«The Weekend»
The Weekend is a great attraction for the city of Miami.
I am not talking about the Canadian singer and songwriter who has been in the Billboard hit list with several of his songs, but about «The Weekend», that great weekend held since 2002 in Miami in the first week of December.
I am talking about the most anticipated week by hundreds of galleries around the world that gather in Miami to participate in the most prestigious week of the art world. When in 2002 Art Basel Switzerland decided to launch the show in Miami, it was with a clear strategy of opening doors to collectors, museums, critics and art lovers in the American market. The idea was fantastic: who would refuse to travel to Miami in December? I believe they didn’t expect the huge success this week has become though.
The «escape city» for many Americans and Latin Americans, with white beaches, dinners in cool restaurants, parties, celebrities, becomes the city of art, at least in the first week of December each year! Art Basel Miami attracted many other fairs that are held in parallel, this year more than 19 shows, each covering a different artistic spectrum.
Art Basel is the blue chip of the art fairs and it is the most important show in the US, which occupies more space and has the highest number of galleries. This year 700 applications, of which only 267 have been accepted. Art Basel shows the work of masters of modern and contemporary art whose prices are beyond the reach of most.
But speaking of art, there are options for everyone. It has long ceased to be untouchable for the vast majority of society and we could say that art is now accessible to all pockets and a good example of this are the many fairs held in parallel to Art Basel as Aqua, Art Miami, Scope, Context, Untitled, NADA, Pulse … to name a few.
If this art explosion was not enough, there are plenty of parties, dinners, exhibitions and openings while there is time to meet the VIPs, celebrities, singers, models, DJs… This year I showed one of my sculptures at Aqua Art Fair with S. Artspace Gallery, NY. Aqua is a good example of an art fair that has grown in recognition for young talent and mid-career artists who are excelling in the art market.
Unfortunately I could not travel to Miami and I can not tell you in first person about it, but I asked Tamara Kreisler, third generation of family owners Kreisler Kreisler Gallery in Madrid who visited it. Tamara has launched Kreislerart.com, an online gallery featuring emerging artists and works for all budgets (included my work).
Tamara Kreisler: During this first week of December there have been 19 Art Fairs in Miami. I stayed four days in Miami and visited eight art fairs! I have organized my time to visit two fairs a day and, in my opinion, it is difficult to really enjoy and have a good perspective of the art exhibited in an art fair after you spend more than three or four hours in it.
TL: Tell me what’s the market your gallery focus on, in terms of art and collectors?
TK: Kreislerart.com is an online art gallery focused on bringing art to everyone that shares with us the passion that we have about quality art with a reasonable price. Our profile of clients and collectors are people that look for pieces from some well known artists as well as want to bet on new artists with something to say, artists that have their own artistic language. With this objective we try to attract a broad number of collectors and make them our friends.
TL: Which art fair suits better your business?
TK: There is no doubt that Art Basel Miami is the queen of the art fairs in Miami. The quality of the galleries and the artworks is just fantastic, so why not ?….one day I would love to participate in it. In the meantime, I believe there are a few other art fairs that I really enjoyed and where I would be very happy to participate. Our family Gallery, Galeria Kreisler in Madrid has participated in Art Miami for more than 20 years. I believe that my gallery would suit very well in what are considered the more «contemporary art fairs» like, Context, Scope and Untitled. Pinta could also be an interesting possibility as well as the Aqua Art Fair at the Aqua Hotel.
TL: Considering the amount of art fairs going on at the same time and all the social events during the week, do you think Miami is a place to be for your Gallery?
TK: Yes !! I loved the Art atmosphere that you could feel in the city during those days. I believe it is a great opportunity for collectors, art dealers, galleries and artists to mingle and create interesting exchanges. Definitely Miami art fairs in December offer a great scenario to be and I would love to be part of it.
TL: Only in Art Basel, 267 galleries have presented and 18 more satellite art fairs at the same time. How can a gallery get the attention of the potential collectors within this massive offer?
TK: Competition is enormous those days in Miami but I believe that is a positive situation. There is art for all the tastes and pockets and I believe that is fantastic. I see it more as an opportunity to find the right piece for the right client. If you have the right artworks and the right connections, you will be successful although some pieces might required more time to be sold.
TL: I read galleries at Art Basel Miami have sold most of its work before the art fair even started. If that is true: is it that the right strategy?
TK: I believe is good for the galleries and artists and no so good for the clients that want to purchase the artworks, but it is a great way to create a demand and interest and stay in touch with this new customers.
TL: What is the criteria the art fairs have in order to admit a gallery that has submitted application?TK: You have to present an exhibition project and have a career path with your gallery that proves to be interesting to attract potential visitors of the fair. It is not always easy to get on the admission list and to keep the place, as new galleries come pushing to get in a limited space.
TL: What would you say is the trend in art in the art fairs you visited?
TK: It is difficult to talk about one trend when there is so much «art in the air». I can say that maybe what caught more my attention was the return to «normal» art, understanding that there were less installations than other years. I found that there was quite a lot of abstract and constructivist art and less figurative and photo than what I expected.
