L.A. art fair season is only fair

Shows invade the city, but winning over Angelenos has proved to be difficult.

January 10, 2010|By Scarlet Cheng

This year they are listing 100 exhibitors, after having 124 last year. "We're down," admits Martindale, "but given what other shows have gone through around the country, I'm pleased with that number. There will be more international galleries, and it will be stronger for those that participate."

He also points to the variety of special programming. There will be a symposia series with panel discussions that include "The Contemporary Art of Uruguay" and "The Fine Art of Collecting Fine Prints." A live-painting event on large canvasses by street artists Mear One, Kofie, Retna and El Mac will take place over five days. And there will be curated exhibitions -- including one of contemporary art from Uruguay, one featuring seven artists from the Middle East, and "Snapshot," selections from work by MFA students from four local art schools.

The Los Angeles IFPDA Fine Print Fair became part of the Art Show in 2008, and last year the prints section was a highlight of the fair. Anecdotally, the prints dealers did well in terms of sales, probably because of the relative affordability of their offerings.

Rutberg is one who's returning to the Art Show -- he was pleased with his participation last year. "Interestingly, the great strength of it came from collectors from out of town," he says. "I met a collector at the Art Show whom I hadn't met before. He had always wanted a Hans Burkhardt painting. He was wowed by what he saw at my booth -- and returned a few months later to Los Angeles and acquired two Burkhardt paintings from me."

For Rutberg, the face-to-face contact is invaluable. "One can advertise," he says, "but there's no substitute for being able to shake someone's hand and stand in front of a picture."

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