MIAMI, FLA.- Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, PULSE Art Fair announced Cristina Salmastrelli as its new director, leading the fair during Miami Art Week 2019. Cristina will oversee the fair’s innovative features and exhibits, including this year’s overarching theme, “The Calm in the Palms.” Welcoming an international roster of exhibitors, PULSE presents contemporary art for the engaged buyer in a welcoming and dynamic setting. With a reputation for providing guests with a luxury experience, PULSE boasts a history of success, hosting more than 150,000 patrons over the last 15 years.

“In honor of our 15th anniversary, we’re introducing a number of exciting elements with the goal of creating a unique environment for our guests,” says Cristina Salmastrelli, director of PULSE Art Fair. “PULSE isn’t just an art fair anymore. It’s a full experience that allows visitors to access and explore artwork in a refreshing setting that promotes wellness and tranquility. I’ve had the privilege of watching this fair grow and evolve, and I’m committed to continuing its success as director.”

Cristina has been involved with PULSE since 2011 and also serves as the US Regional Managing Director of Ramsay Fairs, PULSE’s parent company. In 2018 alone, her New York-based office brought in $6 million from over 3,000 individual art works sold at her portfolio of fairs which Salmastrelli oversees. With 14 years of experience producing national and international art fairs, she has been involved with a number of additional fairs around the United States, including ADAA The Art Show, The Outsider Art Fair, and IFPDA’s Fine Art Print Fair. In addition to pursuing a successful career in art fair direction, Cristina utilizes her personal passion for art to contribute to nonprofits. Since 2016, she has been a board member of The Art Therapy Project, a nonprofit mental health organization providing free group art therapy to adults and youth affected by trauma. Cristina completed her Master’s in museum studies at New York University and received her Bachelor of Arts in art history and history from Colgate University.

Combining a full service restaurant by the Eden Roc/NOBU Hotel group with a wellness lounge, guests will be able to step away from the hustle and bustle of Art Week and find a balance to the energy of the stimulating art through PULSE’s cocktails, engaging panel discussions, and enjoyable conversations with friends over tapas. In celebration of its 15th anniversary, PULSE is rolling out an innovative floorplan that will balance the diverse contemporary art filled booths with space to socialize and relax. Creating an atmosphere that will have visitors exploring the fair for hours is the goal, the fair dedicated 3000 square footage to wellness this year. Remembering the awe-inspiring experience of art fairs when first joining the industry, Cristina is dedicated to providing the PULSE visitor with an unforgettable visit.

Cristina is also spearheading PULSE’s newest elective, PULSE Perspectivos, a dual language programming series presenting talks and tours in both English and Spanish. The fair will also include a number of exhibitors presenting an engaging overview of the most compelling contemporary art being produced today. Notably, The Rendon Gallery will showcase artist Ralph Ziman’s The Casspir Project, a multidisciplinary fine art exhibition that encompasses a variety of media including installation, photography, oral history, and documentary film in response to Apartheid’s effects on South Africa’s culture and community.

In addition to new programming, PULSE will showcase annual features such as the PULSE Prize in partnership with ICA Miami, PULSE Projects, and PULSE Play. The PULSE Prize is a cash grant award given to an artist of distinction or awarded to a solo exhibitor, selected by a jury of art professionals. This year, the award will be presented in partnership with the ICA Miami. PULSE PLAY is the fair’s platform for video art that has been a unique staple during Art Week for the past 15 years. PULSE PLAY has presented works by artists such as Zachary Drucker, Casey Neistat, Renluka Maharai, Ventiko, and Delphine Fawandu. For PLAY 2019, Black & White Project Space and Perkeland present an ambitious two-part visually stunning polyphonic conversation between film, sculpture, sound and photography by Gregory Perkel titled Savonarola Suite.