On April 24th, the Círculo Ecuestre held the colloquium ARCO 2025: A Look at the Future of Contemporary Art. For this event, it featured Maribel López, director of the ARCOmadrid International Contemporary Art Fair. The leading figure of the art event led a conversation about the future of Spanish contemporary art with cultural consultant, exhibition curator, art advisor, and art market analyst Llucià Homs, who served as moderator.
After a welcome address by the club's Vice President of the Cultural Area, Isabel Estany, and an introduction by Carlos Durán, founder of the SENDA gallery and co-director of LOOP, the speakers began the discussion by discussing the uniqueness of ARCOlisboa, the fair that López directs together with ARCOmadrid: "It's a very special fair, very different from Madrid. What unites these two fairs is the rigor we apply and the care we put into each project". “Portugal has a small but very powerful art scene. The commitment of Portuguese galleries and collectors is admirable”, the director emphasized. “For me, managing a fair is the way to give contemporary art greater visibility through the work of gallery owners”, she added.
When asked about the impact of art fairs today, Maribel López offered the following opinion: “Participating in ARCO validates a gallery's professionalism. It places its artists in a position of visibility within the history of art”. “The most difficult thing is what it means for those galleries that aren't selected. There are many that could be”, she added.
Regarding the role of gallery owners, the ARCO director defined that “being a gallery owner is a complex institution: you have to know about art, production, collecting, communication… and know how to support the artists”.
Regarding emerging collecting, she emphasized that “there's no difficulty in starting out as a collector. You have to go to galleries, see art, and ask questions without fear”. In this regard, she praised the work of the First Collector program, which “offers free advice to those who want to get started in contemporary art collecting” and is available at the fair she leads.
Asked about current trends, Maribel López explained that “many artists, especially women, are recovering traditional skills such as textiles, glass, and ceramics as a way of reconnecting with the past.”
Regarding the relationship with fairs in other cities, López stated that “a large fair like ARCOmadrid doesn't make sense to replicate in Barcelona. There are already many other ways to promote contemporary art. A fair this large today is very complex to support. We're talking about 200 galleries, which is a lot. I wouldn't consider that maximalist model in Barcelona; there are already many ways to approach artistic exchange, such as By Invitation by the Círculo Ecuestre, gallery openings, or Gallery Weekend. I don't think more fairs are necessary”.
Regarding the fiscal challenges facing the art market, the director of ARCO emphasized the importance of art being considered a cultural asset: “It is essential that art not be considered a luxury good, but a cultural asset. That would change the entire tax system and allow us to compete on equal terms with other European countries”.
López concluded her presentation by highlighting the need to protect and support the existence of an international fair like ARCO in Spain: “It is a miracle that such a large fair exists in Spain. We must all protect it”.
The colloquium concluded with a standing ovation from the audience, who recognized Maribel López's commitment and passion for contemporary art.