THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
ARCO continues to establish itself as one of the essential annual events for assessing, analyzing, and taking the pulse of the proposals that illustrate the strongest trends in contemporary Latin American art. In this pursuit, the fair remains committed to showcasing some of the most relevant projects through the eyes of experts via specific programs. Regarding this edition (let us not forget that curatorial presence is doubled thanks to the Watamisé program, focused on Amazonian art), the organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Diving into the spaces reserved for the program, the emphasis on diversity becomes evident—at least technically and visually—from the very first tour. Sertão Negro is the project presented by the Brazilian Cerrado Galeria. Created by artist Dalton Paula (Brasilia, Brazil, 1982), it also opens the space for collaboration with Abraão Veloso, Tor Teixeira, Lucélia Maciel, and Genor Sales, creating an educationally tinged environment aimed at defining and transforming social systems in alignment with local artist networks. This exhibition space stands out as the most distinct, perhaps due to its collective nature, moving away from a singular artistic identity. It materializes its objective through a range of works, from textiles to sculptures. In a similar vein, Mariela Scafati (Bahía Blanca, Argentina, 1973) presents at Isla Flotante a selection of paintings, sculptural pieces, and a mural composed of protest posters. Her aesthetics challenge traditional representations and propose new ways of seeing.
Barbara Wien showcases the work of Dan Lie (São Paulo, Brazil, 1988), whose practice is deeply connected to nature and sensory experiences. Focused on active engagement and direct interaction with viewers through scents and plant textures, Lie offers a necessary refuge for reflecting on the relationship between society, humanity, and the natural ecosystem. Similarly, Puerto Rican-German artist Chaveli Sifre (Würzburg, Germany, 1987) presents a project at Embajada that aligns with these themes. Her work revisits ancestral practices, tarot, and sensory experiences, intertwining olfaction and botany to reconstruct a universe that blends science, magic, and spirituality.
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Rember Yahuarcani, CRISIS, Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano
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Jota Mombaça, Martins & Montero, Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano
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Ofelia Rodríguez, Instituto de Visión, Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano
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Naufus Ramirez Figueroa, Ultraviolet Projects, Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano
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Lucélia Maziel-Sertão Negro, Cerrado Galeria, Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano
Agrade Camíz (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1988), represented by A Gentil Carioca, creates a transliteration of architectural elements tied to the urban imagination of his hometown. His works explore, from a perspective of resistance, historical and social dynamics, as well as issues related to aesthetics and the oppression of women. This ongoing thematic focus on resistance is also central to the work of performance artist and writer Jota Mombaça (Natal, Brazil, 1991), showcased by Martins&Montero. Her proposal seeks to abolish the defining parameters of existing identity categories. Meanwhile, fashion designer Bárbara Sánchez-Kane (Mérida, Mexico, 1986) presents at kurimanzutto a foundation for developing a shared visual language between art and fashion, aiming to create new codes that embrace diversity and multiple identities.
Ofelia Rodríguez (Barranquilla, Colombia, 1946) offers, at Instituto de Visión, an intriguing pause in the discussion of social dynamics. While her symbolic objects and paintings engage with critiques of stereotypes and cultural practices, her work also breathes aesthetic refinement and composition, often returning to humor and—almost invariably—color as defining elements of her identity. Naufus Ramírez Figueroa (Guatemala City, Guatemala, 1978), who will soon have a solo exhibition at the Reina Sofía Museum, offers at Proyectos Ultravioleta a preview of his work. His paintings, installations, and sculptures address history and its collateral damages, advocating for spaces that allow for rethinking both the collective and the personal.
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Agrade Camíz_A Gentil Carioca, Perfiles I Arte Latinoamericano
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Barbara Sánchez-Kane, kurimanzutto, Perfiles I Arte latinoamericano
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Dan Lie, Barbara Wien, Cerrado Galeria, Perfiles I Arte Latinoamericano
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Mariela Scafati, Isla Flotante, Perfiles I Arte Latinoamericano
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Chaveli Sifre, Embajada, Perfiles I Arte Latinoamericano
The work of Rember Yahuarcani (Pebas, Peru, 1985), presented at CRISIS, transports us to indigenous narratives that highlight the need to revisit traditional iconographies. His use of color hints at a futurist approach to visual language while remaining deeply rooted in pictorial traditions. Positioned within the broader Latin American art framework—yet spatially distinct from the Amazonian program—his work also underscores the importance of historiography in shaping new registers of Latin American art.
Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano takes place during ARCO Madrid 2025, from March 5 to 9, at Pavilion 9 of IFEMA, Partenón 5, Madrid, Spain.
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