International Contemporary Art Fair draws 27,500 visitors; more than 90 percent of galleries report sales.

The second edition of Art Wynwood, the Wynwood Art District’s highly anticipated international contemporary art fair hosted by Art Miami LLC, closed its doors Monday, Feb. 18, following sales by more than 90 percent of participating galleries and more than 27,500 visitors – an increase of more than 4,000 from last year’s inaugural fair. Once again the five-day fair was held during President’s Day Weekend coinciding with the Yacht & Brokerage Show. Many of the 70-plus exhibitors also noted strong leads and anticipated follow up sales with serious collectors in the days following the fair.

Art Wynwood was held during President’s Day Weekend, Feb. 14 through 18, 2013, in the 100,000-square-foot Art Miami Pavilion in Midtown Miami’s burgeoning Wynwood Arts District. The five-day international contemporary art fair drew international support and attention for its impressive program of emerging and mid-career, cutting-edge, modern works including paintings, photography, sculpture, art video and new media, conceptual art and street art by more than 1,000 celebrated and emerging artists represented by more than 70 galleries from Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Venezuela and the United States.

“The second edition of Art Wynwood once again proved that there is a vibrant international collecting audience year round in Miami. With more than 90 percent of the galleries reporting sales throughout Miami’s busiest holiday weekend, Art Wynwood manifests a big future as it satisfied contemporary art collectors at all levels and continues to take on its own identity as it complements the surrounding Midtown and Wynwood Art District. We look forward to Art Wynwood’s further expansion in the 2014 edition,” said Nick Korniloff, director and partner of Art Miami LLC.

“The second Art Wynwood fair was filled with visitors from the minute the opening started to the final hours,” said Nancy Hoffman from the Nancy Hoffman Gallery. “The heightened level of humanity and the heightened interest in art point to great promise for the future for this fair - it is a winner!”

Art Wynwood kicked off with a VIP Preview on Valentine’s Day with an exceptionally high attendance by more than 6,200 collectors and art enthusiasts. The night had a celebratory air due to the exciting works on display and the dedication of the fair to the late Tony Goldman, the urban pioneer who created Wynwood Walls and transformed the area to the epicenter of art, fashion and dining. Art Wynwood’s opening was highlighted by two special projects commissioned by Jessica Goldman, CEO of Goldman Properties. The highlights included a stunning wraparound installation suspended above the VIP Lounge by famed artist Jesse Geller. Additionally Wynwood Walls commissioned a curated exhibit by Meghan Coleman featuring specially commissioned lenticulars with original paintings by selected artists installed in the pass-through areas of the fair. Artists participating included: Retna, Aiko, Ron English, Logan Hicks, Futura, Swoon, Kenny Scharf and How & Nosm

With models strutting the aisles wearing world-renowned designer Luis Valenzuela’s “Queen of Hearts” collection, a luxury EcoArtFashion line themed especially for Valentine’s Day; and with hors d'oeuvres and cocktails sponsored by Le Grand Saint Sparkling Vodka, SHELLBACK Rum and Heineken beer served throughout the fair; the ambiance was certainly an energetic one that encouraged collectors to quickly acquire important works on the opening night.

“There was incredible energy at the VIP opening, a great turnout with serious collectors. The timing with the Yacht & Brokerage Show and Valentine’s Day couldn’t have been better,” said Carole Hochman, director of New York-based Barry Friedman Ltd.

Art Wynwood exhibitors began reporting strong sales minutes after opening. Following each day’s increasing attendance and notable sales; Art Wynwood exhibitors, artists and host committee members celebrated with nightly after-parties at Wynwood pioneer Tony Goldman’s Wynwood Walls, Bakehouse Art Complex and db Bistro Moderne Miami.

The natural overlay of fine art and luxury real estate was on display as Christie’s International Real Estate (CIRE), the world’s leading luxury real estate network showcased as the “Official Luxury Real Estate Partner” of Art Wynwood. CIRE welcomed a select group of international collectors, art patrons and members of their annual global conference for a private reception in the VIP Lounge on Friday evening, Feb. 15.

Among the members of the international press and illustrious visitors that attended the fair were representatives from Tate Modern in London, Leanne Standish and Timothy Walker of the Miami Art Museum, director of The Frost Museum Carol Damian; and host committee members, honored guests and collectors including sculptor John Henry, street artist Jesse Geller, Marvin Ross Friedman and Adrienne Bon Haes, Marvin and Elayne Mordes, street artist Jona Cerwinske, chairman and CEO of Verizon Lowell McAdam, the Pocas, Susie and Walid Wahab, Marcella and Daniel Novela, the Buttermans, artist Shimon Okshteyn, president of Espíritu Santo Bank Jorge Espíritu Santo,  José Roberto Marinho of Globo Organizations, coach of the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra and photographer Cheryl Maeder.

