It’s Madrid Art Week currently – we hope everyone attending and involved is having a great time.

This year, ARCO Madrid dedicated a section to the “essential relationship between galleries and their artists” who partnered in early years of ARCO. Taking this idea as a starting point, we will look at the data reflecting the relationships of three of the artist and gallery bonds that they explore.

These artists all have long standing partnerships with multiple galleries, so when looking at data, the specific poignance of one relationship over another does not directly present itself. Nevertheless, discoveries are always to be made…

Mona Hatoum and Chantal Crousel
Global Rank: 42       Global Rank: 12
Lebanon Rank: 1     France Rank: 1

Arco Madrid Attendance:
Chantal Crousel: 16 editions.
Both: 2016, 2018.
Chantal Crousel represented Mona Hatoum: 2016

Hatoum has participated in a total of 6 solo and 8 group shows at Chantal Crousel. Mona’s first show with Chantal Crousel was a solo, and occurred very early on in her career.

Chantal Crousel was already established for 13 years and had exhibited a host of big name artists from Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Gilbert & George, Jeff Koons to Sigmar Polke, consequently although Hatoum had already been exhibited in MOMA and the New Museum by this time, her solo exhibition with them would have still been a great step.

Gilbert & George and Thaddaeus Ropac
Global Rank: 75                      Global Rank: 3
United Kingdom Rank: 6       Austria: 1

Arco Madrid Attendance:Thaddaues Ropac: 11 editions.
Both: 2016, 2018
Thaddaeus Ropac represented G&G: 2018

Gilbert & George have participated in a total of 13 solo and 8 group shows at Thaddaeus Ropac.

In the same year as their mutual participation at ARCO, 2018, Thaddaeus Ropac presented Gilbert and George in a solo show – The Beard Pictures. In 1998 (19 years after their first listed exhibition) Gilbert & George had their first exhibitions with Thaddaeus Ropac. In Austria: New Testamental Pictures, and in France: Gilbert & George. They were already very established by this time.

Monica Bonvicini and Krinzinger
Global: 144       Global Rank: 18
Italy: 6                Austria: 3

Arco Madrid Attendance:Krinzinger: 17 editions
Both: 2021 (Though not together)

Monica Bonvicini has participated in a total of 1 solo and 4 group shows at Krinzinger. In 2021, Krinzinger presented Bonvicini’s first solo show: Stagecage.

In 2003 Bonvicini participated in her first exhibition with Krinzinger in the group show: Favorites, with all female artists, except for one half of the Muntean/Rosenblum duo.

All of these partnerships have lasted for at least, (almost) 20 years, with varying levels of participation. Either way, it’s an impressive amount of time for any kind of relationship.

Let’s make history happen.

The Artfacts Team

Headerimage created by Aleksandar Pasaric found on Pexels