Art Marbella was the first fair of its kind to be set up on the Costa del Sol, and it is now a well-known event. It has brought important modern and contemporary works to the area, giving culture lovers, artists, curators and collectors the opportunity to immerse themselves in new and innovative styles, and to buy and invest in work of top quality. It brings a new cultural focus to this beautiful city, emphasising its place on the edge of Europe and beyond, representing both the West and the East.
The fifth event will be held from 30 July to 3 August 2019 in its usual venue of the Palacio de Ferias, Congresos y Exposiciones, but changes this year will see it incorporate the expertise of the second Marbella Design exhibition, to be staged at the same location from 4 to 15 July. Here, around forty interior designers will put the city firmly on the creative map with their plans for luxury living, while the space next to the public area will accommodate the art fair's forty-five stands, featuring a good selection from the modern period, together with the latest international contemporary trends.
The intention of this new design model is to avoid the traditional way of showing work in an unconnected gallery set-up, and instead to display them in a setting more akin to the environment in which their purchasers might present them. The idea comes from top interior designers David Jiménez García and Sergio Sánchez Pardo of Deseesedesign, who have envisaged and created areas with both open communal space and small stands, providing visitors with a complete experience in enjoyment and appreciation.
Also running for the first time this year, the Young Acquisition Award aims to highlight the talents of new exhibitors, with the most representative work awarded a prize by curators Marten Esko, who is based in Estonia, and the Czech-born Eva Riebová. As a contrast, a retrospective of the Spanish painter and sculptor Jaume Plensa will enable people to familiarise themselves with his output, or to renew their interest.
The main focus will be on the galleries curated by Mariela Valesco and Violeta Janeiro on the concept of risk, challenging interaction between visitors and galleries. Valesco has collaborated with instutions worldwide, and founded her own agency, Botánica de Proyectos®, in 2017, while Janeiro is one of Spain's most highly-regarded curators, with international stints including those at New York's Guggenheim and the Venice Biennale.
Representation at Art Marbella 2019 is worldwide, with contributions from Spain and the rest of Europe, Scandinavia, and North, Central and South America. The winning work gets five thousand euros and a permanent place in Marbella's Spanish Contemporary Engraving Museum. The mission of the organising committee is to make this a prestigious annual event. Affluent temporary and permanent residents in the area and in its exclusive resorts, combined with the many famous visitors, all have the resources, the interest and the time to become collectors and investors, presenting a golden opportunity for artists.
