The best laid plans of mice and art dealers...
While I had intended to report everyday from Art Santa Fe, working these art fairs is such a constant hands on act, coupled with the fact that I'm always on my feet at these affairs, and a few other things all added up to a report-less experience on a daily basis from the fair.
Overall, this year's Art Santa Fe was not the commercial success that many of the art galleries and dealers who participated had hoped that it would be. It was not all the fault of the organizers, who I think did the best job that anyone taking the complex challenge of organizing such an event -- with its army of people in a chess game of movement and issues -- has to do.
But the talk in the dealers' break room and along the aisles was not good.
Like any art fair, I am sure that there were some galleries who did well, but I suspect that the vast majority did poorly as far as sales were concerned.
AN art fair is not all about sales, although when one puts out several thousand dollars in fees, travel, staff, etc., sales is damned well ahead of whatever is in second place.
Connections and networking is another good element of art fairs. In our case we made the direct connection with two of the top art collectors in the US.
Collectors with connections are even more important... in one case, he is not only a major photography collector about to become a collector of contemporary Cuban art (on the advise of his art advisers), but also on the board of a major museum. His wife is a major collector of glass, and also on the board of a major school.
All these bits and pieces help to cement a gallery's future; even as sales do not materialize at the frequency that one wishes for.
One negative thing about the fair that I did hear from the locals was the fact that according to them the organizers were "crazy to set the fair on the same weekend as the Fifth Annual International Folk Art Market," the largest international folk art market in the world, which was taking place at exactly the same time as Art Santa Fe. I'm not sure what, if any effect this had on the low sales experienced by most of the gallerists and dealers who confided in me.
Another good aspect for reputable dealers in fairs like this, is the ability, provided that the dealer is one who works for his/her artists, to find other dealers and galleries for our artists.
We managed to find and begin to cement a relationship with two new dealers, one in Britain, one in Santa Fe, for one of our artists -- as well as for an artist whose work I know. She will be happy once she calls me and finds out that she has a very good Santa Fe gallery very interested in her work.
Another thing that I kept hearing about was how poorly American fairs were doing in general, although it seems that some European fairs were doing better. We also heard some horror stories about some "hotel fairs."
Several hotel fairs will not be returning to Miami this December, although someone from Art Basel who was around the fair checking out the art and the fair itself, told me that Miami expects about 25 art fairs this December - that's a spectacular fair overload, and it also means that even though some of last year's fairs will not return, some new ones will pop up!
We had dinner one night with some gallerists from Europe and the US, as well as a few other artsy folks - a fair organizer, an art magazine editor, a curator or two, and someone who has a business of doing the booths at the fairs.
It was lively conversation, and I dropped a bomb of a rumor that I have been hearing about from people who do not want to be quoted.
"I've been hearing a rumor that Art Basel Miami Beach may be pulling out of Miami Beach and relocating to Los Angeles," I said.
"Nonsense!" said a very, very connected curator from Miami. "ABMB and the city have a six year contract - ABMB is not going anywhere!"
"I've heard the same thing," said a magazine publisher from Los Angeles.
"And," added the art magazine publisher, "there's only two years left on that contract." That info was backed by another person in the group, who also added that he thought that it was pretty much set that ABMB would be moving to LA after its contract with Miami Beach expires.
"It will never happen," said the vigorous defender of Miami. "Miami is a magnet for Europeans in the winter, and the crossroads for Latin America, Europe and North America... people and collectors, want to go to Miami in December."
"That's true," replied her tormentors, "but LA is the center point of the Latin American Pacific rim as well as Asia... and we have beaches as well."
And thus several plugged-in insiders seem to verify what I've been hearing about for months: that the heart of the Miami art fairs phenomenon - Art Basel Miami Beach - may be, and I repeat, may be, pulling out of Miami Beach once its six year contract ends and ABMB may thus be moving the American version of the European fair to Los Angeles.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Basel's Vernissage TV
Yours truly in Basel's Vernissage TV, which was covering Art Santa Fe this last weekend.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Art Santa Fe Day One
Arrived a couple of days ago in New Mexico for Art Santa Fe art fair, where we'll be peddling artwork at the fair, being held this year from July 10-13, 2008 at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe and right across the street from Site Santa Fe.
