ARCOmadrid 2020: Top and Flops from the Last Art Fair Before Lockdown

ARCOmadrid 2020 was one of the last major art fairs to take place before the global pandemic shut down events worldwide. The fair, held in Madrid, featured a VIP lounge designed by Italian architect Teresa Sapey with Spanish colleague Rafael Robledo, using furniture from RED network, directed by Marisa Santamaria. The lounge's warm colors were inspired by Rothko's work at the Guggenheim Bilbao. A highlight was the first official act of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Madrid, hosting a conversation between artist Ian Cheng and curator Hans Ulrich Obrist at the Fundación Fernando de Castro in Chueca. Cheng's exhibition of AI-generated video triptychs runs until March 21. At the Museo Thyssen, Joan Jonas presented 'Moving Off the Land II' with TBA21, focusing on marine ecology. The exhibition 'Gran Sur' at Sala Alcalá 31 showcased 90 works from the Claudio Engel collection, covering 40 years of Chilean art. Italian photographer Alessia Rollo exhibited 'Fata Morgana' at the Italian Embassy's chapel, addressing clandestine immigration. Flops included the curated section dedicated to Felix Gonzalez-Torres, which was deemed overly intellectual and poorly attended. The Italian Cultural Institute's exhibition of Guido Guidi was criticized for being closed on weekends during the art week. Overall, the fair was described as unexciting, with a provincial mood and many Spanish works.