MIRA Art Fair: Building bridges with Latin America
Manuela Rayo is born in Colombia. She has a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from ICART (Paris). Her professional experience includes working in public relations for institutions the Louvre Museum and the Grand Palais, as well as participating in international art fairs such as Art Paris, FIAC, and Paris Photo. She founded the MIRA Art Fair in Paris in 2024.
In November 2025, the second edition of the MIRA Art Fair was held in Paris. Mira (which means ‘look’ in Spanish) seeks to highlight art created in Latin America. This year, 23 galleries participated, divided into two sections: Main Galleries and Special Projects. Over the four days of the fair, more than eight VIP events were held, attended by approximately 11.000 to 12.000 people. In total, around 150 artists participated. Manuela Rayo, founder and director of MIRA Art Fair, is a specialist with a passion for art who moved from Colombia to Paris, where she found a scene hungry to see more art from Latin America. For 2026, the third edition of MIRA Art Fair seeks to increase the number of participants, including galleries and artists, without compromising the quality of its programme.
MIRA Art is an art fair held in Paris that seeks to shine a light on Latin American art. How did it come about?
When I arrived in Europe, I realised how developed the art scene was and how much interest there was in Latin America, but at the same time how little was known and visible was compared to Africa, Asia, or the Middle East. There was nothing really dedicated to Latin America, and that’s how the project was born. The initial idea was to start talking about Latin America through a few Latin American galleries. To be honest, I didn’t imagine that the fair would grow so quickly. From the first edition in 2024, the inclusion of important galleries such as Proyectos Monclova, for example, as well as the collaboration with institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and the Fondation Cartier, allowed the project to take off from the very first year. This gave us the opportunity to strengthen the second edition and now, in this third edition that we are preparing, to take the fair to another dimension, not necessarily bigger, but stronger and more structured, always committed to the highest quality.
Looking back at past editions, what difficulties did you encounter in the first edition that you were able to resolve in the second, and which ones do you consider to be inherent to this type of event?
The biggest challenge has been logistics and production. Having a fair that talks about Latin America in dialogue with Europe means crossing an ocean to bring works, galleries, and artists. It is a huge challenge, both logistically and economically, and it continues to be even in the third year. Added to that is the financial challenge: creating a high-quality fair, working with senior teams, collaborating with important institutions, all of that requires a significant budget. However, this challenge has been deconstructed year after year thanks to the growing confidence of galleries and brands.
What is the selection process for galleries like, and what criteria are taken into account?
This year we received 40 applications. We have a selection committee made up of four very important women in the art world: Patricia Marshall from the Jumex Foundation; Maritza Lacayo from the Pérez Art Museum in Miami; Paola Creixell, collector and founder of Art Patrons at PAC Art; and Chloé Trivellini, founder of a cultural residency in Greece, Island Cultura, and also a collector. They are the ones who select the galleries and projects. I participate in the meetings, but I don’t have a vote. The main criteria is that the gallery presents a high-quality project related to Latin America and consistent with the dialogue proposed by the fair. This year, the call for galleries was a major challenge because the art market is in crisis and galleries are increasingly reluctant to participate in fairs. Maintaining the level of quality we seek was complicated. Convincing some galleries was easy, while others required more persuasion. The selection committee was key to building trust, as it is made up of highly respected figures. This has allowed us to continue growing and maintaining the quality of the project.
Does the fair have a specific theme or curatorial focus for each edition?
We are a contemporary art fair, but we also consider it important to talk about modern art and, in some cases, design. The main thing is to showcase and celebrate Latin America. In addition, each year we honour a different country. Lasy year it was Brazil, coinciding with the France-Brazil Year. We don’t force galleries to present artists from that country, but we do give greater visibility to that cultural context. For the next edition, in 2026, the guest country will be Mexico, as part of the 200-year relationship between Mexico and France.
What kind of feedback have you received from collectors who attended the fair?
The most important feedback was the lack of more and new galleries from Latin America. Although we work with high-quality European galleries that represent Latin American artists, such as Chantal Crousel or Almine Rech, the main criticism was: where are the Latin American galleries? We have a few, like Revolver (Peru) or Mor Charpentier (Colombia) but they are not the majority. That is a valid criticism that I myself share, and one of the major challenges we want to address in the next edition.
Do you perceive a genuine interest in Latin American art among the public and collectors?
Absolutely. There is a great deal of curiosity and a real hunger to learn more about Latin America. The reception has been impressive, not only from collectors, but also from institutions, foundations, and curators. I knew the fair would be well received, but I did not imagine it would be to this extent. This shows that a project like MIRA Art was necessary and that there is genuine interest in seeing Latin America through a very high-quality event.
I noticed that both the team and the selection committee are composed entirely of women. Was that intentional?
We are an all-female team, and it happened very organically. It wasn’t planned or intentional. That’s just how the team came together. The same thing happened with the selection committee: when I looked at the list, I realised that they were all women. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. It fills me with pride because I see how women make decisions in a very human way, with commitment, sensitivity, and responsibility. In addition, more and more women are making decisions in the art world, as museum directors, collectors, and cultural leaders.
Sustainability is an important issue for the fair. What specific actions are you taking?
Being sustainable is one of our biggest challenges because it involves higher costs, but it’s something we believe in firmly. We work on a plan that runs before, during, and after the fair. Before, we promote the transport of works by sea to reduce the environmental impact. During the fair, all production materials such as walls, panels, and lights are reused, and we rigorously separate waste. After the fair, we are developing a project with foundations that plant trees in Latin America, with the idea of being able to measure and communicate the environmental impact of MIRA Art in the future.
What sets MIRA apart from other major contemporary art fairs in Latin America?
The main difference is that MIRA was founded in Paris and acts as a bridge between Latin America and Europe. There is a very strong diasporic dialogue. We showcase Latin American artists, but also artists with Latin American roots who live and work in Europe. In addition, it is a fair on a human scale, with a maximum of 25 galleries. We prioritise the quality of the projects and, above all, the quality of the relationships that are built, both within the fair and through our public programme and VIP programme.
Why was Paris chosen as the location of the fair?
Paris has once again become a central location for contemporary art, especially after Brexit. Today, it is truly “the place to be.” The French are genuinely curious about what is happening globally, and Latin America was a little-known scene. I felt there was an obligation to create an event that would get Paris talking about Latin America. That is why MIRA was born here.
How do you plan to attract more Latin American galleries in future editions?
MIRA’s growth will be in structure, recognition, and quality, not quantity. The soul of the project is human. Ideally, we want to exhibit between 25 and 30 galleries. Building a solid reputation has been key. After two editions, we can now demonstrate that MIRA is a high-quality event, with buyers, collectors, and institutions in attendance. In addition, we are working on offering greater financial and logistical support, especially in the shipping of works. Our goal is to make costs affordable so that galleries can present true artistic proposals, and not just participate to cover expenses.
Interview by Susana Navarro Hospina
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