When we arrived at Albuquerque on Tuesday afternoon, we spent most of the day exploring the old city.
On Wednesday we checked into the fair spaces. The whole area around it is a whirlwind of construction as new art sites, art buildings, etc. continue to populate this area of the city.
All the crates were waiting for us at booth 52, and right away I realized that (as usual) I had shipped way too much work. Everything was unpacked and then we had the crates removed.
Because the storage area at the fair didn't open till much later, it was an interesting chess game moving around all the extra work while isolating what work to hang for the opening tonight.
The press preview is at 3:30PM, and then the opening an hour later.
If you're in that amazing little city full of art galleries (nearly 300 of them) during this time, come by booth 52 and say hola!
Lots more later as I tell you how the opening gala went!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Wanna go to a Silver Spring, MD opening?
Gateway's Heliport Gallery has an upcoming exhibit based on the surrealist game, Exquisite Corpse. Opening July 12 from 5 - 8 pm
Work by Karren Alenier, Mark Behme, Bobbi Clay, Christopher Conlon, Warren Craghead III, Patrick Finley, Fred Folsom, Gail Gorlitzz, JoAnne Growney, Stephen Hanks , Elyse Harrison, Neil Joffe, John Landis, Emery Lewis, Donna M. McCullough, Emily Piccirillo, Shelley Sarrin, Rima Schulkind, Ed Thomas, Joyce Zipperer, and Birdie Zoltan.
Gallery located at 8001 Kennett Street, Suite 3, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 301.562.1400. Close to Red Line Silver Spring Station.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Wanna go to a DC opening?
Figurative/Narrative: Memories of a Presence opens Friday, July 11 with a reception from 5:30-8PM at DC's Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts' Healing Arts Gallery. Work by Billy Colbert, Paul Andrew Wandless, and Michael Janis.
The show runs through August 28.
John Collier at Art Whino
National Harbor's ArtWhino has a solo show by John Collier coming up that looks really interesting to figure aficionados.
The opening is July 12th, 2008 from 6pm-Midnight.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Opportunity for Artists
Deadline: October 1, 2008.
Carroll Community College and the Innovators Combating Substance Abuse Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are pleased to issue a Call to Artists whose work will be selected to appear in the nation’s first regional Art and Addiction exhibition (November 2 – December 12, 2008).
The purpose of this exhibition is to provide a stimulus to change the way America views addiction by using the visual arts to put a human face on addiction and recovery. Creativity and artistic expression play a significant role both in recovery and in raising awareness of the personal toll caused by substance abuse and addiction. Organizers of this event believe that art can help bridge the gap between addiction science and the human experience of addiction; providing insights that will complement the science of understanding and treating addiction.
Artists are invited to submit original artwork on the theme of drug addiction and recovery (drugs include alcohol, tobacco, illegal or prescription drugs). Please note that eligible artists (within 75 miles of Carroll) who entered the Innovators’ National Art and Addiction Book and Exhibition Call in March of 2008 will automatically have their art considered for this show. Deadline for submission is October 1, 2008.
Show information and submission forms may be downloaded from the Carroll Community College website: www.carrollcc.edu or by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to:
Maggie Ball
Visual Art Department Chairperson
(Attention: Art and Addiction Exhibition)
Carroll Community College
1601 Washington Road
Westminster, MD 21157
For more information contact Maggie Ball at mball@carrollcc.edu.
Art Santa Fe
On Tuesday I am flying West for the Art Santa Fe art fair, where we'll be peddling artwork at the coming Art Santa Fe, being held this year from July 10-13, 2008 at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe.
