Streaker and other things... Context Day Two

Today was the opening to the general public of the Context Art Miami fair.

We arrived a few minutes after the official opening time of 11AM, as did most other dealers (we saw the hardworking Leigh Conner hustling to Art Miami).

This is the result of trying to get off the highway to North Miami Avenue... this simple operation seems to be a permanent parking lot at practically any time.

Plan for about 15-20 minutes to get from the highway to the fair; traffic is that bad!

Today was a much calmer and slower day than yesterday, with noticeably less young women, slim as rifles (and just as dangerous) confidently walking the aisles of the fair on needle heels and unshaven young studs with shiny hair, otherwise clean as a new stiletto, taking phone pictures of the artwork.

The day went fast, with the only novelty being the arrival of a couple of well-known DMV artists, Tim Tate and J.T. Kirkland, as well as a local guerrilla artist paddling his artwork ($20 a painting) while streaking through the fair.

Context Art Fair: VIP Preview

In typical Floridian puzzle-weather, it was very rainy up in Hollywood Beach, which is where we are staying as we have for the last few years. A few blocks south, the sun was bright and fully ready to endorse the VIP opening at Context Art Miami.

Once we got to Wynwood, we dropped off a piece for a special exhibit that the Art Miami folks had arranged with the local Marriott hotel. It was a delicate dance of driving in the serpentine challenges presented by Maimi drivers, but we installed the piece (a wonderful sculpture by Elissa Farrow-Savos) and headed back to Wynwood.

We finished off labeling the work, which brings to mind the interesting tidbit that just a handful of years ago, one seldom saw any labels at art shows or art fairs. It was as if all curators and gallerists in the upper artsmosphere of the art world that made a decision to endorse David Parnas' information hiding principle. Today, it is the opposite, as delivering as much information about the work seems to be the trend.

We've always used labels... just sayin'.

I rushed through the fair to try to get a flavor for the quality of this year's Context... and my report is that new director Julian Navarro has done a spectacular job: this is by far the best art fair that we've ever been honored to be part of; Context has set new standards this year... more on that later.

Simon Monk wall at Context Art Miami - Alida Anderson Art Projects

There were long lines waiting for the 5:30 opening at both Context Art Miami and Art Miami, as I was very impressed how the crowds increased as the evening progressed. The Wynwood district where several of the art fairs are staged is a pretty congested area without the art fairs and unless you are savvy enough to dance the traffic dance, it can be challenging on the night when everyone wants to go to the art show. In addition to the two best-known Art Miami fairs, there are several satellite fairs in Wynwood which now use Art Miami as the magnet fair, just as all satellite fairs use Art Basel Miami Beach as the magnet fair.

Almost immediately DMV artist Audrey Wilson broke the ice and at the same time proved my point about the importance of art fairs for artists. Wilson sold a major piece to a collector who has now bought one of her pieces at Context Art Miami 2013, Wynwood Art Fair 2014 and now Context Art Miami 2014. He also bought one of my drawings, which was nice.

It is always good to break the ice on opening night... as the night ended I sold three more of my pieces.

Overall I noticed that all the dealers around us seemed to be making sales, and this is a great indication of the hard work that it takes to get a critical number of collectors to an art event.

Tomorrow the fair opens to the public.

Unloading day

Today it was the typical brutal day as we unloaded and started setting up at Context Art Miami in Wynwood.

After trolling around for a while looking for a parking spot, we found a Doris Day spot nearby the loading docks for the fair. The place was a beehive of workers delivering crates, European gallerists walking back and forth barking worried orders on their cell phones, cleaning crews on a constant battle to keep the place clean, Haitian day workers hanging around hoping for a job, security checking badges and asking for wrist bands, and the savage art sounds of hammers banging and drills drilling and the random and heartbreaking sound of glass breaking somewhere.

Hundreds of trips later we had taken most of the art out of the van with only one casualty - this is the brutal part of driving your work down instead of having it shipped and delivered to your booth.

Ran into the DMV's Andrea Pollan and then Calder Brannock; both are working the fairs.

After a ten hour day we are 90% done... all the work for opening night is hung, and almost all labeled; all the electronics are working, and Simon Monk, Dulce Pinzon and me are on the walls and Audrey Wilson and Elissa Farrow-Savos are on the floor.

The VIP Preview is tomorrow. The fair opens on Wednesday.

At the Embassy of Argentina

Art exhibition at the Embassy of Argentina:
Interpretation of Trees: New works by Felisa Federman
Dec. 3rd to Jan. 30th
Reception: Wed Dec 3rd 6:30-8pm

Embassy of Argentina
1600 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington DC 20009

View from the room

Another reason why artists need to find a way to get to ABMB in December...

In the land of flowers

Took an Oh-Dark Thirty flight to Florida today in prep for Art Basel Miami Beach week, as we'll be participating at the Context Art Miami fair in Wynwood.

The most able Audrey Wilson arrived last night to Ft Lauderdale and picked me up at the airport.

As soon as you land in FLL you know that you are in the land enriched by the historic Cuban diaspora.

Check out the cuisine at the airport!

Studio Gallery DC looking for new members

Studio Gallery DC now accepting applications for membership. 

Studio Gallery DC, located in Dupont Circle, is the District's longest running artist's cooperative showcasing contemporary work by emerging and mid-career artists living in the DC metropolitan area. 

If you are interested in submitting an application please visit the Studio Gallery website and view the past exhibitions to see if this is an appropriate venue for your work. 

For more information, email the Gallery director.