It's back: CAN Art 2023
As the second iteration of the Contemporary Art Now art fair brings cutting-edge creativity to the island’s thriving art scene, Rebecca Tay explores the powerful role of women in the modern art world.
Frieze, Art Basel… Contemporary Art Now (aka CAN). Art fairs have long been where creativity meets culture: a place where new ideas are celebrated, innovation is cultivated and talent is propelled into the spotlight.
Such is the case with CAN, which returns this July 12-16 at FECOEV, on the outskirts of Ibiza Town. For its second iteration, 37 galleries will be participating, with exhibitors from Hong Kong, Sydney, London, New York and Los Angeles showcasing the work of more than 140 artists. ‘Ibiza has traditionally been a haven for artists and creators,’ says Sergio Sancho, director and founder of CAN. ‘Our objective is to strengthen the alliances of international galleries with national ones.’
Once again, the exhibition has been curated by art critic Saša Bogojev and features names like Ania Hobson, Emma Stern, Aysha Naviega, Sara Berman and Beatrice Scaccia – women who are dominating the contemporary art world for their often-raw takes on identity and self-transformation.
‘I will be showing works made in the last six months,’ says Berman, whose work employs various textures, layers, patterns and materials. ‘It is interesting to look at a body of work which has been made during a particular time period. There is a narrative quality that isn’t always apparent to me as I am making it.’
A former fashion designer who owned her eponymous label for 15 years, Berman now uses her art to explore how people see and define themselves through their relationships with their clothing, belongings and the spaces they occupy. Her body of work examines space and the role of the feminine within it. ‘Using myself as the central character within my work… it is exciting to look at these pieces now and acknowledge the process they have taken me through,’ she says. ‘For me, these works are about transformation.’
Similarly, painter Aysha Nagieva is showcasing two pieces at CAN that are particularly reflective of her own life experiences and memories. ‘These two works were painted in a moment of change, expansion and transformation that I was going through within most areas of my day-to-day life,’ she reflects. ‘It’s safe to say that the paintings I will be showing at CAN stand for experimentation and a pushing of the already-established boundaries within my art.’
