Pinta London Announces Its Strongest-Yet Lineup for 2013 Fair

As South America establishes itself as a powerful force in contemporary art, a Latin wind is blowing over London. Smart dealers are increasingly showcasing artists from the region, catering to collectors whose interest has been piqued by what can only be described as a trend. As we speak, the Brazilian Fernanda Gomes is showing at Alison Jacques and the Mexican Pedro Reyes is at Lisson Gallery. It’s the hotly-tipped Argentinean artist Adrian Villar Rojas who will inaugurate the new Serpentine Gallery building next fall.

In the midst of all this is Pinta, a boutique fair dedicated exclusively to art from South America, Spain, and Portugal. Opening on June 4th, the fourth London edition (the venture also has a New York branch) appears to be stronger than ever, with its largest number of participating galleries to date. Among the newcomers this year are Carl Freedman (London), Galería Paula Alonso (Madrid), and Josée Bienvenu Gallery (NYC).

“There’s an interest in Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese art in London, and Pinta has, in a humble way, created this trend,” London manager Andrea Harari told ARTINFO UK. Unlike in the U.S., where geographical proximity has a fostered greater visibility of South American art, it is seen as “fresh” and “different” in the UK, she continued.

Pinta has pulled out all the stops to secure its place as the reference for South American art in Europe. Special projects curated by the collector for Latin American art in London Catherine Petitgas and curator Kiki Mazzucchelli feature Armando Andrade, Tonico Lemos, and Rodrigo Matheus. The fair will include the first edition of ART Numérique, gathering works focussed on new technology, and representatives from London institutions will share insights into their forthcoming programme involving South American artists (including Villar Rojas’ show at the Serpentine, the Whitechapel Gallery’s Latin American Art in Britain, and Damian Ortega at the Freud Museum).

Pinta founders Argentinean PR guru Alejandro Zaia and collector Mauro Herlitka have deftly created a strong institutional network around the fair via the Pinta Museum Acquisition Programme. Matched funding is available to public galleries wishing to purchase art from the fair. Although the amount for individual grants hasn’t been revealed, organizers say that since 2007, this programme has allowed more than £1m worth of art to be purchased from the fair. This year, the Centre Georges Pompidou, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Tate Modern, and The Essex Collection of Art from Latin America are expected to take part.

As the market for South American art continues to grow, it isn’t too much of a stretch of the imagination to dream up an edition of Pinta in Asia. But Herera remains cautious. “That could be a possibility,” she told ARTINFO UK, “but for the time being we want to establish ourselves here in London.”

Full list of exhibitors (newcomers*)