Although Juan Andrés Gaitán was born in Toronto (Canada) in 1973, he moved to Colombia at the age of three and lived there until he was 24. Nowadays, he is a prestigious writer and independent curator, having studied art history in Canada, and was recently the curator of the 8th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art.
Juan Gaitán is the curator of #ArcoColombia and, as such, was responsible for selecting the ten Colombian galleries due to take part in ARCOmadrid 2015. Each of the ten galleries will exhibit works by two featured artists.
As is the case in many other areas, the art scene in Colombia is experiencing significant growth with the opening of new galleries, public and private museums, fairs, biennales, cultural spaces promoted by artists, collectors and curators, institutions dedicated to the visual arts and auction houses. 

Colombia-Canada, a peculiar combination. What have you taken from each country for your own personal and professional development?
I would have to say that Colombia has given me a certain ‘sentimental education’ – in other words, a way of approaching the world and what happens in it – while Canada offered a more rigorous professional approach to art and culture.

Given your extensive international experience, where do you think contemporary art fairs are going?
Generally, I believe they are returning to their roots as commercial platforms but, specifically, each fair has developed a series of sideline projects that make them unique and which help them fit into the museum and non-commercial circuits.

What is your understanding of curatorial work?
In the contemporary art world, curatorial work is a practice that, above all, seeks to create spaces conducive to the development of modern artistic practices.

What was it like to head the 8th Berlin Biennale?
Highly productive in the long term because it puts you in direct and constant contact with the development of numerous works of art and an extremely broad spectrum of artists in various fields of culture; not only culture but other areas too: politics, economics, etc. In terms of the experience itself, they were two years of highly interesting and enriching work focused on a single goal. Above all, it was fun.

What role do you think ARCO has to play in the current climate?
I believe ARCO has gone from strength to strength in recent years and that it has also developed a serious and respectful relationship with curators and writers, which is always welcome.

Is it a good platform for Latin American contemporary art?
Most of all, it is a very important platform for the artists as it raises their profile considerably and, of course, it is also extremely significant in terms of the volume of sales.

What went through your mind when they asked you to be the curator of #ArcoColombia?
I had my doubts to begin with, but Carlos Urroz can be very persuasive! I accepted in the end because I’ve spent most of my professional life outside of Colombia and I thought it would be important to take a look at what is going on there, with curiosity and without any preconceived ideas.

How would you describe this curatorial project?
Like exploring a field that, albeit one I know very well, is also new in terms of its current composition.

Let’s talk about creative activity. Can you describe the Colombian art scene? What changes are taking place? Can we talk about contemporary art with certain characteristics in common?
I don’t think there are any common characteristics any more. I see pluralism, both in terms of themes and in terms of aesthetics. Until a short time ago, there was a fully understandable and necessary need in Colombia to tackle far-reaching topics, such as violence, society and history, and to focus on specific art forms, such as drawing or installation. I see now that it also has a great deal to do with the politics of the individual – not individualism but rather the individual and the subject, more psychoanalytical issues, to put it one way, which I consider equally pressing as those other far-reaching topics.

How well-known is Colombian contemporary art internationally?
I don’t really know how to measure it, but there are many Colombian artists working and exhibiting their work abroad, in a variety of fields and in various sectors of contemporary art.

How healthy is the Colombian market right now?
From what I can tell, and to quote Muntadas, “Colombia is doing very well”. The gallery world is becoming more mature and stable day by day. Also, the public authorities in Colombia are making an effort to support contemporary art.

What was your biggest challenge when selecting the galleries – and the artists – to participate in #ArcoColombia?
More than a challenge, it has been a task of exploration in which I wanted to reveal the diversity of what is being created while avoiding generalisations.

Imagine yourself the day after the fair closes, what result would you be satisfied with? 
To have awoken even more interest in what is coming out of Colombia nowadays.

Breakdown

#ArcoColombia: 10 galleries, 20 artists
• CASAS RIEGNER (Bogotá). Artists: Ícaro Zorbar / Liliana Sánchez.
• DOCE CERO CERO (Bogotá). Edgar Jiménez / Suntuosa.
• EL MUSEO (Bogotá). Manuel Calderón / Jorge Magyaroff.
• INSTITUTO DE VISIÓN* (Bogotá). Carlos Motta / Carolina Caycedo.
• JENNY VILÀ (Cali). Ricardo León / Mónica Restrepo.
• LA GALERÍA (Bogotá). David Peña / Adriana Marmorek.
• LA OFICINA (Medellín). Iván Hurtado / Pablo Gómez.
• NUEVEOCHENTA (Bogotá). Jaime Tarazona / Marcela Cárdenas.
• SEXTANTE (Bogotá). Angélica María Zorrilla / Catalina Jaramillo.
• VALENZUELA KLENNER (Bogotá). Edwin Sánchez / Liliana Angulo.

*Also taking part in #SoloProjects.