Flow 2007
dal 4/12/2007 al 8/12/2007
Segnalato da
4/12/2007
Flow 2007
The Dorset Hotel, Miami
An invitational fair consisting of galleries from around the country, many of which have pioneered contemporary art programs in their own communities. All are committed and passionate dealers whose love of art and eye for talent, not trend, set them apart. An attitude-free fair where the concept of collecting art is fun and approachable, not stuffy and exclusive.
Flow founders Julie Baker and Matt Garson share a passion for the world of visual art. Neither can remember a time when they have not been involved in art. For Baker, a native New Yorker, her formative years were spent learning the ins and out of the gallery world from her parents, owners of the NYC arts marketing agency Gerngross & Co. Today she is the owner of Julie Baker Fine Art, a contemporary art gallery located in Northern California.Garson, a Cleveland native, collected his first work of art as a teenager, with the purchase of a signed Christo print, which still hangs in his home. He now has over 200 works in his collection and in 2000, started M%, a consulting firm specializing in the fusion of life, art and style for the new millennium. Since then, Baker and Garson have been involved in many facets of the art world but did not join forces until conceiving flow in 2006, an attitude free art fair for dealers with integrity and quality programs.
After spending a number of years on the art fair circuit themselves, flow founders, Baker and Garson began to feel that there was a group of gallerists that did not fit into the existing roster of fairs but who were worthy of exhibiting in the most important arena for contemporary art collecting, Miami during Art Basel. For the most part, blue chip dealers are invited to Miami Basel, European and Chelsea based galleries to Pulse and NADA and dealers who represent younger artists are in Scope but where was the venue for dealers who have been in the business for 20+ years representing emerging to mid career artists and pioneering contemporary art programs in cities such as New Orleans, Portland, Memphis, Atlanta, Santa Fe and other areas outside of New York. This year flow dealers represent approximately 20 states and 25 cities to further prove that great art should not be determined by a zip code. Gallerists are chosen not only on the basis of their trained and acute ability to spot great talent, but who have reputations for being fair, good to their artists and good natured people who are not afraid or too important to look up when someone enters the room and say hello.
flow is the art fair about the art and less about the hype or the business of art. In this way, flow is curated. Every invited dealer's program is evaluated and the fair founders sometimes make recommendations of who the gallery should exhibit so the fair has an overall cohesive quality to it. flow also remains fresh, room to room because multiple dealers are not allowed to exhibit the same artist. Art fairs are principally about commerce but they should also be about a community of galleries representing artists to the best collectors in the best possible way. One of the biggest differences about flow is that the organizers are dealers who know what it takes to make an exhibitor feel well taken care of at an art fair. The process is streamlined and personalized so each participating exhibitor is given direct attention and information to help make it a successful fair. In this way, flow will always remain a smaller fair. The organizers are hands on and there is an atmosphere of cooperation, mutual admiration and respect amongst the exhibitors.
Opening Wednesday, December 5
The Dorset Hotel
1720 Collins Avenue - Miami
Free admission