Talking Galleries

MACBA to hold the first edition of Talking Galleries. The 1st International Meeting of Gallery Directors brings together 25 leading figures on the worldwide contemporary art scene in Barcelona. The MACBA Auditorium will be the venue for Talking Galleries, the 1st International Meeting of Gallery Directors, which will take place in Barcelona on 19, 20 and 21 September 2011.

Organised by La Fabrica Barcelona and designed by Llucià Homs, Talking Galleries will welcome some of the top international gallery directors, as well as curators, collectors, art critics, art centre directors and other key figures in the industry to debate and explore current issues on the international gallery scene.

Each and every one of the 25 speakers from 11 countries has been chosen for their extensive experience in the industry and, more specifically, for their knowledge and expertise in the fields covered by the discussion panels to be held over the three days of debate:

Panel A: Gallery directors’ new role in the art market

• Casey Kaplan, Casey Kaplan Gallery (New York)
• Claes Nordenhake, Galerie Nordenhake (Berlin, Stockholm)
• Emilio Álvarez, Galería Àngels Barcelona and Co-director of Loop (Barcelona)

• Moderated by Ann Demeester, Director, De Appel Arts Centre (Amsterdam)

Panel B: The gallery industry and the economic downturn

• Georgina Adam, Journalist at the Financial Times (London)
• Robert Tornabell, Professor of International Banking and Finance at ESADE (Barcelona)
• Soledad Lorenzo, Galería Soledad Lorenzo (Madrid)

• Moderated by Carlos Urroz, Director, ARCOmadrid (Madrid)
  

Panel C: The future of art fairs

• Victor Gisler, Mai 36 Galerie (Zurich)
• Noah Horowitz, Director, VIP Art Fair (New York)
• Pierre Huber, Galerie Art & Public (Geneva)

• Moderated by Carles Guerra, Chief Curator, MACBA (Barcelona)

Panel D: Gallery directors as collectors

• Helga de Alvear, Fundación Helga de Alvear (Cáceres)
• Boris Vervoordt, Galerie Axel Vervoordt (Antwerp)
• Paul Maenz, Galerie Paul Maenz (Berlin)
• Luise Faurschou, Faurschou Foundation (Copenhagen, Beijing)

• Moderated by Estrella de Diego, Curator and Professor of Contemporary Art History (Madrid)

Panel E: Boosting a gallery’s international scope

• Janelle Reiring, Metro Pictures Gallery (New York)
• Gregor Podnar, Galerie Gregor Podnar (Ljubljana, Berlin)
• Silvia Dauder, Galería ProjecteSD (Barcelona)

• Moderated by Guillermo Romero Parra, Galería Parra & Romero (Madrid)

Panel F: Analysis of emerging markets: Focus on Brazil

• Eduardo Brandão, Galeria Vermelho (São Paulo)
• Ricardo Resende, Director, Centro Cultural de São Paulo (São Paulo)

• Moderated by Carlos Durán, Galería Senda and Codirector of Loop (Barcelona)

The opening session will also be attended by Ferran Mascarell, Catalan Minister of Culture; Fèlix Riera, Director of the Catalan Institute for Cultural Industries (ICIC); Jaume Ciurana, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation at Barcelona City Council; Bartomeu Marí, Director of the MACBA; Alberto Fesser, member and Director of Projects at La Fabrica; and Llucià Homs, the driving force behind the Talking Galleries project.

Photo: © Jonathan Monk. Waiting for famous people (Leo Castelli), 1997. Courtesy of the artist and the Nicolai Wallner Gallery, Copenhague