ACTIVITIES

PANORAMA POLONIA

Following the presence in the 2009 event of Belgium as the guest country and having confirmed the success of the participation in the fair of four of the country’s foremost galleries, Poland has taken over as the foreign guest at ARTESANTANDER to keep the international momentum going. The good results obtained by the Belgian gallery owners and the interest that PANORAMA BÉLGICA aroused among exhibition-goers last summer has meant that efforts have been redoubled this year to continue with a progressive and global formula that is, without any doubt, the future of the fair.
ARTESANTANDER is very aware that growth is only possible with this internationalisation of part of its content, with continuous support for the most local artistic production and, uniquely, participating in the dynamic cultural process that the region is undergoing for the Santander 2016 bid. The constant improvement of the avant-garde discourse presented, translated into new content, proposals and activities that are becoming more and more elaborate and growing in quality, is the road towards achieving a level of excellence that will allow the event to compete in the international exhibition scene in the coming years.
In keeping with a policy of exhibiting at the fair only the best and placing a special emphasis on proposals that are capable of surprising, arousing the curiosity of visitors and buyers and proving profitable for everyone, Poland was not chosen by chance. The choice was based on a set of values, the philosophy of the organisation itself and the basis for its modus operandi, which the Eastern European country meets to perfection. Contemporary Polish art, which offers an avant-garde artistic output which, belonging to such a different culture to ours, will add freshness and attractive innovation to the fair, is capable of contributing some advanced approaches that are becoming increasingly fashionable in Europe and will not leave anyone feeling disappointed.
The fact that a Polish city, alongside a Spanish one, which could be Santander, is going to be European Capital of Culture in 2016, is another reason why in this year’s ARTESANTANDER the 2016 Foundation is decisively involved in the project, taking advantage of the fair’s importance and influence in Spain and abroad. With this in mind Poland has been chosen as the guest country in the fair and with PANORAMA POLONIA we will have the opportunity to strengthen our ties with this nation, enjoying the presence of four excellent galleries painstakingly selected by the organisers on the basis of the quality and freshness of emerging Polish art.
Within this new dynamic, more global than local, more general than individual, in a policy of positive synergies between cultural institutions and spheres with common objectives, in which ARTESANTANDER offers itself as a now well-established and prestigious brand, and continuing with the Europhile approach already initiated, Poland has taken over from Belgium as the international guest in the 2010 event with PANORAMA POLAND.
Poland, owing to its size, history and population, is a country that is carrying more and more weight in Europe, but it is also somewhere that, due to its people’s personality, creativity and capacity for innovation, will soon become, if it hasn’t already, a leading nation for avant-garde art and culture.
ARTESANTANDER, anticipating how the continent's art scene will evolve and aware of the importance of continuing to open up the fair to new spheres and attractive markets that enrich it, has opted for a country that will come to Santander with a very interesting and diverse offering. If there is one thing that now defines Poland artistically and culturally above all else, it is its desire to make itself known, to show the world its creative vitality, its artistic output and its interest in making a name for itself on the international scene. For the organisers these characteristics are in themselves a guarantee of success in the exhibition and the main reason for their presence in the fair.
The recent inclusion in the ARTESANTANDER selection committee of professionals as experienced as Rafael Doctor (director of the Santander 2016 Foundation), José Guirao (manager of Madrid’s Casa Encendida cultural centre) and Miguel Cereceda (lecturer in aesthetics and theory of art at the Autonomous University of Madrid, member of the board of directors of the Madrid Fine Arts Circle and art critic for the ABC newspaper), alongside the now extensive experience of the organisers, will ensure that the Polish art chosen for the fair will be even more select, if that were possible. At this point it is worth mentioning the contribution of the Santander 2016 Foundation and the Polish Cultural Institute, organisations that have helped to make the Panorama Poland exhibition a reality and have provided essential support for ARTESANTANDER.
Poland will be present in ARTESANTANDER, within the general programme, with six galleries meticulously selected for their prestige and significance, as well as their commitment to emerging art. As an innovation, in the 2010 event, VISIONES URBANAS, one of the fair’s most notable and successful activities, which takes art onto the streets and brings it closer to everyone in emblematic spaces in the city centre, will focus on the artists of Panorama Poland.

The Polish galleries present in PANORAMA POLAND are as follows:

1. Czarna Gallery (Warsaw)
Czarna/Black Gallery is first and foremost an independent gallery for independent artists. Located in a beautiful historic building in the centre of the Polish capital, Warsaw, it has made its reputation by resolutely supporting artists who operate more effectively outside of the official spheres of modern art. Its participation in a large number of fairs such as the Vienna Art Fair, the Nada Art Fair Miami and Art Brussels have helped earn it growing prestige and recognition and make it a leading gallery for artists who opt for different, less conventional, ways of reaching the public.

2. Lokal_30 (Warsaw)
Lokal_30 is one of Warsaw’s most alternative galleries. Deliberately different from everyday galleries, it looks for new forms of artistic expression through activities not normally seen in gallery spaces. Lokal_30 is a place for sharing, studying and disseminating avant-garde art. A specialist in organising round tables, conferences and meetings among exhibition organisers, collectors and art critics, it is one of the country’s leading galleries in disseminating modern art as an essentially culturalising element. The gallery organises curious breakfasts for artists and its exhibitions are regularly attended by the artists themselves who explain the reasons behind their work. It can be considered one of Poland’s most restless and dynamic galleries. It has a branch in London and attends a large number of prestigious international fairs.

3. Leto Gallery (Warsaw)
One of the leading galleries among Poland’s youngest artists. Although specialising in new media, it does not neglect painting and animation and is open to all kinds of new and innovative concepts. If it had to be defined in one word, it would be ‘groundbreaking’. In recent years, and with the country’s increasing progressiveness, its goal has been to promote trends in Polish art to make them known abroad. Present at prestigious fairs such as Vienna Art, it specialises in establishing relationships with foreign institutions, museums and galleries with the aim of placing Polish art on the world map.

4. Heppen Transfer Gallery (Warsaw)
A gallery located in one of the Polish capital’s most iconic and bohemian areas. Its contributors include Polish and foreign artists and in both cases it opts for established and emerging artists alike. The disciplines it embraces range from new media to painting, including illustration, photography and sculpture. It is a gallery that has acquired great prestige and is a leader in quality and content. It can be seen as a classic among Polish galleries.

5. Piekary Gallery (Poznań)
A somewhat more traditional gallery that focuses on 20th and 21st-Century artists with a special interest in geometric abstraction and conceptual art. Located in Poznań, one of Poland’s cities bidding to become European Capital of Culture alongside a Spanish city in 2016, its presence in Santander was therefore inevitable. In recent times it has started to pay special attention to the latest trends and the younger generations of Polish artists. With this in mind it has intensified its efforts in exhibiting photography, video, performance art, installations and multimedia art. It has been present at the Art Vienna fair, among others.

6. Collectiva Gallery (Poznań)
A young gallery set up in 2008 focussing primarily on emerging artists, but also organising exhibitions for established artists. In particular it backs oriental and Eastern European artists, who as a whole produce work related to the various political currents present in modern-day society. It does not neglect the youngest Polish artists, it has a branch in Berlin and it has been present at Vienna Art, among other fairs.