Presented as a series of informal talks, Artissima’s Walkie Talkies bring together one collector and one curator to guide a group, a conversation, through the fair grounds. The Walkie Talkies offer a bit of perspective within the often overwhelming selection of galleries and artworks. And if there’s something that both collectors and curators are familiar with, it’s the practice of selection.
Presented as a series of informal talks, Artissima’s Walkie Talkies bring together one collector and one curator to guide a group, a conversation, through the fair grounds. The Walkie Talkies offer a bit of perspective within the often overwhelming selection of galleries and artworks. And if there’s something that both collectors and curators are familiar with, it’s the practice of selection.
Curator Chris Sharp and collector Pedro Barbosa meet for the first time in order to have this public dialogue. They directed the group towards four different galleries – each choosing two that resonated with their personal interests. Their points of view clashed more often than not – but this just points to the ability of Artissima to encompass a wide range of tastes and aesthetics.
First, Pedro Barbosa led the group to Caroll / Fletcher, showing the work of Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme. This particular installation ticked several of the Brazilian collector’s boxes: he spoke of a fascination towards archival elements and art that is research-driven, in addition to his preference towards artists who are not afraid to venture into multiple mediums. Chris Sharp neatly reminded the group of the question that such art begs us to consider: what does it mean to be a political artist?
Maria Martens Serrano
