Last night, Art Miami (www.art-miami.com), the city’s longest running contemporary art fair and anchor fair, hosted an unprecedented Opening Night VIP Preview, which unveiled a compelling array of works from internationally renowned modern and contemporary artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. Nearly 8,000 collectors, museum curators, artists, connoisseurs and interior designers attended this kickoff of Art Week in Miami. The event benefited The Lotus House Women’s Shelter, a vitally important Miami charity that offers a sanctuary for homeless women and infants in need.

The VIP Preview provided top collectors the first opportunity to acquire modern and contemporary works from prominent blue chip, cutting edge and emerging artists from around the world, a day before the fair opens to the public. Renowned for its stylish, gallery-like ambiance, its outstanding variety and extraordinary quality artwork, Art Miami exhibitors reported significant sales within moments of opening. Standout sales include: London-based gallery Osborne Samuel sold Lynn Chadwick’s sculpture “Stairs” for more than $1.5 million; Munich-based Galerie Terminus sold Keith Haring’s “T.c.” (Dog) for $1.2 million, Tony Cragg’s “Mental Landscape” for $500,000, and Guenther Uecker’s newly created nail on wood piece for $480,000; LewAllen Galleries sold Milton Avery’s “Leo Lerman in Mitzi Solomon's Studio (1948)” for $325,000; Galerie von Braunbehrens sold several works from artists Daniel Cherbuin and Marck totaling $461,500; James Barron Art of Rome sold a series of three paintings from Julie Olitski’s Homage to Kermit Champa for more than $160,000; Waterhouse & Dodd sold two drawings, one by Jean Metzinger and the other by Francis Picabia for an estimated $150,000; and C. Grimaldis Gallery reported six-figure total sales from a series of lighting installations from Chul Hyun Ayn.

Other galleries throughout the fair reported numerous sales including: New York-based gallery, Graham sold an untitled piece from abstract painter Nancy Lorenz for $50,000; McCormack Valerino sold an untitled work from Peter Saul for $65,000; Ferrin Gallery sold Sergei Isupov’s “Papa” for $45,000; Cernuda Arte sold René Portocarrero’s “Bembé” for $45,000; Catherine Edelman sold two pieces from Gregory Scott’s “Revolting” series for $28,000 each; and Eli Klein sold Zhang Gong’s “Disco Club” for $26,000.

The following galleries also reported strong sales including: Mark Borghi Fine Art Inc.; Lisa Sette Gallery; Frey Norris Contemporary + Modern; Priveekollektie; Pan American Art Projects; Barry Singer; Edelman Arts; Cernuda Arte; Arthur Roger Gallery; Tresart; Juan Ruiz Gallery and Nicholas Metivier.

“The Art Miami VIP Preview was a great kick-off to the Fair and a strong indicator for a successful week. The event attracted a large crowd of major collectors and influencers in the art world and we are thrilled at the initial response from visitors and exhibitors. We are looking forward to a positive and exciting week for the fair.” said Nick Korniloff, Director of Art Miami.

Art Miami’s VIP Preview has become a “can’t miss” for serious collectors and artists. Among the prestigious attendees were collectors: Eli Broad, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Earl and Carol Mack, Ted and Ruth Baum, Martin and Constance Margulies, Doug and Dale Anderson, Manuel de Santaren, Nicole Miller, Steven Perlman, Hadley Martin Fisher, Roberta Model Amon, Michael Stein, Michael Shvo, and more. Museum officials were in attendance from Miami Art Museum, The Phillips Collection (Washington DC), Smithsonian Institution, and Detroit Institute of Arts. Artists in attendance included Niklas Goldbach, Daniele Veronesi, Federico Uribe, Alex Arrechea, and more.

VIP guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and martinis throughout the fair and mingled in the VIP Lounge presented by the Mandarin Oriental, Miami and designed especially for Art Miami by renowned Interior Designer Juan Montoya.

Art Projects, specially curated for the fair by Julia Draganovic, were unveiled at Art Miami’s Opening Night Preview, including a thought-provoking collection of artwork in the indoor and outdoor sculpture exhibition and Persol’s Art Video | New Media Lounge exhibition titled “ZOOOM! Decoding Common Practice,” which features six works on loan from prominent institutions and private collections. The sculpture exhibit features carefully selected artists, including Arman, Daniel Borlandelli, Beto de Volder, Marc Chagall, Chul Hyun Ahn, Jim Dine, Scott Eunson, Tim Etchells, Peter Mill, Cheryl Pope, Simon Raab, Carolina Sardi, Lino Tagliapietra, Federico Uribe, Carlo Zauli. 

The Opening Night VIP Preview raised nearly $20,000 for Lotus House, with a further substantial addition expected from many of the galleries pledging a contribution from Opening Night sales. This year marked the fourth consecutive year of the partnership between Lotus House and Art Miami, which has raised more than $96,000. The Lotus House Women’s Shelter is a unique resource center and residential facility that seeks to empower women to improve the quality of their lives, achieve greater self-sufficiency and to transition them to permanent homes off the streets.

Now in its 22nd year, Art Miami runs from November 29 – December 4, 2011, in a state-of-the-art 125,000-square-foot pavilion in Midtown Miami’s burgeoning Wynwood Arts District.  As the anchor art fair to the City of Miami, the fair offers a compelling array of artwork from more than 110 prestigious international galleries and prominent art institutions. Exhibitions at the fair will include modern and contemporary paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and prints from Europe, Asia, Latin America, India, the Middle East and the United States. Participating galleries include: Bernice Steinbaum, Galerie Forsblom, Galerie Terminus, Mark Borghi Fine Art Inc., Galerie Piece Unique, Aldo De Sousa Gallery, Scott White Contemporary Art, Bolsa De Arte, Richard Levy Gallery, Greg Kucera, Laurence Miller Gallery, William Shearburn, Pace Prints, Modernism Inc., and Wetterling Gallery, ACA Galleries, Allan Stone Galleries, Catharine Clark Gallery, Fu Xin Gallery, Galerie RX, Galerie Peter Zimmermann, Man., Galleri Andersson/Sandstrom, Galleria Bianconi, JGM Galerie, Leslie Smith Gallery, Magnan Metz Gallery, Michael Schultz Gallery, Osborne Samuel, Peter Fetterman Gallery, Priveekollektie, Robert Klein Gallery, Robert Mann Gallery, Robischon Gallery, Santa Giustina SRL, Lucca, and Talento Arte/Ta Projects. For a complete list of exhibitors, visit www.art-miami.com.