From October 24th to the 27th, Bogotá will welcome the international art community to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ARTBO, its international art fair. ARTBO is a cultural platform that enables the promotion of the arts through networking and accessibility. For four days, the Colombian capital becomes the epicenter of the arts in Latin America with an event that draws collectors, curators and other art professionals from all over the world.

This year, organizers received more than 150 applications for the Main Section, a record for the institution. Sixty-six galleries were selected to showcase their work, twenty-six of which come to ARTBO for the first time. For a complete list of participating galleries visit (http://english.artboonline.com/portal/default.aspx). The international allure and recognition the fair brings to the city is the proud achievement of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, one of the principal sponsors.

This year ARTBO introduces a new section to its presentation titled Reference. Curated by Carolina Ponce de León and Santiago Rueda, Reference aims to create a context where the works of art and the artists showcased in the fair find a connection to a broader interpretation of the past. It proposes a conversation between different historical times and aesthetical attitudes. Ambiguity and contradiction are part of this magical dialogue created by Ponce de León and Rueda.

The aesthetic use of the object is the inspiration of curator José Roca for this year’s Projects Section. Roca is currently the Estrellita Brodsky Adjunct Curator of Latin American Art at Tate, London, and Artistic Director of FLORA ars+natura, an independent space for contemporary art in Bogotá. Fourteen contemporary artists were invited to participate in Projects through the curator and their commercial galleries. For a complete list of projects http://english.artboonline.com/contenido/contenido.aspx?catID=495&conID=1968

As in previous years, ARTBO will feature Artecamara, a curated space that provides greater visibility and exposure to the international market for a new generation of young Colombian artists. Another goal of the International Art Fair of Bogotá is to sensitize children, young adults and families and bring them closer to art through special presentations, recreational activities and forums throughout the month of October.

But as every experienced collector that comes to the fair knows, the beauty of collecting lies in making that big purchase at the main event; also discovering rare finds and connecting with new artists and colleagues in the many events that surround ARTBO.

Solita Mishan, collector and founder of MISOL, an art foundation based in Bogotá praises the work of the organization, “during its first decade, ARTBO has been so successful that this year we will have four parallel fairs during what has been named the month of the arts, with more than 100 exhibitions in museums, art spaces and galleries all over the city”.

Indeed, the Colombian capital will come alive with excitement to showcase the best modern and contemporary art and the city’s hospitality. ■