Long heralded as the nation’s premier fairs for outstanding contemporary art and design in New York and Chicago, SOFA’s 3rd annual western edition returns to the Santa Fe Convention Center with new high summer dates. The much-anticipated International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair, SOFA WEST: Santa Fe 2011 will move from its former July dates to run August 4 - 7 at the Santa Fe Convention Center. With 35 exhibitors confirmed to date, the show is up in dealer participation from last year’s 28. The fair opens the evening of Wednesday, August 3 with an invitation-only FIRST LOOK private preview for Museum of New Mexico Foundation supporters from 5-6:30 pm, and SOFA VIPs beginning at 6:30 pm. Mark Lyman, Founder/Director of SOFA and President of Chicago-based The Art Fair Company says, “We are delighted to partner with the prestigious Museum of New Mexico for the third straight year on Opening Night, and to offer its key supporters first viewing and opportunity to purchase at the fair.” A new Opening Night Public Preview begins at 7 pm. Tickets are $50 and will be available on sofaexpo.com or at the door beginning at 5 pm. Opening Night continues until 9 pm.

Lyman continues, “Building on the success of last year’s SOFA WEST, we are looking forward to its new August dates, which is really the high time in Santa Fe. We will now have a full-season scale of audience, and even greater opportunities for our dealers in terms of market size. In August, the opera is in full swing, people are getting ready for Indian Market, it’s the best time to be in Santa Fe.”

The Art Fair Company also recently announced an exciting addition to SOFA WEST, a spotlight presentation of The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art. Lyman says, “After a successful inaugural partnership of SOFA and Chicago’s respected Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art at SOFA CHICAGO last fall, we are delighted to work together again on SOFA WEST.”

Principal among Intuit dealers on-board to date is Chicago’s Russell Bowman Art Advisory, who specializes in modern, contemporary and self-taught art; and Packer Schopf Gallery also of Chicago, whose Cowboy Constructions of Harry Young, circa 1930-1950 were a crowd favorite at SOFA CHICAGO and will be on offer at SOFA WEST.

Lyman reports exciting new additions to SOFA WEST’s dealer lineup including Flow Gallery and ZeST Contemporary Gallery, both of London (UK); Douglas Dawson (Chicago) specialist in historic, antique and contemporary art from Africa, Asia, and the Americas; fine art dealers 222 Shelby Street Gallery and Eight Modern (both of Santa Fe); Darrell Bell Gallery (Saskatoon, Canada) presenting contemporary Canadian sculpture and furniture; Jerry Szor Contemporary Jewelry (Dallas), adding to the contemporary studio art jewelry mix at the fair; and fine art, limited-editions publisher, Landfall Press (Santa Fe). Contemporary Asian art promises to be well represented by dealers Joan B. Mirviss Ltd. (New York), TAI Gallery (Santa Fe), and Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd. (New York).

Plans are also well underway for the SOFA WEST 2011 Lecture Series which takes place Thursday through Sunday at the fair, featuring renowned artists, collectors, dealers and critics, and is included with paid admission. (See Lecture Series release)
The New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe will mount a small exhibition at SOFA WEST: Santa Fe previewing the Museum’s upcoming show Kimono: Karen LaMonte and Prints of the Floating World which takes place at the museum June 24 - November 6, 2011. The Floating World exhibit juxtaposes LaMonte’s life-sized cast-glass sculpture of a kimono with figurative Japanese woodblock prints. (See Special Exhibits/Events release) Laura Addison, Curator of 20th Century Contemporary Art, New Mexico Museum of Art will also moderate a Lecture Series panel discussion related to the Floating World exhibition.

SOFA WEST special events include an invitation-only Design Reception at the fair sponsored by Trend Magazine, Thursday, August 4 from 4-5:30 pm. Renowned architects and designers discuss the topic Southwestern Dreamin’: High Desert Aesthetic in Contemporary Architecture and Design.

Special Ticketed Events open to the public:

Lyman concludes, “Santa Fe is a major art and culture destination, especially during the height of its summer arts season. Don’t miss the excitement!” For more information on other arts events happening during SOFA WEST, visit the official website of the Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau: santafe.org.