NEW YORK.- Pinta 2008 wrapped up its second edition at The Metropolitan Pavilion and the B.Altman Building with solid sales of $4 million and record attendance. Over the three-day fair, more than 10,000 people, including major collectors, art professionals and critics, visited PINTA’s fifty-five international galleries to discover and experience the best modern and contemporary Latin American art. Pinta 2009 will take place at the end of November in the same location.

“Pinta provided a great experience for anyone interested in Latin America art,” said Diego Costa Peuser, Pinta Director. “The fair achieved its goal of fostering an artistic and cultural exchange in New York. In addition, I’m happy to say that even in these difficult economic times, all of the galleries reported sales, which is a positive sign for the art market in general.”

Collectors spotted on the show floor included: Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Estrellita Brodsky, Tania Brillembourg, Sagrario Pérez Soto, Tiqui Atencio, Solita Mishaan, Manolo and Diana Berezdivin, Luis and Cecilia Campos, Claudia Quentin de Caraballo, Gabriel Werthein, Milly and Luis Gutiérrez. José Olympia Pereira, Michelle Zafra and Eduardo Pacheco.

Curators and Directors of Art Institutions visiting PINTA included: Luis Perez-Oramas (MOMA), Elliot Bostnik Davis, Leigh Braude and Heather Hole (Boston Museum), Gabriel Perez-Barreiro (Collecion Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, Caracas), Tony Bechara and Julian Ram Zugazagoitia (Museo del Barrio, New York) Mari Carmen Ramírez (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), Gabriela Rangel and Susan Segall (America’s Society, New York), Richard Hamilton and Tanya Barson (Tate Modern Art Gallery, London), Ursula Davila (Blanton Museum of Art, Austin) Tatiana Cuevas (MALI- Museo de Arte de Lima) and Cecilia Fajardo-Hill ( CIFO – Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami).

Feedback from the 55 exhibitors was very positive. Mary-Anne Martin of Mary-Anne Martin Fine Art in New York said, “ PINTA is a wonderful, specialized art fair that will only get better. The fair gives me the opportunity to see many more collectors than I could see in my gallery. Dana Metz of Magnum Projects in New York said, “We were very happy at PINTA last year and this year was better. The fair was more organized and the presentation was terrific. The opening night reception was fantastic and sales were strong. We met many Latin American collectors, whom we didn’t know before. Curators from The Tate and MALI stopped by our booth. Rachel Adler and Charles Conkright of Adler and Conkright Fine Art in New York said, “PINTA is very sophisticated and stands up well against any New York art fair. The fair attracts important international collectors – not just Latin Americans.” Nara Roesler from Nara Roesler Gallery in Sao Paulo said, “The quality of the art at PINTA was extraordinary. The fair shows American collectors how important Latin American art is.” Jay Auslander, assistant director at hosfelt gallery in New York said, “PINTA 2007 was a good experience for us, so it was an easy decision to come back. This year we sold many things. The Fogg Art Museum at Harvard bought two pieces by Liliana Porter.