Emerging Latam “Cauces”, curated by Santiago Gasquet
Swab Barcelona presented Emerging Latam, curated for the fifth consecutive year by Santiago Gasquet, with the title ‘Cauces’. The section once again welcomed hybrid projects that showcased the rich and varied production of Latin American artists from cities such as Buenos Aires, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Rosario and Guadalajara. These proposals promoted different management models adapted to their local contexts, ranging from formal galleries and artist-run spaces to home galleries and nomadic projects.
The programme was presented from the notion of fluidity, exploring how artistic production in Latin America acts as a substance that flows, spreads and adopts the specific form of each country, province, city or community, and that without attempting to define a regional identity, reflects and embraces the inherent diversity of a broad and complex territory.
From practices that explore discussions on possible identities and the use of skin as a poetic and political territory, Amazonian-Andean cosmogony, the connection between traditions and new technologies, and the relationship between natural resources, local economies and art, sixteen artists navigate through reflections on issues of the present and provide a critical and dynamic perspective of the Latin American context within the framework of global debates.
Crudo, Rosario
Collectio, Santiago de Chile
Arte por excelencias talks to the curator, Santiago Gasquet
23.05.2024
What’s new about the programme, and will it follow a certain theme or concept?
The Focus LATAM 2024 programme retains the original format, but this year we are betting that each project can present up to three artists in dialogue that coincide with the spirit of each proposal. In previous years the galleries could present a single show or duo, and given the stupendous number of artists that each space proposed to me on this occasion, I thought it was a good idea to increase the number.
Do you already know how many galleries will be participating, will some of them be repeating, and can you give us some names in advance?
In this edition the section is made up of six projects from different parts of Latin America. We have, for example, two galleries from Chile. One of them is Collectio, which is participating again after having excellent results last year.
What are the selection criteria to join Focus LATAM?
For Focus LATAM I take into account different aspects when inviting participants. I’m interested in spaces that are representative of the different ways of carrying out management projects in Latin America. We can find, then, formal galleries, artist-run spaces, ‘home galleries’, projects without a physical space or nomadic projects, etc. Another aspect is that these projects represent young artists from the region, understanding the term ‘young’ in terms of the development of each artist’s production.
How did the idea of showing emerging Latin American artists here come about?
It arose from an invitation from Carolina Diez-Cascón, artistic director of the Fair, to think of a section that would show the production of artists from Argentina. I had the idea of broadening the field of work and so we gave shape to Focus LATAM, this section that exhibits the work of young projects and artists from the region.
Tramo, Buenos Aires
How important is Focus LATAM within Swab Barcelona?
Focus LATAM for me is a jewel within the Fair, at least that’s how I like to think of it. It is a section that we work on throughout the year with a lot of commitment and professionalism. We understand that, for the economies of young Latin American projects, travelling to Europe and taking on the costs of participating in international fairs is very expensive, so we work with the necessary commitment and care to ensure that our section stands out within the context of Swab.
What has been the reception in previous editions?
After three editions, we can say that the 2023 edition was the most successful in terms of sales and reception, both from collectors and from the different cultural agents and the general public.
Do you think there is interest in Europe in seeing and buying Latin American art?
Spain in general has always been the gateway for galleries and artists from Latin America to Europe, and I think Swab is a very good opportunity for projects that are starting out on the art fair path, both in terms of its scale and the cost of participation. I hope that the 2024 edition will be a continuity or a reaffirmation of European interest in Latin American art.
Andrea Brunson, Santiago de Chile
Swab Radio
‘New voices, new looks: exploring emerging art in Latam’
Talking about Latin American art in terms of pre-colonialism, colonialism and post-colonialism is essential to understand the complex historical, cultural and social dynamics that have influenced and continue to influence the region’s identities and artistic productions today. However, in an increasingly globalised world, this approach can be limiting for many Latin American artists working from diverse contexts and perspectives and participating in the current global dialogue.
Participants: Santiago Gasquet (curator Focus Latam), Yuyo Gardiol (Crudo) y Raúl Rebolledo (Escombro).
Paseo Lab, Lima
Ecombro, Guadalajara
This programme is generously supported by Iberia, the airline that has historically connected the two territories.
