ART MIAMI, 2005 Diversity and Diversions Define the Miami Season
Jeanette Hendler
Peter Anton, Spectacular Assortment, 48 x 36 x 10 inches, Copyright 1999.
127 galleries from 24 countries filled the Miami Beach Convention Center with new owners, new sponsors, new exhibitors and many new artists working in a variety of mediums: Art Miami celebrated its 15th year. The Show Director was the very talented and professional Ilana Vardy, formerly associated with the successful Art Chicago. An equal number of galleries from Europe and North America, with a smaller percentage of Latin American galleries changed the demographics of previous years, when participants had primarily represented Latin America.
The organizers of Art Miami achieved their goal of featuring both new and established artists, new and established galleries, and exhibiting artworks from every price range. Present at the fair was every medium of artwork, from canvas, works on paper, photography, sculpture, prints, constructions, installation, video, ceramic and glass. Both installation art and conceptual works were in abundance. This diversity was the fair?s most distinctive feature.
Art Miami included the sixth edition of the popular feature Currents, which presents the new, cutting edge work from 19 galleries. Some of the galleries were from such diverse places as Denmark, Mexico, New York, Spain and, of course, Miami. Another feature of the fair was the Project Spaces where installation art could be viewed. Artists in these exhibition spaces also came from countries all across the globe, including Ireland, Poland, South Africa and Spain to name a few.
My choices for the best booths include the blue-chip, such as Russeck of Palm Beach and NYC, which featured a huge selection of artworks, such as Botero bronzes and canvases, stunning works by Calder and Sam Francis, and whimsical, three dimensional mixed media pieces by the not as well known but very talented, Peter Anton.
Some of the best photography at the fair was exhibited at the Richard Copelan Gallery of Boca Raton, Florida booth. They were showing photographic masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstadt and wonderful color photographs by the not as famous but the skilled Steve McCurry. McCurry?s striking portraits and genre images were a lovely find.
The Jerald Melberg Gallery of Charlotte, North Carolina brought out the top guns such as Romaire Bearden, Robert Motherwell and Wolf Kahn, as well as introducing up and coming, emerging artists.
One of the most interesting of the not as well known artists was seen at the Walker Gallery booth. Stephen Knapp was showing his very impressive constructions done in mixed media, which he terms Light Paintings. He created intricate layers of glass and steel and light to stunning results.
Exquisite Murano glass was brought to the fair from Venice, Italy by the Berengo Collection Gallery. There were amazing glass bamboo poles grouped together by Pino Castagna and sculpture constructed of glass and steel by Marya Kazoun that seemed to defy gravity. Rudolf Budja Gallery of Vienna, Austria had quite a number of Warhols from the early 60s on, plus other pop masters, graffiti artists such as Keith Haring and also a selection of his gallery’s new artists. Ascaso Gallery from Venezuela showed Cornelis Zitman, a sculptor whose bronze work stood out for its shear beauty and drew constant crowds.
The 108 Contemporary Art Gallery of Miami also drew an consistent stream of onlookers. They were showing an oil painting done by Herman Sosa-Peru that was a distinct copy of a Frida Kahlo work?executed so precisely, so true to Frida Kahlo’s original painting (and declared to be a copy). The purists gasped in amazement at the competence of the artist?s eye and hand and the sheer beauty of the copy. It was unusual to see a work of this type at an art fair. This invited quite a commotion.
The physical design of the Art Miami fair was accommodating to the overall viewing experience: the fair was beautifully laid out in a consistent, graceful grid. This configuration made it very easy in navigate the fair, preventing the confusion and disorientation that often results from the maze-like layout of many art fairs.
The makeup of the visitors attending was quite international. Seen were many important art figures, including collectors, dealers, gallery owners, press, and artists. Present at the opening night preview were such luminaries as Dr. Donald Rubell, Mira Rubell, Marvin Ross Friedman, all listed among the top collectors in the world.
The organizers went to great lengths, to create additional events that would enhance the fair?s atmosphere and appeal?of which many were quite successful. After the huge opening night preview party, there were events taking place constantly. Shuttle buses were provided to transport participants around Miami. Some highlights included a breakfast at the Marina Kessler Gallery, which was followed by a talk by the chairman of the design and fashion department of the University of Milan, Italy. Tours of the world famous collector, Martin Margulies Collection took place and were among the biggest attractions, since Margulies has been regarded as one of the world?s top art collectors for decades. Located in a facility called the Warehouse, it encompassed over 45,000 square feet. Tours also led eager visitors through the Goldman Collection Warehouse, the space of another very prominent local collector. The Wynwood Gallery District organized its own special events to showcase the galleries in that area.
The Art and City Awards Reception followed simultaneous to a enormous number of art openings at numerous galleries around town. Streets were decorated by outdoor exhibitions and animated by street performances. The famous design district held its own brunch along with gallery exhibitions in that area. At the Convention Center, panels took place on subjects such as Latin American Artists, Contemporary Glass, amongst other panels. Sunday’s brunch took place at Miami Beach’s Botanical Gardens, across from the Convention Center where a panel discussed The Making of the Miami Art Scene. Sunday evening’s party was held at one of Miami’s most famous night spots, Tangerine.
During the course of the fair, attendees clamored to see the unbelievable Rubell Family Collection, a must see when in Southern Florida. Located in the City of Miami, in former warehouses over 6000 works are housed in 30 galleries. It runs the gamut of late 20th and 21st Century art. Some of the highlights were early Keith Haring drawings.
Since Art Basel in Miami Beach was held at the same convention center, starting the winter art season over a month prior to Art Miami, it appeared that the art crowd was ready for the second leg as they came out in full force and rendered their approval for Art Miami. It certainly looked as if this fair is on its way.
