madrid’s emerging spaces), and ‘Portugal, Contact Zone,’ both curated by Bruno Leitão.” This intermingling of modern and contemporary promises to prompt new connections between a diverse array of artists. For instance, the kinetic, interactive, “cybernetic” sculptures and films by French artist Nicolas Schöffer, made during the mid-20th century, may provide a fresh counterpoint to contemporary abstract paintings by, say, Spanish artist Rafa Forteza, or the experimental sculptures by Norwegian artist Anders Holen.
Rafa Forteza, Espera Sosegada II, 2014. Courtesy of L21 Gallery, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Booth A-01.
This diversity is also reflected in the special projects on view, particularly in “Portugal, Contact Zone,” curated by Leitão. “It is very unusual to find trends when it comes to art practices in Portugal,” Leitão told us via email. “This is particularly interesting especially if you take into account the small dimensions of this country and its population of [just] 10 million people.” A wide geographic area—“USA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Australia, Spain just to mention a few”—cross-pollinate in Portugal. “There are several reasons for this to be so,” Leitão continues, “firstly, Portugal's historical relation to several African countries, Brazil, and more remote places like Macau or Goa; the fact that it has been a country of both emigrants and immigrants; and that it is both the end tip of Europe but also the closest [European country in relation] to the Americas.” As a result, he says, “The artist scene in Portugal is and has been very diverse; each and every artist has a very specific and idiosyncratic approach.” The artists in this special section of the fair are represented by the Lisbon-based galleries Carlos Carvalho and Filomena Soares, and include Portuguese artists Rui Chafes, Rodrigo Oliveira, Manuel Caeiro, and Monica de Miranda, along with international names like Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, American Slater Bradley, and German artist Roland Fischer.
Shirin Neshat, Rapture Series (Men Seated On Circle, ablution), 1999. Courtesy of Galeria Filomena Soares, Lisbon. Booth B-02.
The emphasis on curatorial activities at Art/Marbella also manifests itself with the first gathering, on July 31, of the Curatorial Program for Research (CPR), “a global, intensive research program for international curators,” co-founded by curators Aura Seikkula and Carmen Ferreyra. Seikkula is also working with the Norwegian independent venue Elephant Kunsthall at this year’s Art/Marbella. “Elephant Kunsthall's spatial practice is fascinating,” Seikkula remarks, “The main space is a 1920s gas station but it is connected to ever-expanding sculpture park.” At Art/Marbella some of the “Elephant Sculpturepark relics,” by Anders Holen, Mikael Hegnar, Marte Johnslien, Fredrik Berberg, will be on view. Seikkula, who has worked with various fairs in the US and Europe, considers Art/Marbella a “valiant initiative.” “As a curator I am intrigued by the fair context,” she says, “which has kept on developing into artistically and curatorially more hybrid forms [for the last few years]. Art Marbella takes now its first edition directly as such a composition.”
Anders Holen, installation view, Elephant Kunsthalle. Courtesy of Elephant Kunsthall, Lillehammer, Norway. Booth E-03.
“The first year of a fair is always a bit of test ground. That is obviously exciting,” says Leitão. Whether Art/Marbella will become an essential destination on the international art calendar remains to be seen, but it seems that as long as the sun shines and the money flows, the fair can count on seeing a measure of success that will ensure growth in the future.
Carlos Noronha Feio, Native People of The Pacific World: dispositif XXV, 2014. Courtesy of Narrative Projects, London. Booth E-09.
Art/Marbella runs from July 30 - August 3, 2015, at the Palacio de Ferias in Marbella.
—Natalie Hegert
MutualArt.com is a revolutionary online art information service which covers the world of art by collecting content about events, venues, artists, articles and auctions from thousands of web sites.
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Outdoor Sculpture Destinations in Europe
Charles Jencks, Life Mounds, (2005). Courtesy of Jupiter Artland. Photo: Allan.
Jupiter Artland in Scotland, 25 minutes outside Edinburgh (map)
Comprising site-specific commissions, temporary exhibitions, and 100 acres of sprawling woodlands and meadows, Jupiter Artland was created by collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson on the site of Bonnington House, a 17th century Jacobean hunting lodge, in 2009. Undoubtedly one of the highlights and the most iconic image of Jupiter Artland is the surreal terraced landscape, Life Mounds (2005), by Charles Jencks. Jupiter Artland’s summer program opens August 1 with a collection of large-scale installations and new work by Tara Donovan, a new sculpture park commission by sculptor Sara Barker, and an immersive installation by Samara Scott. The sculpture park is open to the public this year from May 16 to September 27, 2015, with ticket sales supporting their education foundation that offers free visits for schools, universities and community groups in Scotland.
