Artissima 2013

From 8 to 10 November, the International Fair of Contemporary Art will host 190 galleries at the Lingotto in Turin, and launch “One Torino”, an ambitious new high-profile exhibition project.

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From Friday 8 November to Sunday 10 November 2013 (preview 7 November), the twentieth edition of Artissima, the International Fair of Contemporary Art, will be held in Torino, under the artistic direction of Sarah Cosulich Canarutto for the second time.

Artissima 2013 — Christian Fogarolli, *labels*, 2013. Courtesy Arte Boccanera Gallery, Trento

In 2013 Artissima will be presenting 190 galleries (60 from Italy and 130 from abroad), coming from 38 countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and the US. Compared to the past edition the foreign galleries number has increased and 12 new countries will take part in the fair. The galleries will be presented in the traditional five section: Main section (including the most representative galleries on the international art scene chosen by the Selection Committee of the fair), New Entries (devoted to the most interesting young galleries that have been operating for less than five years and that are being presented for the first time at Artissima), Present Future (a by-invitation section including solo shows by emerging artists and presented by their galleries in a central area in the fair pavilion), Back to the Future (the special section in the very centre of Artissima dedicated to figures active in the 1960s, 70s and, starting this year, the 80s), Art Editions (devoted to galleries and other spaces presenting editioned works, prints and multiples by contemporary artists).

For 2013, the programme of guided tours at the fair introduces an interesting new feature: the Walkie Talkies are brief and informal conversations between two international curators aiming to achieve closer encounters with the art public. For such reason, instead of being held within a specific, fixed environment, the ‘walking talks’ will take place among the booths, with the speakers invited to choose specific artworks or artists’ positions on which to focus their dialogue. The idea is to develop unique paths around works, situations, approaches or displays, using the booths as sets for the conversation. The Walkie Talkies are very brief encounters, formulated almost as intermissions, as opportunities to discuss, provoke, expose ideas and considerations. The programme, curated by London-based art critic Filipa Ramos, involves more than 20 international curators among which Kasper König, Andrea Viliani, Christine Macel, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Chiara Parisi. Walkie Talkies is a new and attractive way to learn more about the world of contemporary art that Artissima offers to all the fair visitors.

Among new developments in 2013, one should note the important evolution achieved in the calendar of the curatorial projects that always accompanies the fair, weaving a complementary dialogue. Sarah Cosulich Canarutto’s vision has drawn on last years’ experience to introduce an extraordinary, independent event with its own compelling identity and intrinsic capacity for development. ONE TORINO is the first edition of a major annual show conceived and produced by Artissima and realised in collaboration with the city’s leading contemporary art institutions and exhibition venues: Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, GAM – Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Fondazione Merz, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, and Palazzo Cavour. ONE TORINO is an ambitious new high-profile exhibition project, aimed at strengthening the network of local institutions through a wide-ranging international event that involves the finest contemporary voices on the international scene. The festival is meant to highlight Torino’s outstanding qualities and help build the image of the city and its surroundings as a hub of contemporary culture.