Arco: The spirit of time

We analyse the balance between beauty and goodness in the contemporary art world with Rosina Gómez Baeza, Director of the International Art Fair ARCO in Madrid.

We understand Arco’s values to be the search for quality, internationality and the creation of heritage. Do you believe there is a balance between beauty and goodness in the business management of art events?
What do you consider to be a good artwork?
It is evident that there is a correlation between knowing how to manage art events and the quality of the artwork. Arco has always sought the management in excellence and in good art work that aims at quality. When an artwork is of reference and is considered of interest by experts, art critics, collectors and gallerists, even the media, this piece of work is therefore valued and recognised in that particular moment.

Do you think art is a matter of taste?
More than a matter of personal taste, art is a matter of social preferences. An artwork is recognised or not by the society and its quality is inherent to the moment and the generation who consider and recognise it. Society evolves and artistic proposals answer to a specific movement within a generation integrated in that society.
It is what we know as the “zeitgeist” concept.

What can visitors of Arco find in this fair?
Arco’s visitors want to know what’s happening in the world of art, its current trends. On the other hand, art professionals look for an artistic evolution, check the work of new emerging and consolidated artists, the different supports and applications as well as networking with other professionals From Arco they get the gist of today’s reality in the world of contemporary art.

This is the 25th anniversary of Arco and your last year as the head of the organisation. From your professional and personal view, how has Arco evolved during the last 25 years?
The evolution of the last 25 years of Arco has been extraordinary in Spain. In 1982 an established relationship between the public in general and the artistic world did not exist. Nowadays in Spain we have a network of museums, art centres and galleries which define the artistic scene in Spain.
Another important factor in this evolution was the media. It has given a considerable space to communicate and inform the world of contemporary art to the public and Arco has known how to manage this media coverage.

Interview by Bárbara Martínez