Hollis Taggart director Vivian Bullaudy said “We chose to exhibit for a second time in Art Wynwood during President’s Day Weekend - where would you rather be? The qualified collectors were here. Collectors from New York acquired some of our works at Art Wynwood and didn’t even realize that they lived just down the street from our gallery. Had we not exhibited at the fair we would not have met them. This is clearly a destination event that other dealers should seriously consider.”

Sergio Cernuda of Cernuda Arte in Miami, which specializes in works by Cuban artists, said "We are very pleased with the fair. Our collectors loved it and believe that it is quickly becoming a major destination for acquiring important contemporary works. We were also pleased with the number of new collectors we made relationships with.”

Sales highlights throughout the five-day fair included the following:

Paris-based Galerie Mark Hachem sold works by Cheryl Maeder, one by MIKA, one by Perez Flores and three sculptures by Polles including “Centauresque” totaling multiple six figures.Hollis Taggart Gallery from New York sold a work by Alexander Calder, one by Pae White and one by Deborah Butterfield totaling multiple six figures.Eli Klein Fine Art from New York sold several works totaling well over six figures.Miami-based Rudolf Budja Gallery sold two Andy Warhol works totaling 220,000.Miami-based Cernuda Arte sold six works by Wifredo Lam, four by Dayron González, three by Miguel Florido, two by Lilian García-Roig, one by Giosvany Echevarría and one by Gina Pellón totaling $170,000.Waterhouse & Dodd from London and New York sold four works by Jean-Francois Rauzier, two by Etsuko Ichikawa, two by EVOL, one by Jade Oakley, one by Karen Gunderson and one by Lynn Chadwick totaling $150,000.Durban Segnini from Miami sold a work by Agustin Cardenas and one by William Barbosa totaling $80,000.Axiom Contemporary from Santa Monica sold four works by Michael Gorman and one by Jay Kelly totaling $68,000.New York-based Black & White Gallery sold three works by Shimon Okshteyn totaling $68,000.New York-based Claire Oliver Gallery sold two works by Norbert Brunner totaling $60,000.Galeria Medicci from Caracas sold a sculpture by Manuel Carbonell for $48,000.Miami-based PSH Project sold a work by Fernando Arias, four by Gastón Ugalde and one by Dario Escobar totaling $43,000.Providence-based Aureus Gallery sold two works by Claire Shegog totaling in $30,000.Cleveland-based Contessa Gallery sold a David Drebin work for $25,000 London-based Cynthia Corbett Gallery sold a work by Lluís Barba for $20,000.C. Grimaldis Gallery from Baltimore sold two works by Chul Hyun Ahn totaling $20,000.ART LEXÏNG sold two works by Ye Hongxing for an undisclosed amount.Barry Friedman Ltd. sold four works by Michael Eastman, two by Gust Romijn and one by Anne-Karin Furunes for an undisclosed amount.Fabien Castanier Gallery fromLos Angeles sold three works by Speedy Graphito, two works by  RERO and one by Tilt for an undisclosed amount.Mark Borghi Fine Art Inc. fromNew York andPalm Beach sold two Andy Warhol works for an undisclosed amount.Nancy Hoffman Gallery fromNew York sold a work by Michele Pred, one by Hung Liu along with one by Joan Bankemper for an undisclosed amount.Rosenbaum sold a work by Nara Yoshitomo and one by Robert Indiana for an undisclosed amount.

Plans for Art Wynwood 2014 are already underway. The fair will commence with the VIP Preview on Feb. 13 then open for general admission Feb. 14 through 17. For more information on Art Wynwood and for a full list of exhibitors, please visit www.art-wynwood.com.

Art Wynwood is generously sponsored by its Official Luxury Real Estate Partner Christie’s International Real Estate as well as Superyachts.com, JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, Turon Travel, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; and supported by Miami Art Dealers Association, Wynwood Art Dealers Association, Goldman Properties, The Wynwood Walls, db Bistro Moderne, Joey’s, Wynwood Kitchen and Bar, Bakehouse Art Complex, Le Grand Saint Sparkling Vodka, SHELLBACK Rum, Heineken, The Miami Herald, MutualArt.com, Hyperallergic, WLRN, IRREVERSIBLE, Balthazar, Art Circuits, Haute Living, Art Nexus, The Art Newspaper, Artinfo, Arte Al Dia and Midtown Miami.

FAIR INFORMATION: info@art-wynwood.com or 305.515.8573

About Art Miami, LLC:

Art Miami, LLC is a partnership consisting of art and media industry veterans Nick Korniloff, Mike Tansey and Brian Tyler. Art Miami LLC produces Art Miami (www.art-miami.com), Miami's longest-running contemporary show, along with CONTEXT Art Miami, Aqua Art Miami, Art Wynwood and the prestigious Art Southampton.