The 2019 edition of Arte Fiera will be under the banner of total renovation. Here are some previews

The 43rd edition of Arte Fiera in Bologna will be held in the Emilia capital from February 1 to 4, 2019, as always in the pavilions of Bologna Fiere, and there are several new features this year, starting with a change in the direction: for 2019, in fact, the fair will be directed for the first time by Simone Menegoi, who has already stated what we should expect from Arte Fiera 2019: “With the 2019 edition,” Menegoi says, “Arte Fiera embarks on a path of renewal on all fronts, from the graphic image to the public program.” He added that “it is a fair that makes its Italian-ness a strong point, but with an international standard of quality; that harnesses its strength on modern and postwar art, but looks at contemporary trends; that strengthens its bond with Bologna and its region.”

The first important change concerns the participation criteria for the fairs: galleries, in fact(you can find the complete list at this link), have been invited to present a restricted choice of artists (no more than three for small and medium stands, up to a maximum of six for larger stands), and monographic stands have also been strongly encouraged. The point of the choice of Arte Fiera 2019 lies in favoring in-depth and specialized, encouraging gallerists to present ambitious projects with a curatorial slant. Moreover, the response from exhibitors has been fully positive: consider that about a third of the participating galleries will present monographic stands, ranging from Modern to emerging artists. To support this line, there will also be an invitation campaign aimed at high-profile collectors, and there will also be initiatives reserved for “VIPs.” Six prizes are planned for the 2019 edition: Medionalum Prize for Painting, Jacobacci & Partners Art and Project Prize, Annamaria and Antonio Maccaferri Prize for Photography, #ContemporaryYoung Prize, ANGAMC Prize, Rotary Bologna Valle del Samoggia Prize.

And again, the artistic direction of Simone Menegoi brings to Arte Fiera, in addition to a careful selection of galleries in the Main Section and the Photography and Moving Images section, five major projects. The first, in Hall 26, showcases the artistic gems of the territory: the exhibition Solo figura e sfondo, curated by Davide Ferri, brings together for the first time works from the institutional, public and private collections of Bologna and the Emilia Romagna region. This is the first episode of a cycle that will take the overall title Courtesy Emilia Romagna. The second is entitled Oplà. Performing activities (curated by Silvia Fanti) and is a program of actions taking place at the fair, on its margins and in the city, and includes works by Italian artists with an international profile: Alex Cecchetti, Cristian Chironi, Cesare Pietroiusti and Nico Vascellari. The third project is dedicated to the educational role of art for young people: for the first time, “micro//macro” educational workshops linked to the Opificio Golinelli’s “Art and Science” theme will be set up at Arte Fiera. The fourth project is a talk program entrusted to Flash Art magazine, which becomes an all-round “content partner” of Arte Fiera. The conversations will focus on art in Italy today, its links with the past, and its prospects for the future. Finally, the fifth project is the first to welcome visitors: the entrance area, the Service Center, will host a lounge created by artist Flavio Favelli and dedicated to the entire Arte Fiera audience.

As for the sections, there will be only two, as anticipated above: the Main Section, which ranges from Modern to Postwar art (the historical strengths of Arte Fiera) to contemporary research. The Photography and Moving Images section has been completely renewed in content and is entrusted to the artistic direction of FANTOM, a curatorial platform born between Milan and New York in 2009, represented by Selva Barni, Ilaria Speri, Massimo Torrigiani and Francesco Zanot.

Finally, there will be no shortage of ART CITY Bologna, which from Feb. 1 to 3, as every year, brings contemporary art throughout the city. ART CITY Bologna reaches its seventh edition this year and is an institutional schedule of exhibitions, events and special initiatives promoted by the Municipality of Bologna, in collaboration with BolognaFiere. Coordinated by the Modern and Contemporary Art Area ofIstituzione Bologna Musei, for the second year in a row ART CITY Bologna takes place under the guidance of Lorenzo Balbi, artistic director of MAMbo - Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna, with the aim of articulating high-profile cultural programming alongside the exhibition event. The main novelty of this edition of ART CITY Bologna will be its longer duration. The core of the three-day weekend will, in fact, expand into a full-fledged art week that, starting on January 25, will map out a calendar leading up to the opening of Arte Fiera scheduled for February 1. In the sign of continuity, the format successfully experimented last year is confirmed, with a main program articulated in a special event and a series of curatorial projects (including exhibitions, installations and performances) presenting the most varied expressions of contemporary art practices. The configuration of ART CITY Bologna also includes the ART CITY Report section, which includes more than 70 events selected by a committee composed of the artistic directors of ART CITY Bologna and Arte Fiera, as well as a representative of the Department of Culture and City Promotion of the City of Bologna. In addition, the ART CITY Cinema section returns to explore the many possible relationships, connections, and overlaps between art and cinema, with the programming of film screenings at Cinema Lumière curated by the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna. Finally, one of the most anticipated appointments with ART CITY White Night will not be missed: on Saturday, February 2, extraordinary opening until midnight in numerous venues of the ART CITY Bologna circuit, as well as in galleries, independent exhibition spaces, historic buildings and stores. The full program will be available from mid-January at www.artcity.bologna.it.

Arte Fiera opens Friday, Feb. 1 through Sunday, Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For all info visit www.artefiera.it, or social channels: Facebook page, Twitter profile, Instagram account and YouTube channel. Official hashtag: #artefiera.

The 2019 edition of Arte Fiera will be under the banner of total renovation. Here are some previews

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