Zona Maco 2024 Sees Record Attendance and Market Optimism
The 20th anniversary of Latin America's largest art fair also felt like a celebration of Mexico City's booming local scene, as attendance numbers broke records, totalling 81,000.
Exhibition view: Zona Maco 2024, Mexico City (7–11 February 2024). Courtesy Zona Maco.
Founded by Zélika García over two decades ago, in 2002, Zona Maco has grown in appeal to local and foreign collectors and galleries, alongside Mexico City itself as an art destination for national and increasingly international crowds.
Returning from 7 to 11 February, the fair presented an eclectic offering across its four sections—from historic performances to paintings and object-based works—by more than 200 exhibitors from 25 countries. It has come a long way from the 40 or so galleries from the early days.
Significant traffic was noted from the first day as Centro Citibanamex complex became packed shortly after opening. Many galleries had already closed sales, including kurimanzutto, Galería de Arte Mexicano, Galería Hilario Halguera, Travesía Cuatro, and Furiosa, while others confirmed ample interest or assured transactions.
Big names like Pace, returning after three years as part of a full comeback and post-pandemic growth, occupied large booths filled with emblematic artists like Alexander Calder and Roberto Matta. Among new galleries in the 'Main' section was GRIMM, presenting works by Claudia Martínez Garay and Arturo Kameya. 'There is a real sense of momentum with the fair's 20th edition,' shared Director Jorg Grimm.
Commemorative projects, including an indoor mural with pictures of founder García, fair staff, and gallerists and art collectors involved in the fair since its creation, marked the fair's 20th-year edition, causing many VIP lounge visitors to stop in search of familiar faces.
Galleries involved with the fair since its early days were invited to submit proposals for Forma, a new programme of site-specific pieces, large-scale sculptures, and historic projects placed between booths. Local galleries kurimanzutto and OMR, as well as Madrid-based La Caja Negra and Italy-born Galleria Continua, were among the participants.
Madrid's Travesía Cuatro (Guadalajara/Mexico City) showcased Gonzalo Lebrija's 2012 project, Lazo. The large lasso appears to be dancing in the air alluding to an imminent yet frozen-in-time violent act. 'There is positive feedback,' said gallery co-founder Silvia Ortiz, adding that the gallery sold works by Milena Muzquiz.
As usual, local galleries in the 'Main' section were particularly popular. Among them, kurimanzutto featured a fabulous 2023 mixed-media work by Minerva Cuevas. White Waves portrays a found oil seascape dipped in a crude product, chapopote (asphalt), sharing Cuevas' ecological concerns.
'There is a strong beginning of the fair this year,' said José Kuri, the gallery's co-founder. By the end of the first day, the gallery sold an Abraham Cruzvillegas 2023 mixed-media piece to De Pont Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tilburg, The Netherlands. In a recent interview with Ocula, the gallerist commented, 'I always had faith in Mexico City as it was full of the most important ingredient for success: brilliant artists.'
Kuri's optimism was shared by Juan Pérez, co-director of Galería de Arte Mexicano (GAM), who expressed satisfaction at the turnout. Favourites at GAM's booth included Jan Hendrix's hypnotic portrayals of trees and a Stefan Brüggemann large-scale painting that went for U.S. $175,000.
'This year there is more interest, there are more national but also foreign visitors,' said Víctor Mendoza, director of Galería Hilario Galguera, also in the 'Main' section. The Mexico City gallery sold a Bosco Sodi 2023 mixed-media work for U.S. $80,000.
Other fixtures of the fair, like Proyectos Monclova, abstained from sharing numbers. But a staff member hinted that Gabriel de la Mora's 2023 mixed-media reflective works titled 19,050, 4,664, 6,608, and 4,689 made of blown glass and aluminium fragments, which were a hit among attendees, were also popular with buyers.
In the 'Ejes' section, showcasing works by smaller galleries, local gallery Furiosa's booth had a cutting-edge vibe, with passersby photographing artworks and attendees alike. On the first day, owner Pablo Mancera reported over 80 percent of the booth assured in sales, including a large-scale figurative work by Mexican artist Alejandro Galván to a Republic Dominican collector.
Next to art, antiques, photographs, books, and design, another staple of the fair was the drink offering, with tequila unsurprisingly being the most popular. Cansino pizzas, Ikigai sushi, and Baja-style dishes were offered inside, while outside, a Califa tacos stand placed on the adjacent terrace, became a relaxing spot to take a break and enjoy the sun.
At the end of the day, some fairgoers also took a souvenir: an AMEX-sponsored tote bag printed with Héctor Falcón's interactive project composed of independent panels that viewers could place in varied configurations and afterward photograph.
Overall, Zona Maco's 20th edition had an upbeat air and was accompanied by exhibitions across town, commemorative programmes, and massive parties that together mark the 20th anniversary of an art fair that also feels like a celebration of the booming local scene.
While for the imminent future, the fair is not planning to expand, it has evolved in other forms. García's more recent project, ABC Art Baja California, is a cultural festival that showcases the Mexican region of Baja over five weeks. Opening for its second edition this March, the programming will bring visibility and boost the growing local art scene already popular among tourists. —[O]
