MIAMI, FLA.- Art Wynwood, the premier winter contemporary art fair presented by Art Miami, celebrated its sixth edition over Presidents Day Weekend. The fair highlighted more than 60 international galleries, representing nearly 500 artists from two-dozen countries and 38 cities. Art Wynwood reported significant sales of noteworthy works from 20th and 21st century artists, and welcomed prestigious art collectors, connoisseurs, advisors and notable museum professionals.
The fair kicked off on the evening of Thursday, February 16th with an exclusive VIP Preview that benefited Miami City Ballet and was sponsored by Christie’s International Real Estate and continued successfully through Monday, February 20th. This year, Art Wynwood offered attendees cutting-edge interactive experiences, thanks to a performance art piece by Alian Martinez Rivas, in which Rivas positioned cleaning crew workers around the floor wearing shirts stating “You Hired an Immigrant to Clean the Fair.” Additionally, artist Trey Speegle from Twyla in Austin, Texas, gave everyone a chance to be an artist by offering a paint-by-number experience to ultimately create a large-scale mural that when completed asked the question, “What Kind of World Do You Want?” Fairgoers flocked to the display of models adorned with headpieces created by Miami visual artist, fashion designer and founder of The Creators Lab, Luis Valenzuela, inspired by the work of Cuban painter Cundo Bermúdez.
On Friday, February 17th, Art Wynwood held an elegant awards dinner at db bistro moderne honoring Shepard Fairey, prominent American contemporary street artist, graphic designer, activist, illustrator, entrepreneur and the founder of OBEY Clothing, with the Art Wynwood │ Tony Goldman Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award. The award acknowledges individuals in art whose careers have changed the industry, and was given in partnership with Wynwood Walls. Art Miami LLC Founder Nick Korniloff, Art Wynwood Fair Director Grela Orihuela and Joey Goldman were on hand to welcome guests and present the award to Mr. Fairey, as well as a special award (incorporating a squeegee as used in screen printing) created by Fairey’s friend, artist Ryan McGinness. Those in attendance included Miami Dolphins owner and Related Companies Chairman and Founder Stephen Ross and his wife Kara Ross, Metallica’s Jason Newsted, visual artist and tennis star Martina Navratilova, NFL legend Joe Namath, visual and recording artist Al-Baseer Holly aka ABH and street artist Edwin Baker. A portion of the proceeds from the dinner supported the Perry J. Cohen Foundation.
“Art Wynwood continues to prove that it is the most important winter contemporary art fair, offering both new and seasoned collectors the opportunity to acquire works from well-known and mid-career artists,” said Nick Korniloff, Founder of Art Wynwood and Partner of Art Miami LLC.
More than 38,500 attendees poured through the doors during the five-day fair for a chance to view and collect works from the underground street movement, emerging young talent, and eminent contemporary and modern artists. Those in attendance included Martin Mancera, celebrity interior designer Juan Carlos Arcila-Duque, Alex and Gigi Ganatra Duff, celebrity stylist Irma Martinez, co-owner of Miami Institute Julio Gallo, Emmy nominated anchor of FOX 5 News Constance Jones, New York art collectors, Rick and Francine LeFrak, culture journalist and art critic Just Sanchez, art writers Leanna Valente and Silvia Faidutti, and Novela Law and Founder of Casa de Novelas menswear, Daniel Novela, Walib and Susie Wahab, and Glamour Mexico correspondent Danie Gomez Ortigoza.
ABC Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary also stopped by the fair to check out Shepard Fairey’s latest works presented by Jacob Lewis Gallery from New York. NFL legend Joe Namath was seen supporting his son-in-law and street artist Edwin Baker’s exhibition, "A Baker’s Dozen," presented by Worth Avenue Gallery Arcature Fine Art.
This year World Champion tennis great and visual artist, Martina Navratilova, and contemporary Slovak artist, Juraj Králik unveiled Art Grand Slam presented by GALLERIA CA’ D’ORO. On Saturday afternoon, the duo painted live at the fair in a temporary tennis court, showcasing the unusual process by covering tennis balls in paint and hitting them with a tennis racket against the canvas. A portion of the proceeds from all sales of Art Grand Slam supported the Perry J. Cohen Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. You can learn more here: www.pjcf.org.
The fair also featured a selection of American flag works by New York visual artist and Def Jam Recordings’, Cey Adams. Adams’ works were presented by Vertu Fine Art and explore the relationship between transformation and discovery focusing on pop culture, race and gender relations, and cultural and community issues. On Sunday, Adams spoke with Art Wynwood Fair Director Grela Orihuela about the American flag works and his upcoming projects. Adams was responsible for One Nation, a large-scale mural that he created for a dedication ceremony lead by President Barack Obama during Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration at the opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
“We are beyond thrilled to report that sales were higher than ever this year at Art Wynwood,” said Grela Orihuela, Art Wynwood Fair Director. “We wanted to be sure our sixth edition stood out among the rest, which accounts for all the specialty programming we highlighted this season, as well as the quality of work our galleries showcased.”
