STEP BY STEP / WE ARE GETTING CLOSER

The arrival of a typical “almendrón” on the streets of the 57th Biennial of Venece, first traveling on a boat through the canals, later pushed along its narrow streets until reconverted by Cuban artist Esterio Segura into the “Híbrido de Crysler,” (“The Chrysler Hybrid”) with its defiant aircraft wings across the Lorendan Palace symbolizes my old maxim that for the bold there is nothing impossible.…

When, twenty years ago, we founded Grupo Excelencias, many skeptics and prudent individuals suggested not to go to fast “because of the hard crisis going on many parts of the world, in Cuba and, not even imagining at the time, later in Spain. But, as Einstein explained, a crisis is an opportunity, and here we are, about to celebrate even the ninth anniversary of, a project then a reality now, Arte por Excelencias, that came into light on January, 2009..

Hence the hug pleasure with which we pack to depart for our stand in ART BO, in the charismatic capital of Colombia, in times of peace now, and the joy to participate in X Feria Swab Barcelona, where absolutely nothing was able to preclude our participation as media partners, in this dream so long nurtured by Joaquín Diez Cascón; while our magazines traveled from hand to hand among artists and gallerists from more than 20 countries.

We were coming from supporting the 25th Estampa Madrid, where “more galleries, more collectors, more public, more sales, and some ever more interesting proposals” is the best outcome highlighted by his director José María de Francisco: “the success of this fair is a sign that the art market in Spain is reactivating and I believe we are reaching the goal of extending the social base of art collection.” Congratulations!

I am also greatly pleased by the letter I am receiving from the “sun coast” sent by Alejandro Zaia, director of the successful ART MARBELLA Fair, in which he appreciates the company of + Arte por Excelencias. Zaia invites us to remain by his side, because “this is the beginning of something bigger,” after registering more than 12,000 attendants, about two hundred collectors of contemporary art and obtaining an encouraging integral result of the event, which has barely four years of existence.

Therefore, it does not matter much. The fact is that in ARCO Madrid they seem to have decided that art magazines do not match their height, to be valued as part of the official media; even when they have proposed a notion such as “the future” as the core theme for 2018, instead of the guest country. They have conceptualized: “it will be a vision of the complexity standing in our way…” No way they have to make haste!

For sure, we will see soon at Art Basel Miami Beach, where we are already accredited and with our magazine once again in our functional and friendly publishing stand, where I enjoy greeting friends and acquaintances. It is just you have to wear Wings like a hybrid and tighten your Arcoque, as a minstrel from the Big Island of the Caribbean says, /time is on the side of the small/