Weekly arts agenda: ARCO Madrid, 'Size Does Matter' curated by Shaquille O'Neal

During the week of February 15 Spanish and international visitors will flock to Madrid to see the 29th edition of ARCO. From February 19, Shaquille O'Neal will prove to exhibition attendees that size does matter with an adventurous show that aims to highlight the relationship between size, scale and perspective.

ARCO Madrid 2010
February 17-21
Feria de Madrid
Madrid, Spain

The 29th edition of the Spanish-based arts festival aims to provide a truly global perspective on modern art and emerging creative expression. ARCO welcomed more than 190,000 people through its doors in 2009, and in 2010 it aims to feature the best and most cutting-edge contemporary art. There will be a strong representation of galleries hailing from Los Angeles in 2010 as the US-based city will be ARCO's "special invited guest."
http://www.ifema.es/ferias/arco/default_i.html

Size Does Matter: curated by Shaquille O'Neal
February 19-May 27
The Flag Art Foundation
New York, USA

Professional basketball player Shaquille O'Neal has set out to show the world that size does actually matter. The NBA star is curating a large-scale art exhibition that boasts microscopic, barely visible pieces and creations so big they dwarf even the likes of 2.16m tall O'Neal. Works by the likes of Franz Gertsch, Anselm Kiefer, Jeff Koons, Ron Mueck, Paul Pfeiffer, Charles Ray, Cindy Sherman, Ken Solomo, Willard Wigan and Ivan Witenstein will highlight the relationship between size, scale and perspective throughout a variety of different mediums. 
http://www.flagartfoundation.org/upcoming/

Classic Contemporary: Lichtenstein, Warhol and Friends
February 21-March 21
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego La Jolla
La Jolla, California, USA

Major works from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's private collection will explore the genres of Pop, Minimal and Color Field Art. The museum will show a selection of paintings, sculptures and installations created during the 1960s and 1970s by influential artists such as Edward Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Ellsworth Kelly, Claes Oldenburg and Sol LeWitt.
http://www.mcasd.org/exhibitions/exhibition.php?EID=605&Type=future

Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris
February 24-April 25
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris is a survey exhibition of the works of Pablo Picasso during the time he "was at his most ferociously inventive." The exhibition follows him through the most creative period of his art career, documenting and commenting on the works he created between 1905 and 1945. His early experiments with abstraction, his attraction to Cubism and his dialogue with Surrealism are explored in relation to the important role Paris played in his life.
http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/354.html

ART COLOGNE
April 21 - 25
Cologne Trade Fair Centre (Koelnmesse)
Cologne, Germany

Almost 200 leading local and international galleries will showcase classical 20th century art, post-war art and contemporary art at the 44th edition of ART COLOGNE. A selection of special projects under the banner of Open Space and New Contemporaries will feature works by young and cutting-edge artists. In 2009, 56,500 people attended ART COLOGNE.
http://www.artcologne.com/

CONTACT 2010 Toronto Photography Festival
May
Various locations
Toronto, Canada

CONTACT is the world's largest annual photography festival with more than 1,000,000 visitors each year. The month-long festival is organized in collaboration with galleries throughout Toronto and is comprised of exhibitions, public installations, lectures, films and events. In 2010 CONTACT will explore the ways in which photography "informs and transforms human behaviour." 
http://www.contactphoto.com