The fair's 2008 Keynote Speaker will be Dean Sobel, the Director of the new Clyfford Still Museum in Denver.
If you're in that amazing little city full of art galleries (nearly 300 of them) known as Santa Fe during this time, come by booth 52 and say hola!
Saturday, July 05, 2008
The Art of Failure
"...is a feature documentary about the life of Chuck Connelly, a brilliant yet enigmatic painter who had great success as a young artist in the art boom of the 1980’s but who has perpetuated a long downward spiral in his career due to ego, drugs, women, and alcohol. He now is increasingly fearful of his fate. Driven by desperation, Connelly comes up with several crazy schemes to sell his work to galleries and stage a comeback in the art world."The film will air on HBO this Monday July 7th at 9pm EST. More broadcast dates here and the film's website is here and Connelly's website is here.
Connelly is represented in the Philadelphia area by The Knapp Gallery which currently has "The New Philadelphia School" exhibition (through August 24). It includes work by Tom Brady, Chuck Connelly, Giappo DiFederico, Jon Eckel, Adam Lee Farrell, and R. Michael Walsh.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Campello in 08?
See it and don't believe it. It's actually a new form of art: "Viral Videos."
Go here.
Latin American Wealth
Latin America's wealthy also are among the most avid buyers of fine art. While only 11 percent of North America's wealthy spend their money on fine art, 21 percent of Latin America's wealthy do so. That is also more than what their counterparts in Asia and the Middle East spend and only lags slightly behind Europe.Read the article here and let's all wonder what the other 89% of North America's wealthy spend their dollars on?
Voter Apathy
If the spectacular turnout for my poll is a prognosticator of the shape of things to come in November, then we're in trouble. As of this morning only two votes had been registered - and one of them was mine!
To recap: on the issue of the National Latino Museum, I've set up a poll here to see what people think. It takes 30 seconds to take this poll... just pick one of the two choices.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
FotoWeek
I know nothing!
I haven't received a single bit of news or anything even remotely reading like a press release about FotoWeek DC; in fact I'm only hearing about FotoWeek from photographers asking me about it.
DCist has all the details here - I know nothing about it other than it has a really good website and it is a splendid idea!
El Poll
On the issue of the National Latino Museum, how about a little poll to see what the numbers show? Go here and take this poll... just pick one of the two choices.
Trawick Prize Finalists
Fifteen artists have been selected as finalists for the The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, by far the Greater DC region's most prestigious art prize and open to DC, MD and VA artists. The work of the 15 finalists will be on display from September 3 – September 27, 2008 in downtown Bethesda at Heineman Myers Contemporary Art, located at 4728 Hampden Lane.
The prize winners will be announced and honored on Wednesday, September 3rd at a
special press event held at Heineman Myers Contemporary Art. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “Young Artist” whose birth date is after April 11, 1978 will also be awarded $1,000.
The artists selected as finalists are:
Joseph Barbaccia, Potomac Falls, VA
Ryan Browning, Mount Airy, MD
Lynn Cazabon, Baltimore, MD
Warren Craghead III, Charlottesville, VA
Dawn Gavin, Baltimore, MD
Bernhard Hildebrandt, Baltimore, MD
Kristin Holder, Washington, D.C.
Kay Hwang, Baltimore, MD
Baby Martinez, Washington, D.C.
Maggie Michael, Washington, D.C.
Youngmi S. Organ, Nokesville, VA
Tony Shore, Baltimore, MD
Molly Springfield, Washington. D.C.
Dan Steinhilber, Washington, D.C.
Heide Trepanier, Richmond, VA
Several names return to the list, and for the first time we'll see a husband and wife on the list! Several names from the Bethesda Painting Awards list also make an appearance on this list.
The entries were juried by Molly Donovan, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Art; Irene Hofmann, Executive Director of the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore, MD and Leah Stoddard, former Director of Second Street Gallery in Charlottesville, VA.
A public reception will be held on Friday, September 12, 2008 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk.
