ArtRio 2026 Opens at Marina da Glória with Strong Sales and Selective Collectors

The 16th edition of ArtRio is taking place at the Marina da Glória in Rio de Janeiro, with most gallerists reporting an upbeat sales pace and strong public interest during the fair's opening days. The solo project by Chiara Banfi, presented jointly by Galeria Vermelho and Silvia Cintra + Box 4, drew particular attention; her new watercolors, guided by musical research, are saturated with color and shimmer and, from a distance, evoke the ornamental backgrounds of Gustav Klimt's paintings. By late afternoon on Wednesday, nearly the entire presentation had already sold. Several works seen in previews were gone before they could be visited, including a textile composition by Dani Carvalho at Galatea and one of Gonçalo Ivo's canvases at Simões de Assis. Ivo also appeared with three older works across different galleries, all priced solidly, one of which was no longer available by the fair's second day. A notable pattern was the number of works that had previously appeared at SP-Arte; art critic Silas Martí of Folha de S.Paulo observed the same movement, noting that some galleries brought pieces to Marina da Glória that had gone unsold at SP-Arte, which he reads as a more cautious market with increasingly selective collectors. The author, editor-in-chief Liege Jung, cautions that it is still early for firm conclusions, but describes the first days positively: caution at higher price points coexists with active buyers, busy stands, and works finding new owners.