INAUGURAL MIAMI INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR EMBRACED BY COMMUNITY, COLLECTORS AND DEALERS
Fair Opens to Strong Attendance, Positive Reviews
The Miami International Art Fair (MIA) débuted on the Miami art scene to robust attendance and rave reviews from exhibitors and the community. More than 17,000 fairgoers visited the inaugural edition of MIA from January 6 -10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, with excited crowds continuing to stream in as the fair came to an end Sunday evening. Eighty dealers exhibited contemporary art, photography, works on paper, sculpture, installations, video and new electronic media at MIA.
The fair marked the return to Miami for International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) founders David and Lee Ann Lester, who organized the first Miami art fair in January 1991. “We’re excited by the enthusiastic response to this fresh addition to the Miami art calendar,” said Lee Ann Lester. “MIA provided a compact, user-friendly, interactive experience featuring truly accessible artwork for both new and established collectors.
“MIA presented high-quality art that was still understandable to the viewer,” said Stefano Campanini, owner, Etra Fine Art (Miami). “The fair was an enjoyable size that was walk-able within a manageable amount of time. Many of my clients visited the fair numerous times.”
“The fair was able to draw not only a traditional audience, but it was also able to bring new faces into the mix from Miami and beyond,” said Isaac Perelman, director, DotFiftyOne Gallery (Miami).
Noted local collectors, including Rosa de la Cruz, Janet Liedeker and Richard Shack, were pleased with what they saw at MIA, with Liedeker calling the fair “a little gem.”
MIA offered an extraordinary installation by conceptual artist Federico Uribe, titled “Risk,” which quickly became the highlight of the fair. A special exhibition “Retrospective,” by Cuban master Jose Bedia drew praise from attendees. The fair introduced a new curated Next Generation Pavilion featuring several emerging young artists. The Focus Argentina special exhibition consisted of 18 galleries from the country, as MIA celebrated Argentina’s bicentennial by naming it the fair’s country of honor. And an extensive lecture series and special musical performances by award winning musicians were well received and attended.
Attendance for the opening preview night was estimated at 3,400. The evening began with a benefit hosted by the SaludArte Foundation for the International Kids Fund of Jackson Memorial Hospital. It featured a performance by the Miami City Ballet followed by a collectors’ invitational. To continue in the spirit of philanthropy, a portion of the admission proceeds from the fair are being donated to local cultural and charitable organizations through the “MIA Shares” program. Among the beneficiaries are the SaludArte Foundation, the Jackson Memorial Foundation’s International Kids Fund (IKF), the Bakehouse Art Complex and Lotus House.