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12.10.2007

FAIR FACTOR: Open Thread

Consider this post an open thread for your comments and observations about the Miami art fairs or what you've seen in these posts. And since this is the most ambitious writing I do all year, if you see that I've misidentified something give a holla.

Also, if you've seen other posts or pics that that we should know about, please post the info here.

Fire away!

Joanne


14 comments:

littlejoke said...

glad you clued in your general e-mail list to the existence of these blog posts. extremely valuable for those of us who weren't there and may never, ever be.

Maura Joy Lustig said...

Hi Joanne,
You are such a great resource. Thanks to you I continue to learn. Your blogs provide a window to the larger world of art.
Maura

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

The Scope post is the best yet. That charcoal sculpture (sans vase) glistens. Your photo of the man behind the suit, with drawings of men behind him, is so much better than just the suit.
That shot of sunlight hitting concrete walkway as you left the venue -- ah, inspiration for new wax colors. Many thanks.
When you do your IPO, I want stock.

Roberto said...

JM, thanks for the reports from Miami Basel and beyond, I found your blog link on "Artvent". Also, it was good to see my paintings at the Pulse fair . You did a very good job of getting around to what seems endless art fairs.Thanks RJ

Joanne Mattera said...

Roberto,
Thanks for the kind words, and for letting me know where you found the link to my blog.
I like your painting a lot.

mariandioguardi.com said...

Hmm...so much to think about. Joanne, thank you for taking that all in; a true effort and I get to be a beneficiary. I am humbled.

Just wondering...is there a general movement towards material abstractions? Was there any art sensibility that "was in the air"? or is there everything going on everywhere?

PS. I am happy that Joanne has taken up te banner that "selling art does not mean selling out". All the works here are well deserving of their place. Proffessionalism, integrity, craftsmanship and creativity deserves its price. Art:where would we be without it?

Joanne Mattera said...

Marian,

I can't say that there was a movement toward any particular kind of art. Everything was there. I filtered my report through my particular likes and interests, such as material abstraction, so I'd urge you to look at other reports to see what other folks responded to.

Re: selling well doesn't mean selling out. Artists who went to art school in the 60s, 70s and 80s have labored under the idea--courtesy of their professors (who presumably went to school in the 50s and 60s)--that commerce should not be the concern of the artist. As if we don't have to deal with buying art supplies, paying rent, or keeping up with health insurance.

I actually had an art professor once tell me, "The dealer is your enemy." What stupidity. The dealer is your business partner--and as I say somewhere in my report, you can really see the dealers at the fair working on behalf of their artists. Because the dealer's success is the artists' success and vice versa.

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

thank you for this wealth of information and all the pictures... i feel like i've lived it though your eyes..

Mark Staff Brandl said...

Excellent job Joanne. I hyped your coverage at Sharkforum.org here (http://www.sharkforum.org/). Best wishes.

Joanne Mattera said...

Thanks, Mark--
I just checked Shark Forum. Smart site! I've added it to my blogroll.
Readers, take note.

Anonymous said...

Dear Joanne, I have really enjoyed your posts on Miami, but sometimes I wonder if we were at the same fairs? It makes me realize how large this event was and how varied. I'll be interested in your reaction to my article on Art Basel etc which will come out in Artscope in the Jan./Feb. 2008 issue. http://www.artscopemagazine.com And hopefully my expanded diary (blog) will appear in the online version of the magazine.

Keep up the good work.

Susan

Mark Staff Brandl said...

Thanks Joanne! We have a great new site design going up in few days, thus the site is not as wildly active as usual. By the way, although we do very different art, I like your paintings and your support of painting. Check out my stuff sometime and I hope we meet --- I live in Switzerland, but get to the US regularly. (my site is markstaffbrandl.com/) I really do think you did an excellent job covering the fair. I've done such things in the past, such as the Chicago fair, the CAA conference, etc. and it is EXTREMELY difficult. Congratulations. Good luck with your painting!

Rusty Scruby said...

Joanne,

Great post! I also had work at Red Dot and Art Miami. It was a lot of fun to see more pictures and hear what you thought. This year, because I had a gallery show there, I stayed in the Wynwood. I usually stay somewhere along Collins Ave. Last year I stayed in the Days Inn and I think it was almost the same room, because I have that same picture looking out the corner window at Art Positions!

I thought the hanging charcoal piece at Krampf was beautiful.

Thanks again,
Rusty Scruby

www.rustyscruby.com