arteBA 97 was the fruit of the five previous experiences and of the lessons received from other international fairs in which members of the Foundation participated in, in particular ARCO.
In this new edition of the Fair, the emphasis was placed upon getting each time a little more from the galleries, in particular helping those lacking international experience. In order to achieve this, international galleries were approached, and for those galleries that requested it, a very low-cost visit to ARCO ’97 was organised, with ibero-american art being the guest of honour. A remarkable Argentinean presence was noted at ARCO, with an excellent role being played by galleries of our country and the pavilion of the Fondo Nacional de las Artes. The quality most appreciated in Argentine art by international collectors is its contemporary nature and the fact that it belongs to an identifiable aesthetic while at the same time remaining without limits.
This year, in addition to local galleries, 15 international galleries participated in the Fair. The sculpture patio allowed major scale works to be seen, something not commonly seen in galleries, which are not accustomed to counting upon this formidable space. Thus it presents an ideal opportunity for companies, builders and architects to decide upon incorporating art works in their headquarters and projects.
The participation of young artists from the provinces consisted of twenty painters from the Mesopotamia region.
The invited artist this year was the master Libero Badii, exhibiting his pictorial works, which show an inexhaustible capacity to innovate, even over his own work, which has surpassed its 80 years.
