Feature

What to see during Art-O-Rama: Q&A with director Jérôme Pantalacci

26 Aug 2015

by ArtRabbit

Created in 2007, ART-O-RAMA is the first international art fair in the South of France, and has developed a fairly unique exhibition format.

Each booth is considered an exhibition space with its very own curatorial concept which allows the galleries to present themselves under a unique and original light. Along with several collateral events, Art-O-Rama is committed to make these last days of August a highlight for the contemporary art scene. ArtRabbit spoke to director of the fair Jérôme Pantalacci.

ArtRabbit Art-O-Rama was created in 2007 as an alternative to the traditional format of contemporary art fairs. Can you highlight how the fair may have evolved over the past years?

Jérôme Pantalacci The first edition of ART-O-RAMA gathered 5 galleries and a guest artist duo. The foundations were already laid. From the beginning we wanted to focus on artistic projects with the will to give as much freedom as possible to the galleries by putting away as many financial constraints as possible. We decided from the very beginning to provide all exhibitors with a 20m linear wall for them to design as they wanted according to their project for the fair, and to keep on searching for new ways to support regional fine arts graduates. The advantage of the fair’s format is that once the foundations are laid, it is possible to try new things, develop or remove them, and offer new innovative formats.

We reached our current size in 2012 with a selection of 20 galleries. Mostly young and European galleries. Our wish is, obviously, to extend to other territories. Each year, we have at least one or two galleries from the Americas. We want to extend their presence in the fair, as well as the presence of Asian, Middle-East and African galleries. Since 2012, we have been receiving more established galleries, which is important and gives the fair some extra credibility.

ArtRabbit This year, Art-O-Rama will be showing 20 international galleries alongside the work of 5 fine arts graduate students of the region. Can you speak about the concept and process of such an exclusive selection?

JP Well, first, we wish to foster meetings and be able to follow up on all the artists and galleries' projects. The exclusive number of exhibitors is also coherent with regards to our territory. Marseille is not a marketplace, like New-York, London, or Paris. There must be a balance between art collectors we invite and the number of exhibitors. In Marseille’s area, there are around 15 internationally active art collectors, and we invite around 60 external art collectors for the occasion. Having few galleries enables us to closely work with them and do our best to meet their needs; but it also allows us to be demanding on the galleries' selection. The selection is indeed a long process that needs a full year to be achieved, with the complicity of our artistic committee. It sometimes also gives rise to long-standing debates. The selection of the young local fine arts graduates is made by a guest curator that is different each year. Our main goal is to have an external curator discover the local art scene. They choose 4 artists from about a hundred applications. We ask them to assume their selection 100% as they will have to defend and present the artists’ works to the fair’s participating galleries. From this selection, the latter are then asked to choose the next year’s edition's Guest Artist who will be offered a production grant and the publication of his or her first monograph.

ArtRabbit La Friche la Belle de Mai will open several shows during Art-O-Rama, and many Marseille based galleries will participate in the city’s Gallery Night, which makes these last days of August fairly dedicated to contemporary art. How did the co-operations come about, and what different projects will be on display?

JP Since the first edition, it seemed essential to gather and work together with the contemporary art venues in Marseille. In order to be attractive we have to be coordinated. The more artistic projects are presented in the city and its surroundings, and the better those projects are, the more we will be able to attract people and put our city on the map of the (art) world.

Marseille has always had contemporary art activities, and mostly of excellence. But it has sometimes remained confidential. ART-O-RAMA was born the same year as Marseille Expos which gathers most of the local commercial, institutional, and non-profit organisations. It came from the need to give more visibility to those activities that are run here. We immediately and naturally forged things together.

On another scale, it is the same logic on display at La Friche. We all coordinate our respective events for them to be more attractive. ART-O-RAMA is part of a federation called Le Cartel that gathers the contemporary art organisations that are based at La Friche. We work together throughout the year to build a coherent contemporary art programme at La Friche. It is important for us that, during ART-O-RAMA, quality projects are presented in the very site we organise the fair.

ArtRabbit How would you describe Marseille’s art scene? Can you highlight a few works or events one should not miss while in the city?

JP Well, the main event that cannot be missed is obviously ART-O-RAMA. The 5 new exhibitions that will take place at La Friche are also to be seen, among which the extensive solo show by Gilles Barbier.

Marseille’s art scene is a mix of private and public venues. The important public ones being the MAC (Museum of contemporary Art), the FRAC (regional fund of contemporary art), the MuCEM, the Cantini museum, and the Vieille Charité. The private - more international-focused - initiatives are: La Fabrique, private art collection of Marc and Josée Gensollen; the Box, from the M-ARCO funds of Marc and Marie-Hélène Feraud, and the Mamo located on the Corbusier’s rooftop. And also some commercial galleries such as Galerie Didier Gourvennec-Ogor or La Gad - Galerie Arnaud Deschin. Not forgetting other important venues around Marseille such as the Fondation Van Gogh in Arles, the Collection Lambert in Avignon or the museum Carré d’Art in Nïmes. Marseille and its region offers many venues with a demanding historical and emerging programming.

AR Thank you for your time!

Art-O-Rama, 28 - 30 Aug 2015
Marseille, France
@ART_O_RAMA

Other events during Art-O-Rama