Show Hamptons
Philadelphia Fine Art Fair 2019 Recap
Philadelphia Fine Art Fair (PFAF) closed its first edition on Sunday, April 7, 2019, bringing established, local collectors resulting in strong sales for the fair’s 34 exhibitors who presented established contemporary work. Thousands were in attendance over the course of the 4-day event, including representatives from major local publications, like John M. Colabelli, Publisher of Philadelphia Style Magazine and well-known collectors like Cecily Sherman, Babette Snyder and Jerry Wind, among others.
Applications are now being accepted: https://philfinartfair.com
The inaugural fair presented 34 international exhibitors hailing from 19 cities, featuring 300 renowned artists from around the world, including Cuba, Latin America, and Europe. Held in the historic 23 rd Street City Troop Armory, PFAF outfitted the space with the high-level production typical of an international art fair.
Rick Friedman, Philadelphia Fine Art Fair’s Director, commented: “There is a vibrant arts community here in Philadelphia, with world class museums, art schools, and an avid collector base but the region was lacking a contemporary art fair to call its own. This show connected our fantastic line up of exhibitors to the contemporary arts community of Philadelphia, bringing a unique opportunity to local collectors to discover exciting work by emerging and established artists from around the world. I’m grateful we were able to offer this experience to the community and bring Philadelphia its own contemporary art fair.”
Sales throughout the weekend were active, with gallerists reporting artworks ranging between $3,000 – $30,000 selling particularly well. Booths that showcased special exhibitions, like Rojas Ford Fine Art’s Latin American Masters Pavillion or Walker Fine Art’s “Magical World of MC Escher” display brought in immense interest and sold well.
PFAF closed after a weekend of special programming including panel discussions, book signings, artist Q&As with David Datuna, Chad Fisher, and Hunt Slonem and a film screening. VIP tickets were quickly sold out ahead of the fair and on Thursday night VIP guests were treated to a top-tier party co-hosted by artnet and Philadelphia Style Magazine.
The weekend not only brought in many art patrons and established collectors from the Main Line and Philadelphia, but emerging collectors who have taken an interest in contemporary art. Exhibitors were particularly impressed by how knowledgeable the fairgoers were and local gallerists were thrilled to be introduced to an entirely new and passionate collector base.
The weekend not only brought in many art patrons and established collectors from the Main Line and Philadelphia, but emerging collectors who have taken an interest in contemporary art. Exhibitors were particularly impressed by how knowledgeable the fairgoers were and local gallerists were thrilled to be introduced to an entirely new and passionate collector base.