Highlights from Art Wynwood’s sixth edition sales include:
• Jacob Lewis Gallery placed Shepard Fairey’s Palace of Power, the centerpiece of Art Wynwood and his OBEY Star with Pattern, a material stencil mixed media collage on paper
• Lassiter Fine Art placed Monica Lassiter Ard’s Olympic, a mixed painting for $160,000
• Artium Art Gallery placed three works for a total of $135,000 including two Antonio Asis’ Vibration Noir et Blanc, mixed media, acrylic and wood metal pieces, as well as Ernesto J. Fernandez’s Heavy Series, a backlight digital print, PVC pipe and magnifying glasses work
• Cernuda Arte placed nine works totaling more than $150,000 including Roberto Fabelo’s Erotica Nostra, Jose Mijares’ Young Lady in Interior, a mixed media laid down on board, Miguel Florido’s Endless Love, an oil on canvas, and Vicente Hernandez’s The Carnival, an oil on canvas
• Hollis Taggart Galleries placed Pablo Atchugarry’s Untitled, a carrara marble statue from 2016 for $100,000
• Limited Edition placed ten works for more than $139,000 including Tony Kelly’s Breakfast, resin coated photographic lustre paper, and Michael Moebius’ Marilyn Monroe Bubble Gum and Audrey Tiffany Blue Bubble Gum
• Heitsch Gallery placed a selection of works totaling over $100,000 including Yoshiyuki Miura’s Wandarbeit Neongelb Kreis, a painted stainless steel piece from 2016 for $28,000 and Craig Alan’s Van Gogh, an acrylic on canvas from 2016 for $19,000
• 55Bellechasse placed a selection of works for over $100,000 including David Ramirez Gomez’s Judio Errante, an oil on found material from 2006 for $55,000 and Jon Davis’ The Old Man Dream, a mixed media piece for $15,000
• The Ford Galleries placed several works totaling more than $80,000 including Elmar Rojas’ Yellow, an acrylic on canvas from 2015 for $40,000, Rafa Fernandez’s Magical Thinking and Lady in Blue, two oil on canvas works from 2016, and Benjamin Cañas’ Benjamin’s Odyssey, a crayon on paper from 1982
• Art Nouveau Gallery placed a Sandu Darie piece, oil on wood for $38,000
• 11.12 Gallery placed three works from Alexey Alpatov’s Summertime series totaling $37,000
• Projects Gallery placed a variety of works including Frank Hyder’s Fish Series, a mixed media work from 2016 for $22,000, Dancing in red and gold, a mixed medium from 2016 for $15,000 and Harry Enchin’s Dundas & Ossington, a digital C print from 2015 for $26,000
• Laura Rathe Fine Art placed four works including Zhuang Hong Yi’s E2016-087, a rice paper and acrylic on canvas from 2016 and Stallman’s I Am Light, a sculpted canvas with acrylic work totaling over $50,000
• Galería Casa Cuadrada placed four pieces for $26,000 including Martin Mancera’s Marlboro Man from 2016
Additional galleries that reported strong sales included:
ARCHEUS/POST-MODERN, GALLERIA CA’ D’ORO, NIKOLA RUKAJ GALLERY, Wynwood 28 | Art Gallery, Chesterfield Gallery, Imagineart Gallery, AC Contemporary Art, Castle Fitzjohns Gallery, Artêria, Lelia Mordoch Gallery, Waltman Ortega Fine Art, Rosenbaum Contemporary, Masterworks Fine Art, HG Contemporary, Avant Gallery, DL Art Gallery, Sponder Gallery, FRÉDÉRIC GOT, Galería LGM, RoFa projects, Waterhouse & Dodd, AUREUS Contemporary, Ranivilu Gallery, UNIT LONDON, Vertu Fine Art, Robert Fontaine Gallery, Christopher Martin Gallery, Opera Gallery, Olivier Cole Gallery, La Argentina, and Contessa Gallery.
A series of specialty events were held at Art Wynwood this year. The highlights included:
• A Conversation with Shepard Fairey, which featured a light and lively discussion with the famed artist and artnet News Associate Editor Sarah Cascone, who highlighted Fairey as one of the top 30 most exciting street artists to watch right now.
• The Cuban Architects at Home and in Exile: The Modernist Generation featured a conversation with Victor Deupi, Ph.D., University of Miami School of Architecture, discussing the Modern Cuban House.
• Cuban Art in the 20th Century–Cultural Identity and the International Avant Garde featured a panel discussion with Segundo Fernandez, the curator of the exhibit, Ramón Cernuda, gallerist and supporter of the project, and Juan Martinez, author of the accompanying book. The panel was moderated by Lyan Fernandez, Chief Operating and Risk Officer of TotalBank.
• A Talk with Cey Adams, which featured a conversation with the visual artist and Def Jam legend and Art Wynwood Fair Director, Grela Orihuela, about his compelling series of American Flags and his exciting upcoming projects.
• Wynwood Radio once again broadcasted live from the fair, bringing listeners live interviews with artists including Cey Adams and Shepard Fairey, and live streaming the panel discussions that happened throughout the fair.
• Miami Children’s Museum’s Artrageous Kids Center provided a safe playroom on-site for children ages 3-13, who were introduced to art under the supervision of the Miami Children’s Museum experienced staff while parents visited Art Wynwood.
