ENDURANCE
Curated by Gisela Chillida, art critic and independent curator.
Swab Thinks is a program of talks in online format open to the public that seeks to create a space for dialogue to unravel the transformations of the contemporary art world.
This year’s Swab Thinks program reflects on the concept of “Endurance”. Beyond the meaning of the term “endurance” in English, it is a nod to the homonymous ship that was found in March of this year after a long search. It is the ship that for months tried to complete the route to the South Pole, led by Shackleton. We find, then, a double search, that of 1915 and that of 2022; the first, failed, the second, successful; the first, (almost) as a tragedy, the second, (almost) as a farce. That ship and that endeavor have a perfect correlation with the art world. Because of our incessant search, our preference for impossible adventures through the ice, for opening worlds until they collapse, for going against all odds, for enduring the freezing temperatures…
LOCAL TREND ANALYSIS: IN DA HOUSE
For this edition, Swab Seed joins the Fundació Vila Casas, which sponsors the participation of four Catalan independent spaces. In this panel we address the new models of art and artist management. From the roles of the artist, the curator and the manager we question which models are increasingly recurrent to be seen in this field.
Talk in Spanish
Speakers:
Natalia Chocarro. Art Director Fundació Vila Casas.
Spaces sponsored by Fundació Vila Casas:
Dràcul-la, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
Halfhouse, Barcelona
Pas une Orange, Barcelona
Tangent Projects, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
Mediator: Gisela Chillida, art and independent curator
Where: Zoom & Vimeo
NEW TERRITORIES: MEDITERRANEAN FOCUS
As every year, Swab presents a special geographically localized program, and this year we puet the spotlight on the Mediterranean. A selection of emerging galleries from this context will present the freshest proposals defining the art scene of their context.
Talk in English
Speakerss: Directors de les galeries participants del programa Focus Mediterrani
Mediator: Xavier de Luca, coordinador of Jiser Reflexions Mediterrànies
Where: Zoom & Vimeo
GLOBAL TREND ANALYSIS: ART TODAY
Conversation with the curators members of the SwabConversation with the curators of Swab Barcelona’s curated programs (Emerging, Swab On Paper and Ephemeral) on the global analysis of trends in the current contemporary art scene. Gathering the curators of the different sections of Swab to take a prospective look at this year’s fair.
Talk in Spanish
Speakers:
Santiago Gasquet, curator Emerging LATAM (Swab) and director Espacio Piedras (Buenos Aires)
Carolina Díez-Cascón, Swab on Paper curator
Margot Cuevas, Swab Ephemeral curator
Mediator: Gisela Chillida, art and independent curator
Where: Zoom & Vimeo
NEW TERRITORIES: YES CONTEMPORARY
With the support of Y.ES Contemporary, this panel focuses on the artistic reality of El Salvador to address the different ways in which artists link to their identity as Salvadorans. The notions that exist around this identity are complex, in part because they derive from a variety of sources, including the heritage of the original peoples, a colonial past, a civil war, and mass migration. This year, El Salvador is organizing the Video Box program, which is establishing itself in the fair as the video art section.
Talk in Spanish
Speakers:
Patricio Majano, Director of Programming Y.ES Contemporary Internacional
Omar Lopez-Chahoud Director of Y.ES Contemporary
Mediator: Gisela Chillida, art and independent curator
Where: Zoom & Vimeo
NEW TRENDS IN COLLECTING: WAYS OF COLLECTING
Talk about collecting today. On the fiftieth anniversary of John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, we borrow the title of his famous essay and TV show in a clear homage. Just as Berger wanted to bring the world of art to the general public, we intend to bring collecting closer. In this panel we bring together collectors of different profiles to talk about the present and future of collecting.
Talk in Spanish
Speakers:
Marie Elena Angulo, a lawyer specialized in corporate finance.
Joaquín Diez-Cascón, architect and collector, Director and Founder of the Swab Art Fair
José Luis Lorenzo, architect. President of the Friends of the Caraffa Museum Association and member of the Latin American Art Acquisitions Committee of the Tate Modern, London
Mediator: Gisela Chillida, art and independent curator
Where: Zoom & Vimeo