Art and nature: the outdoor sculpture park offers the best of both worlds. Especially during the summer holidays, when we’re eager to trade in weary museum-legs for the invigorating effects of the nature hike, without sacrificing the need to view and appreciate great artworks. Here we’ve collected a selection of some of the best sculpture parks in Western Europe, combining idyllic settings with contemporary artworks by renowned artists. Located outside of major urban centers and off the beaten track, these art destinations are worth the trip.
Charles Jencks, Life Mounds, (2005). Courtesy of Jupiter Artland. Photo: Allan.
Jupiter Artland in Scotland, 25 minutes outside Edinburgh (map)
Comprising site-specific commissions, temporary exhibitions, and 100 acres of sprawling woodlands and meadows, Jupiter Artland was created by collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson on the site of Bonnington House, a 17th century Jacobean hunting lodge, in 2009. Undoubtedly one of the highlights and the most iconic image of Jupiter Artland is the surreal terraced landscape, Life Mounds (2005), by Charles Jencks. Jupiter Artland’s summer program opens August 1 with a collection of large-scale installations and new work by Tara Donovan, a new sculpture park commission by sculptor Sara Barker, and an immersive installation by Samara Scott. The sculpture park is open to the public this year from May 16 to September 27, 2015, with ticket sales supporting their education foundation that offers free visits for schools, universities and community groups in Scotland.
Installation view, ‘Jenny Holzer. Softer Targets’, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, 2015. © Jenny Holzer, Courtesy Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Ken Adlard.
Hauser & Wirth Somerset, located in Bruton, about an hour from Bristol (map)
This Somerset art destination, a countryside outpost of Hauser and Wirth, neither falls under the familiar rubric of a traditional sculpture park nor a traditional commercial gallery. The one-year-old institution offers a core exhibition program, space for artist residencies, a restaurant serving seasonal and ethically farmed local food, and a luxuriant perennial meadow created by Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf. From July 12 – November 1, 2015, all five of its gallery spaces are devoted to a major solo exhibition of works by Jenny Holzer, from her early “Truisms” of the 1980s, to new paintings and LED installations. Outdoors, the courtyard displays four of Holzer’s granite benches, and during the course of the exhibition further outdoor works will be installed throughout the grounds. Hauser & Wirth Somerset is open year-round and is easily accessible by train.
Mark Handforth, Two Old Bananas, 2013. © Cass Sculpture Foundation, Mark Handforth, 2015. Photo: Barney Hindle.
Cass Sculpture Foundation in West Sussex, 15 minutes from Chichester (map)
The Cass Sculpture Foundation, founded in 1992 by Wilfred and Jeannette Cass, has pioneered a unique non-profit model. All of the sculptures on display are, in fact, for sale; proceeds are split equally between the artist and the foundation, which then facilitates new commissions. New commissions for 2015 include Mark Handforth’s three-meter tall, cast aluminum sculpture Two Old Bananas; a sculpture playing with transparency and light by Piotr Lakomy; a hydraulic machine that collects and arranges fallen trees by James Capper; and a sculpture in steel, resin, brass, and wood by Sara Barker. The Foundation is open from April to November every year.
Jean Dubuffet, Jardin d’émail, 1974. Courtesy of Kröller-Müller Museum.
Kröller-Müller Museum Sculpture Garden, at De Hoge Veluwe National Park, 35 minutes from Arnhem (map)
While the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum is worth the trip in itself, its outdoor sculptures and the surrounding landscape are especially beautiful in the summer. Billed as one of Europe’s largest sculpture gardens, the museum’s 25-hectare outdoor sculpture park has a long and rich history, and features modern and contemporary masterpieces by Henry Moore, Jean Arp, Richard Serra, Marta Pan, Christo, and Jean Dubuffet. Set in the midst of the Netherlands’ Hoge Veluwe National Park, visitors can also borrow free white bicycles and set out to explore the landscape beyond the museum grounds. The museum and sculpture park are open all year.
Julien Perrier, Ludwig, 2014. Courtesy Domaine de Kerguéhennec. Photo: Domaine de Kerguéhennec.
