Miami’s satellite fairs in state of flux

By Brook Mason, Helen Stoilas and Hande Oynar | From Art Basel Miami Beach daily edition, 3 Dec 08
Published online 3 Dec 08

After last year’s record 20 satellite fairs to coincide with Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB), closures were widely predicted this year—but despite the economic climate, a total of 22 fairs are opening this week. Nevertheless, some fairs cancelled (to be replaced by new ones) and several have rapidly downsized their dealer rosters. Pulse Art Fair is one of the very few that has grown, taking on more than 20 new dealers.

Scope fair founder and director Alexis Hubshman had initially planned two separate fairs in different locations. By early November, he combined Scope and his inaugural Art Asia in a single space in the Wynwood district. He declined to comment on his reasons.

On 5 November, the Art Miami website announced that 19 dealers had dropped out of the fair (see box Art Miami: out and in). Hours later, the list was withdrawn, and two days later a new exhibitors’ list was posted. By this point Danese, Nancy Hoffman Gallery, Betty Cuningham Gallery, Peter Findlay Gallery, and Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects, all from New York; Jerald Melberg of Charlotte, North Carolina; Haines Gallery, San Francisco, and Brancolini Grimaldi of Florence, Italy, had rejoined the fair. “I was on the selection committee and responsible for bringing on 25 dealers,” says Leslie Tonkonow, a Chelsea dealer. Of rejoining the fair she says: “It’s important to show optimism about the art world rather than capitulate to a financial crisis that may or may not affect business.”

But The Art Newspaper has learned that some of the Art Miami-departing dealers received a letter from the fair indicating that non-participation would entail total fair charges. While several dealers pointed to the declining financial markets as their reason for jumping ship, most preferred to remain anonymous. “There were a number of established galleries which were not entirely confident about the make-up of the fair, myself included, and decided to withdraw,” says Cheryl Haines of the Haines Gallery, San Francisco. “When we voiced our concerns, we were not met with any collaborative spirit but rather with a direct reminder of contractual obligation and that’s very disappointing in a financially challenging environment.”

Robert Fishko, the director of Forum Gallery, New York and Los Angeles, says he urged the show management to postpone the event for a year as ABMB did in 2001. “Art Miami is a show that has a great future,” says Mr Fishko. “The way to ensure a successful venture in 2009 would be to postpone the fair, which could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs,” a reference to the fees for building a tent and other ancillary costs. “Dealers would be pleased to pay a portion of their fair obligation,” he says.

Not everyone blamed the financial situation, however. “Art Miami was not a great fair,” says Yossi Milo, who jumped ship to Pulse Art Fair, now located at the Soho Studios. The Chelsea dealer was not alone: Pulse has increased in size by more than 20% and now shows 101 dealers from 23 countries, including Korea, Brazil and India. “We had no attrition at all since October,” says Helen Allen, the director of Pulse. “The dealers know we have a really dedicated team, and that trickles down and creates a sense of community,” she adds. Four years ago when Pulse was launched, the dealer roster was a mere 48. Bridge also expanded by opening a boutique fair in Wynwood, on top of its regular hotel event. But its galleries only increased by two.

Other fairs have cancelled completely: the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (Aipad) decided early on to pull its show, then Flow and Casa Décor followed suit. Chelsea dealer Bruce Silverstein, who had joined the Aipad fair in 2008, switched to Art Miami this year.

According to art mover Gander & White, regardless of the slight increase in fairs, overall business is down. “We have seen a reduction in shipping for all the fairs,” says Giles de Greling, manager of Gander & White in Miami.