Nothing like a little, friendly art fair to stimulate the senses and lighten the wallets.
How about a gazillion of them all at once ??? Ok, it just feels like that.
We’ve been moving around Miami to check out a bunch of them and see if we can spot any trends in the business of photography. The fine art business that is.
First blush was last night for the Art Basel opening at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
[photopress:DSCN0408.JPG,full,centered] © Jon Kessler -Random Acts Of Senseless Violence (Part 2) Deitch Projects
Holy Moly! Now, we didn’t expect to see a ton of photography, which was the case. Aside from Cindy Sherman, photography was slim. Although the crowd was massive and you could tell the collectors were out in force. Tomorrow, we’re heading back in.

[photopress:photoMIAMI_logo.gif,full,alignright] But PhotoMiami was a little bit of a surprise. The fair concentrated on new artists, with rare sightings of any vintage photographers.
The work was colorful, big, and long.

[photopress:PF8_1160.jpg,full,centered] © Sabine Dehnel

Photographers like Sabine Dehnel, with her series of young girls back of heads.

[photopress:artwork_images_424615774_370246_flavia_darin.jpg,full,centered] © Flavia da Rin, image courtesy DPM Gallery

Falvia da Rin large,colorful panoramic trips into dreamland, with her series “Eyes Wide Open”

[photopress:ducky844.jpg,full,centered] © Dylan Vitone

and Dylan Vitone’s stitched images, combining portraits and documentary photographs to tell a single story. Go to his site and click through some of these images.

Oh sure there were many others that spoke to a new life of photographers, and combined media projects which is what this Miami version of the Art Fairs Inc.’s series of photo shows is about.
A refreshing show overall that we highly recommend if you’re in the area.

[photopress:PF8_1176_2.jpg,full,centered] click on the photo for a little geotagging fun. Plus you’ll be directed to about 11 other Art Fairs in the new art/design district in Midtown Miami.

But wait…that’s not all.
Right cross the street is Art Miami, the longest running art fair in town, now in its 19th year.
The daddy of them all has a brilliant combination of painting sculpture and yes, photography.

[photopress:PF8_1185.jpg,full,centered]
Martin Schoeller was showing at Hasted Hunt Gallery.

As we walking the lanes filled with eye popping work, some of our favorite photo dealers were nestled among the huge paintings, and new media screening areas.
Why weren’t they in the Photo fair?
Well, after speaking to some dealers, and coming to our own plebe, gut level reactions, this is where we netted out: It’s all the visual arts, and those that appreciate it, and collect it, should be seeing it in one place. Does it somehow remove any art world stigma of the value? We don’t think that applies in this crowd.
And most dealers were seeing good business. Perhaps the true collectors that come to this incredible week in Miami, understand value on many levels and the richness of seeing this kind of art on your walls. It doesn’t seem to be about flipping a piece for the quick profit these days. The economy has taken those players out.
And why is it that so many of the collections we are seeing exhibited these days were put together over years and years by couples who bought pieces by emerging artists for not much dough, even paying off the cost over time.
Was it their foresight? Taste level? Or a combination with a commitment to the support of the young artists of their time?
Wonder who is doing that right now?

So when we said we were looking for trends, it’s not crystal clear yet.
Large, colorful, not as dangerous, but more mature that even last years crop, of new photography.
The photoshop has been tamed and mainly used only for good. The new portrait journeymen, have invoked depth into their work coupled with an emotional connection to the viewer.
Now these are initial thoughts after day one.
Where are the masters, the classics from the previous years sales? Perhaps safely ensconced in collectors homes and museums.

Random image: One thing we see at every art fair is the salesperson sitting at their desk amidst all of the art, intently staring at their computers.
Could be a new series.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 4th, 2008 at 6:21 pm and is filed under Photo News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.