Domaine de Kerguéhennec, in Brittany, about 30 minutes from Vannes (map)
Located on the grounds of a 18th century château in Brittany, the Domaine de Kerguéhennec is an art and culture center operated by the local government, with exhibition programming and a sculpture park celebrating works by French and international contemporary artists. Exploring the expansive gardens of the château, one will discover works by Marina Abramovic, François Morellet, Giuseppe Penone, and many others. This year’s summer program features a solo exhibition by American sculptor Paul Wallach, and an exhibition exploring the relationship between painting, drawing and architecture, with nine commissioned artists creating wall paintings in the interior of the chateau. Entry is free and programming runs year-round.
Sean Scully, Boxes Full of Air, 2015. Courtesy Château La Coste.
Château La Coste, in Provence, about 25 minutes from Aix-en-Provence (map)
Among the olive groves and vineyards of Provence, Château La Coste’s Art Centre, conceived and designed by Japanese artist Tadao Ando, brings contemporary art and architecture to the wine country of southern France. This year welcomes a new exhibition space, converted from an old winery house, with a solo exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Sean Scully serving as its inaugural exhibition (July 5 – October 31, 2015). Walking around the grounds of Château La Coste, visitors will find works of art and architecture by Louise Bourgeois, Liam Gillick, Frank Gehry, Andy Goldsworthy, Tracey Emin, and others, and can complement their tour with a wine tasting for an additional fee. The winery is open year-round, and offers special nighttime tours on select dates in July and August.
Gavin Turk. Courtesy of Commanderie de Peyrassol.
Peyrassol, in Provence, 45 minutes from Toulon or 1 hour from Saint-Tropez (map)
Also situated in the heart of Provence, the winery and sculpture park Peyrassol, established by gallerist Valérie Bach and collector Philippe Austruy, unites art and fine wine. In fact, the brand is becoming increasingly connected to contemporary art—the winery sponsors the terrace restaurant at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and has commissioned a Bertrand Lavier-designed label for its limited edition 2014 rosé. Among the ample vineyards and picturesque courtyards of Peyrassol, one will find sculptures by modern and contemporary artists like Gavin Turk, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Dubuffet, and Lee Ufan. A tasting of two wines and a tour of the winery comes complimentary, and the park is open all year.
Mark Handforth, Deep Violet, 2014. © Mark Handforth. Courtesy Domaine du Muy. Photo: J.C. Lett.
Domaine du Muy, in Provence, 45 minutes from Cannes (map)
Rounding out this trio of contemporary sculpture parks in the south of France is the brand new Domaine du Muy, created by Galerie Mitterand founder Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand. Unlike the more cultivated surroundings of the winery-sculpture parks in the area, the sculptures at Domaine du Muy, curated by Simon Lamunière, interact with the scrubby yet scenic environment of Mediterranean wilderness, in a “game of contrasts.” Open by appointment only, from May to October, a visit to Domaine du Muy will reveal sculptures by such artists as Sol Lewitt, Yayoi Kusama, Carsten Höller, Sylvie Fleury, Andrea Zittel, Mounir Fatmi, and Xavier Veilhan.
Erwin Wurm, Fat House, 2003. Courtesy Sculpture Park Waldfrieden. Photo: S. Kayaalp.
Sculpture Park Waldfrieden, just outside Wuppertal, 40 minutes from Düsseldorf (map)
In 2006, artist Tony Cragg purchased and restored the Villa Waldfrieden, a historic and unique example of modern architecture, designed by Franz Krause. The sculpture garden ascending the steep slopes above the villa contain some of the finest works of Cragg, along with works by Thomas Schütte, Markus Lüpertz, Jaume Plensa, Eva Hild and others, some of which, particularly Erwin Wurm’s Fat House (2003), seem to be in conversation with the modern curves of the Villa’s architecture. Sculpture Park Waldfrieden offers a year-round exhibition schedule, with an exhibition of British sculptor Lynn Chadwick currently on view, from July 18 – October 18, 2015.
Nancy Rubins, Airplane Parts & Hills, 2003. © Courtesy of Universalmuseum Joanneum.
Austrian Sculpture Park, in the Mur Valley, about 20 minutes from Graz (map)
The Austrian Sculpture Park is one of the smallest and most urban locations on this list, but its size and proximity to the Graz Airport belies the subtle beauty of its rolling parkland. Operated by the Universalmuseum Joanneum, the sculpture park’s collection illustrates particular conceptual strands in the history of modern and contemporary sculpture, from a reclining nude by Herbert Boeckl (1940-44), to a gravity-defying collection of wrecked machine parts by Nancy Rubins (2003). A new commission by Bernhard Leitner—Aspen Dome (2015) comprises a collection of newly planted aspen trees, a work at the confluence of sound and land art—has just been installed, a result of the sculpture park’s yearly artist residency. The sculpture park is open from April to October.
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