Changes are afoot at听听this year with its relocation听to a striking new site听for its 2016 edition. Running from 21-24听April, the four-day event听will take place at听, a turn of the 20th听century customs house. The fair will听use the new space to emphasise quality over quantity, by decreasing the number of exhibitors down to 141. This edition听will also be the last under the tenure of Katarina Gregos, who has held the position of Artistic Director since 2012. In the last four years the fair has undergone and introduced numerous changes, such as the introduction of not-for-profit spaces and the redesign of its architecture for each year.
Another听significant听change听is听the addition of new section,听SOLO, which will听feature听exhibitions devoted to a single artist鈥檚 work from 24 international galleries from 18 different countries. Notable presentations include听visual artist Ester Fleckner听represented听by听, Copenhagen, and fine art photographer Dinh Q. L锚, showcased听by听, Santa Monica. Accompanying sector PRIME focuses on well-known artists and established galleries, and boasts听among its participants ,听Brussels, the internationally-based , and , New York.
DISCOVERY, introduced at last year鈥檚 fair, is听a space for younger artists and galleries to display their work. This year it has expanded to cover over 20% of the fair, and will present works created from 2013 onwards by emerging galleries such as , and .
Elsewhere, REDISCOVERY encompasses听exhibitions from 14 galleries focusing on the work of artists who have been overlooked, underestimated or unduly forgotten. The focus is overtly on the historic avant-garde. It will contain artworks from between 1917 and 1987, linking the beginnings of conceptual art with the advent of neo-conceptual practices and highlighting the importance of art historical memory. Highlights in this section include photographer Roy DeCarava, the first African American photographer to be awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and Vera Molnar, a pioneer of computer-based and algorithmic art.
The听2016 edition will also promote听an exclusive creative campaign and an annual artistic project. This year, the former has been created by Belgian photography collective OTTOMURA, and uses images taken within the venue with coloured smoke to explore the nature of the exhibition space in all its ethereal emptiness. The artistic project will be Cabinet d鈥橝mis: the accidental collection of Jan Hoet, and contains a selection of artworks from the personal collection of the celebrated Belgian curator, with artists ranging from Christian Boltanski to Joseph Kosuth.
Art Brussels, 21-24 April,听Tour & Taxis,听Avenue du Port 86C,听BE – 1000 Brussels.
For additional information, visit听.
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Credits
1.听OTTOMURA.
