Italian Galleries Shine at ARCO Madrid 2025 Amid Political Uncertainty
ARCO Madrid 2025 opened amid global political crisis, with the art market showing caution. Despite this, the fair is considered the best post-pandemic edition, with Italian galleries presenting the most convincing and daring stands. Notable presentations include: Buenos Aires gallery showing Osvaldo Lamborghini's interventions on pornographic magazines (40 years since his death); a Paris/Venice gallery featuring Joana Choumali's mixed-media works; Contemporary Fine Art's group show with Dana Schutz, Maki Na Kamjra, Leiko Ikemura, Márcia Falcão, Sophie Esslinger, and Tobias Spichtig; a Genoese gallery's dialogue between Peter Fend and Tomàs Saraceno; Marcelo Guarnieri's double solo show with LIUBA's bronze sculptures and Alice Shintani's watercolors; Gilda Lavia's installation of Petra Feriancová's photographic archive; a Portuguese gallery's ceramics by Francisco Trêpa; a stand dedicated to León Ferrari (Golden Lion 2007); P420's immersive installation for Adelaide Cioni; a gallery showing Maja Escher's yurt and terracotta works; a Palma de Mallorca gallery's labyrinthine stand with multiple artists; and Martina Simeti's debut with Paolo Chiasera's paintings in a design by Alek O. The fair is split into two pavilions, one more vibrant than the other. Italian gallerists' frustration over VAT reduction failure may have spurred their efforts.
Key facts
- ARCO Madrid 2025 takes place amid international political crisis
- Italian galleries presented the most convincing stands at the fair
- Osvaldo Lamborghini works on pornographic magazines shown (40 years since death)
- Joana Choumali exhibited mixed-media works combining embroidery, collage, and photo on canvas
- Contemporary Fine Art featured Dana Schutz, Maki Na Kamjra, Leiko Ikemura, Márcia Falcão, Sophie Esslinger, Tobias Spichtig
- Peter Fend and Tomàs Saraceno dialogue included political works addressing wars and climate crisis
- LIUBA bronze sculptures and Alice Shintani watercolors shown at Marcelo Guarnieri
- Petra Feriancová's photographic archive reinstalled as at 2013 Venice Biennale
- Francisco Trêpa presented ceramics hybridizing plant and animal forms
- León Ferrari works from 1980s-2000s displayed (Golden Lion 2007, died 2013)
- Adelaide Cioni immersive installation with embroidered drawings on canvas at P420
- Maja Escher's yurt made with pigment from stones and minerals, plus terracotta labels
- Palma de Mallorca gallery labyrinth stand with Valerie Krause, Fabio Viscogliosi, Gizela Mickiewicz, Suzy Gomez, Igor Jesus, Stine Deja
- Martina Simeti debuted with Paolo Chiasera paintings in Alek O exhibition design
- Fair divided into two pavilions: one vibrant, one more commercial
Entities
Artists
- Osvaldo Lamborghini
- Joana Choumali
- Dana Schutz
- Maki Na Kamjra
- Leiko Ikemura
- Márcia Falcão
- Sophie Esslinger
- Tobias Spichtig
- Peter Fend
- Tomàs Saraceno
- LIUBA
- Alice Shintani
- Petra Feriancová
- Francisco Trêpa
- León Ferrari
- Adelaide Cioni
- Maja Escher
- Valerie Krause
- Fabio Viscogliosi
- Gizela Mickiewicz
- Suzy Gomez
- Igor Jesus
- Stine Deja
- Paolo Chiasera
- Alek O
- Massimiliano Tonelli
Institutions
- ARCO Madrid
- Contemporary Fine Art
- P420
- Martina Simeti
- Gilda Lavia
- Marcelou Guarnieri
- Artribune
- Gambero Rosso
- Exibart
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Venice
- Italy
- Paris
- France
- Genoa
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Rome
- Bratislava
- Slovakia
- Portugal
- Bologna
- Palma de Mallorca
- Tuscany