Andrew Barsch - Journalist

Art for Dummies.
No need to move from where you are sitting; take a look around at your wall decor. Are you the magazine pin-up type? If you’re reading this, then you obviously have some interest in aesthetics and surrounding yourself with provocative, interesting, or at least entertaining visual imagery, so maybe you’re into posters giving your piso that hipster, IKEA-esque feel. You’re not fooling anyone with your stab at artistic beautification, and you’re not doing yourself any favors, either. We’re asking you to give it up; it’s been done. You don’t know what you’re doing, and we’re calling your bluff. Fortunately we’ve got just the solution for you.

Highbrow culture at lowbrow prices.
Billing itself as the art fair “within reach of everyone’s pockets,” the 13th annual ESTAMPA comes back to the Recintos Feriales of Casa del Campo just in time for the holidays. The Salon International del Grabado y Ediciones de Arte Contemporaneo loosely translates to the International Printmaking and Limited Edition Contemporary Art Fair. These aren’t posters and plastic remakes of your Reina Sofia favorites, but rather artist-commissioned prints and limited editions. The fact there’s more than one copy (but not a million more) keeps the prices relatively low.

In my four years of covering the fair, I recall seeing limited edition statues made from molds by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali for about €1.000. That’s a good deal if you didn’t know. With only a six-euro cover charge, there’s no way you can leave without something (almost) original to enlighten your abode with new artistic perception.

Cheesy little catch phrases aside, the art fair “for those that want to get their start in art collection,” really does have something for everyone, and refraining from a couple of nights out in Madrid will save you up enough for something that could actually appreciate in value. We’re talking investment here.

Reflections of You.
The art world is as fickle as a teenage girl. Our suggestion is forget about sensibility and go with what makes you feel good. If your friends don’t like your choices, tell them it’s a good investment – and in a tone that belittles them.

Art is in the eye of the beholder so we we’ll only suggest our favorite ESTAMPA landmarks. A leisurely stroll through the event makes for a good night out, regardless of what you end up buying.

Urbanites rejoice!
Forget Ansel Adams, steel, and concrete reign. From 7 Creadoras de Metrópolis: Madrid-Lisboa, Lisbon couples with Madrid to form seven artists’ renditions of 21st century metropolis life.

Marina Núñez’ Vinilo Sobre Suelo goes back to the future. The science-fiction genre serves as the main attraction at this stand. Through cyborgs, she explores the possibilities of our species. We’ve always wondered.

ESTAMPA brings in big names and lots more photography this year. Chema Madoz, creator of this year’s official ESTAMPA logo image, presents El Significado Oculto del Instante, the hidden meaning of the moment, displaying some of the fair’s less-affordable, however more interesting, photography offering a new twist on everyday city life.

The Foreign Element:
A Portuguese artist with a following in Spain, Jose Pedro Croft presents his installation that will throw you overboard. If you’re apt to seasickness, pop a motion-sickness pill before checking it out.

Make sure not to miss the Drissien Galerie stand, the only German stand in ESTAMPA. For three years running Drissien has been interested in Spanish contemporary art and its relation to the cultural panorama in Europe. The Germans are known for their prospecting capabilities so snagging an item here may not be a bad investment.

Urban Wilderness:
And in what seems to be a highlight of the fair, Iocus, a cooperative of three artists present their idea of 21st century city life. Three Spanish women, Belén Conté, Paloma Monereo, and Ana Troya, put their heads together to come up with their gargantuan installation entitled “Breve Espacio en que Habito” Continuing with the urban theme, huge photos stretching upwards towards the sky, complimented by a metal-mesh sculpture in the middle, represent a figurative urban jungle. There’s nothing to buy here but plenty to stimulate the senses.

Breaking the Mold:
If you are a novice collector, or not a collector at all, but want to get your start at ESTAMPA, the first thing you should do is learn what a grabado or an edicion really is. The ESTAMPA folks have dedicated a stand just for that. First, work your way over to the talleres, which are workshops dedicated to the fabrication and sale of the printing materials needed to make limited editions. With all the latest tools and tricks of the trade, you’ll learn how to reproduce your limited edition print or plaster statue.

There may be a curator in you yet. We’ll let you in on a little secret: Everyone’s full of crap, so buy what you like, and we can go on with our artistically-oblivious lives.

DATOS DE INTERÉS DE LA FERIA

-Dates: Nov. 9–13

-Place: Pabellón de Cristal de la Casa de Campo

-Hours of operation: De 11.00 horas a 21.00 horas

-Admission price: 6 euros

-Public Transport:
• Metro Alto de Extremadura (línea 6)
• Autobuses: 31, 35.

-Catalog: 20 euros

-number of galleries: 108

Hailing from suburban Detroit, Michigan, Andrew Barsch came to Madrid in 1996, with a literature degree from Michigan State University. He contributes to MAP Magazine, InMadrid, and LeCool.
He is also a contributing author to LeCool Madrid travel guide (Dec. ’05).