NAPLES, FL.- In addition to the outstanding display of contemporary fine art glass, paintings, sculpture, photography and furniture presented at Art Naples, the fair will feature dynamic “special exhibitions”. The exhibitions will range from extensive one- artist presentations to collections of curated themed exhibitions.

Habatat Galleries (Royal Oak) will exhibit an outstanding installation by world-renowned metal sculptor, Albert Paley. The exhibition will feature mixed media sculptures of bronze and glass, in addition to more functional pieces such as decorative lamps and tables. Paley’s style is dominated by nature; always having a sense of the organic, similar to the flowing lines of the Art Nouveau. Works by the internationally known artist can be found in the permanent collections of many major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Art Naples exhibit will coincide with the Albert Paley exhibition currently featured at The Patty and Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art.

In collaboration with Forum Gallery (New York) Art Naples will present “Picturing America”, an extensive special exhibition of Robert Cottingham’s work. Cottingham is considered one of America’s most renowned photorealist. His iconic paintings of America have been exhibited throughout the world, and are instantly recognized wherever they are shown. The exhibition will present approximately 13 of his works ranging from 1981-2009.

Art Naples is honored to present a one-man exhibition by renowned fine glass artist Dale Chihuly entitled VENETIAN SERIES REVISITED. The exhibition will feature works from his acclaimed Venetian Series (Completed in the 80’s), in addition to more recent works. Chihuly’s work is internationally celebrated and is included in more than 200 hundred museum collections worldwide. His most well known work locally is perhaps the Persian Ceiling and majestic chandeliers at the Naples Museum of Art. He has also been the recipient of many awards, including ten honorary doctorates and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. The collection will come from multiple participating galleries including Art Link International (Lake Worth) and Habatat Galleries (Royal Oak).

“The Sea” is a mixed media installation by Miami/Philadelphia based artist Frank Hyder, presented by Projects Gallery (Philadelphia). A Senior Fulbright grant enabled the artist to spend a year in cloud forest of Venezuela, after which this artist has staged a number of installations in Miami, New York, and Chicago which are based in his sense of living amerced in a tropical world. These take on the character of cave-like spaces. As one steps into these spaces the bustle of the outside disappears, filling the eyes and ears of the viewer with a tranquility of surprising richness.

Celebrating the recently launched Miami Art Dealers Association (MADA), Art Naples is proud to present “Miami Wave”, a curated exhibition by Miami artist Sergio Garcia, one of the artists represented by MADA. Miami has been promoted by Spanish and Latin American culture by means of a steady program of art exhibits, literature, film, theater, music and the humanities. “Miami Wave” presents an array of work brought about through a dialogue among the arts with a preview of some of today’s “Best Of” Miami contemporary art. The exhibition will include painting, drawing, photography, sculpture and installations.

Participating Artists: Eduaord Duval-Carrie, Angel Vapor, Andres Michelena, John LaHuis, Henry Bermudez, Alejandro Mendoza, Phillip Ross Munroe, Lillim Cuenca, Onajide Shabaka,Octavio Cuellar, Antonio Alonso, Mariano Costa Peuser, Ciro Quintana, Jose “Tonito” Rodriguez.

All "Miami Wave" participating galleries are members of the Miami Art Dealers Association and include: Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Hardcore Gallery, Black Square Gallery, Kavachnina Contemporary, Nina Torres Fine Art, LMNT Gallery, Art Lab 33, Space 4004, Dina Mitrani Gallery and Miami Biennale Foundation.

Art Naples will open to the public March 18th- March 21st with a VIP preview March 17th to honor the members of Friends of Art from the Patty and Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art (Please call 239.254.2703 for membership details). The preview evening will hold a “First View” for selected collectors at 6:00pm with a “Collectors Invitational” to follow from 7:00-10:00pm.