LOOP Fair 2011: Video Art in Barcelona Hotel Rooms

The LOOP Fair 2011, dedicated exclusively to video art, took place May 19–21 at the Hôtel Catalonia Ramblas in Barcelona. Over forty European and American galleries each rented a hotel room to present a single video work, selected by a committee of collectors. The intimate setting allowed visitors to lie on beds or sit in armchairs to view the works, prioritizing artistic quality over market value. Notable works included Ariane Michel's Sur la terre (2005), showing sleeping elephant seals in Greenland; Eve Sussman and Simon Lee's Wintergarden (2011), documenting winter gardens in former Soviet states; and Antoine Roegiers' Les 7 Péchés Capitaux (2011), animating Pieter Bruegel's engravings. The fair also featured debates and conferences with curators, commissioners, and institution directors.