Palm Beach, Fla
February 10, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14TH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FINE ART FAIR COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL SHOW WITH INCREASED SALES AND SOLID ATTENDANCE
Significant sales from start to finish and rave reviews for a number of innovative new features marked the 2010 American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF), organized by International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) founders David and Lee Ann Lester. AIFAF ran from February 3-8 (Vernissage Feb. 2) at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
Of the more than 80 AIFAF exhibitors - 15% more than 2009 - many reported a significant improvement in sales over the previous year’s fair.
Among the dealers reporting seven-figure aggregate sales were GIOIA, Graff and Richard Green. Six-figure aggregate sales were reported by many galleries including 19th Century Shop, A.B. Levy, Antoine Helwaser Gallery, Callaghan Fine Paintings, The Englishman Fine Art & Antiques, Eostone, Evelyn Aimis Fine Art, Galerie Jacque Bailly, Galerie Terminus, Goedhuis Contemporary, Holden Luntz Gallery, Lawrence Steigrad Fine Arts, Lebreton Gallery, MacConnal-Mason Gallery, Richter’s, The Silver Fund, Surovek Gallery, Trinity House, Veronique Bamps, Waterhouse & Dodd, William Weston Gallery and Willow Gallery.
“The fair was in a word: fabulous,” said John Surovek, Surovek Gallery. “[AIFAF] brought great energy to the area and engaging, interested crowds.”
“The U.S. economy is clearly back on the upswing, and that factor is reflected in the improved sales this year over the previous year’s fair,” said David Lester. “We plan to build on the success of this year’s fair into 2011.”
In that vein, AIFAF will return to its traditional 10-day length in 2011. The 15th anniversary fair will run from February 5-13, with the Vernissage on February 4.
Attendance for the 2010 fair was estimated at 24,000, including a record 5,100 for the opening Vernissage, which benefited the Norton Museum of Art. “The attendance was exceptional,” said Elizabeth Oustinoff, Adelson Galleries. “The fair has had strong crowds every day.”
Exhibitors and visitors uniformly praised AIFAF’s inventive new layout featuring wider aisles and enhanced florals. The design dispersed crowds throughout the fair and drew them to the stage-like Center Court, which featured an elegant bar offering caviar, smoked salmon, oysters and champagne.
“The design of the fair was fabulous,” said Donna Heinley, Heinley Fine Art. “The Lesters have done a great job with the look of the show. They are better than anyone in America.”
Center Court dining was complemented by many other sumptuous food offerings, including Le Bistro – a new formal gourmet restaurant, a new VIP lounge, a sushi bar and a new café.
“The food was excellent,” said Thomas Colville, Thomas Colville Fine Art. “It was the best I’ve had at an American art fair.”
AIFAF’s lecture series was a popular feature of the fair among visitors and exhibitors. The series brought pre-eminent museum curators, scholars and specialists to the Palm Beaches. It included presentations by Sir Timothy Clifford, formerly the director of the National Galleries of Scotland, design dynamo Nancy Corzine, Geza von Habsburg, art historian and von Habsburg family member and Bertrand du Vignaud, president, World Monuments Fund Europe. “The lectures were very good, one of the assets of the fair,” said Stefan Brenske, Brenske Gallery.
The American International Fine Art Fair showcased an array of exceptional artwork including Old Masters, 18th and 19th century European and American paintings, modern and contemporary art, lavish period furniture, dazzling jewelry and rare antiques, all strictly vetted over two days by a panel of museum experts. For more information on the fair, please visit www.aifaf.com. About AIFAF
The American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF), from February 3–8, 2010 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, has been consistently recognized as the “crown jewel” of American art fairs. Historically, it was the only fine art fair in America rated 5-stars by the international Art Newspaper. AIFAF is a fully vetted fair featuring prestigious international dealers presenting paintings, sculpture, jewelry, antiques, contemporary design and decorative arts.
In 2009, the Lesters resumed ownership of the two Palm Beach fairs, acquired the historically favorable January art fair dates at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and in 2010 presented the highly successful and critically acclaimed first edition of MIA – Miami’s new January contemporary art fair. In 2009, IFAE entered into a joint venture with Clarion Events to serve as the partners and executive management of the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, now re-branded as the London International Fine Art Fair at Olympia. Most recently they have announced plans for the Naples International Art and Antique Fair and Art Naples in 2011.
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