The Miami International Art Fair (MIA) débuted on the Miami art scene to robust attendance and rave reviews from exhibitors and the community. More than 107,000 fairgoers visited the inaugural edition of MIA from January 6 -10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, with excited crowds continuing to stream in as the fair came to an end Sunday evening. Eighty dealers exhibited contemporary art, photography, works on paper, sculpture, installations, video and new electronic media at MIA.
The fair marked the return to Miami for International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) founders David and Lee Ann Lester, who organized the first Miami art fair in January 1991. “We’re excited by the enthusiastic response to this fresh addition to the Miami art calendar,” said Lee Ann Lester. “MIA provided a compact, user-friendly, interactive experience featuring truly accessible artwork for both new and established collectors.
“MIA presented high-quality art that was still understandable to the viewer,” said Stefano Campanini, owner, Etra Fine Art (Miami). “The fair was an enjoyable size that was walk-able within a manageable amount of time. Many of my clients visited the fair numerous times.”
“The fair was able to draw not only a traditional audience, but it was also able to bring new faces into the mix from Miami and beyond,” said Isaac Perelman, director, DotFiftyOne Gallery (Miami).
Noted local collectors, including Rosa de la Cruz, Richard Shack and Janet Liedeker, were pleased with what they saw at MIA, with Liedeker calling the fair “a little gem.”
MIA offered an extraordinary installation by conceptual artist Federico Uribe, titled “Risk,” which quickly became the highlight of the fair. A special exhibition “Retrospective,” by Cuban master Jose Bedia drew praise from attendees. The fair introduced a new curated Next Generation Pavilion featuring several emerging young artists. The Focus Argentina special exhibition consisted of 18 galleries from the country, as MIA celebrated Argentina’s bicentennial by naming it the fair’s country of honor. And an extensive lecture series and special musical performances by award winning musicians were well attended.
Attendance for the opening preview night was estimated at 3,400. The evening began with an early benefit hosted by the SaludArte Foundation for the International Kids Fund of Jackson Memorial Hospital. It featured a performance by the Miami City Ballet followed by a collectors’ invitational. To continue in the spirit of philanthropy, a portion of the admission proceeds from the fair are being donated to local cultural and charitable organizations through the “MIA Shares” program. Among the beneficiaries are the SaludArte Foundation, the Jackson Memorial Foundation’s International Kids Fund (IKF) and the Bakehouse Art Complex.
About IFAE
David and Lee Ann Lester, founders of International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) have been the pioneers of the Florida art fair market, establishing Art Miami in January, 1991, The Palm Beach International Art & Antique Fair (now AIFAF) in 1997, and Art Palm Beach in 1998.
In 2009, the Lesters resumed control of the two Palm Beach fairs, acquired the January dates formerly occupied by Art Miami (from 1991-2007) at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and entered into a joint venture with Clarion Events to serve as the partners and executive management of the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, now re-branded as the London International Fine Art Fair at Olympia. Most recently they have announced plans for the Naples International Art and Antique Fair and Art Naples in 2011.
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