During three days – April 21 to 23 – Bogotá becomes a walkable art circuit with the seventh edition of ARTBO Weekend (ARTBO fin de semana). This event in which art galleries and museums open their doors to welcome guests is also the mid-year showcase of the International Art Fair of Bogotá (ARTBO), a visual arts platform designed by the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce. The circuit covers the capital’s main cultural hubs and includes a special program of tours of galleries, independent studios, and alternative exhibition spaces. The initiative aims to bring diverse audiences closer to the narratives of established and emerging artists.
The six art circuits cover the Historic Center, Macarena, Teusaquillo, Central Chapinero, San Felipe, Chapinero North, where all exhibitions are free to the public. For visitors who want to cover as much cultural terrain without all the foot work, the circuits are connected by free transportation courtesy of the Chamber of the Commerce. The area with the highest concentration of museums is the Historic Center, and best place to start ARTBO Weekend. In this area, the circuit connects the following galleries and cultural institutions: Bodega Piloto; Cinemateca de Bogotá – Gallery; San Agustín Cloister; National University of Colombia; Fragmentos Art and Memory Space; Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation – FUGA; Santa Fe Gallery; Miguel Urrutia Art Museum – MAMU, and Santa Clara Museum.
The next circuit navigates La Macarena, one of Bogotá’s most edgy and s. bohemian neighborhoods. La Macarena is framed by small cafes and restaurants that are organized around the Parque de la Independencia. The participating spaces are Alonso Garcés Gallery; Espacio El Dorado; SN maCarena; Museum of Modern Art of Bogotá – MAMBO, NC – art; and the Bancolombia Art Room and Museum of Visual Arts – Jorge Tadeo Lozano University.
A little further north along Séptima is Teusaquillo, characterized by architecture with strong English and French influences. In recent years many of the locality’s grand houses have been transformed to accommodate alternative art spaces, among them Salón Comunal gallery, mor charpentier, Casatinta and Taller Trez.
One of the capital’s largest localities, Chapinero, is also one of the most vibrant and eclectic. In the central district, located between Calles 63 and 78 below Carrera Séptima are many of the most established gallerists, representing leading names in the industry. In this circuit, visitors can explore contemporary works in Casa Hoffmann, Casas Riegner, FORO. SPACE, Christopher Paschall. XXI Gallery, Sextant Gallery | Arte Dos Gráfico, La Balsa Arte, Mmaison Galería, Nueveochenta, Ocre Gallery, Otros 360º Grados and Rincón.
In Chapinero Norte (between Calles 80 and 100) are more galleries representing artists with solid international reputations, among them Beatriz Esguerra Arte, Espacio Continuo, Galería El Museo, Galería La Cometa, and LA Galería. In neighborhoods of Cabrera, Virrey and Chicó are well-known to foreigners as they include the Andino, Atlantis and El Retiro malls, as well as 93 Parque with its casual dining venues and boutiques,
The creative arts district San Felipe attracts a diverse group of creatives from the fields of gastronomy, to film production, photography and design. This historically residential neighborhood, has quickly evolved into an enclave of creative expression, and many of the art works here are priced according to the exposure and trajectory of each artist. Among the galleries worth visiting are Adrián Ibáñez Gallery; Doce Cero Cero; Elvira Moreno; Instituto de Visión; LGM; SGR Gallery; Sketch, Espacio KB, Estudio [74]; and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Bogotá – MAC.
While the circuit is the highlight of ARTBO | Weekend 2023, the Chamber offers other free activities with a platform known as Forum where gallery-hoppers can participate in talks on issues relating to contemporary art. For this seventh edition Forum is curated by Sofía Casarín, the Art Director of the LIAISON agency.
There is also Intervention that explores the relationship between art and the city through a curated exhibition titled: Now, where? This exhibition under the curatorship of Carolina Cerón, associate professor of the Department of Art of the Universidad de los Andes, presents selected works from participating galleries. In the category Editorial Meeting visitors can explore editorial projects by artists who have integrated publishing and the book format into their visual projects. During ARTBO Weekend, 56 exhibition spaces will offer a special program at the following times:
Friday, April 2111:00 a. m. a 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 2211:00 a. m. a 8:00 p. m.
Sunday, April 2311:00 a. m. a 6:00 p. m.
To enjoy the program and free transportation in each circuit visit: www.artbo.co
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