By Mary Damiano

	The work of Donald Sultan will be part of Art Miami

Hot on the heels of Art Basel, another major art event is poised and ready to cast its spell over Miami Beach.  Art Miami will take over Hall A of the Miami Beach Convention Center January 5-8.  In conjunction with Art Miami, Art in Bloom will take place during the same time across the street at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and will host a special preview reception on January 4.

Now in its 17th year, Art Miami 2007 has some changes in store.  They’ve refined their selection process, which has resulted in refining the overall participation base. While Art Miami will continue to feature some of the most important modern and contemporary Latin artists, the upcoming event includes only 15 galleries representing Latin America, a major change in the fabric of Art Miami.

“We are very excited by the changes in the fair in recent years,” says Vardy.  “We are now better poised to service a growing market in which collectors are interested in a wide variety of genres and nationalities.”

	Art Miami director Ilana Vardy

Art Miami is an international event, and about half of the 117 participants will exhibit at Art Miami for the first time, including 10 Chancery Lane from Hong Kong, which will present photography by Chinese artist Li Wei. There will also be three new Italian participants, including Venice’s Contini Galleria d’Arte, which will showcase a selection of modern and contemporary masters. Of the seven German participants, three newcomers will present contemporary painting. There will be four first-time Korean galleries and one from Japan, as well as two new galleries from Switzerland. Six of nine participants from Spain are fresh to Art Miami and the United States boasts 18 new galleries. For the first time, galleries from Turkey and Ireland are joining Art Miami, rounding out one of the most diverse selection of galleries in the fair’s history.

In addition, Art Miami features important projects that bring particular attention to local artists, Caribbean artists and arts specialists tapped to share their knowledge in an exciting series of programs, panel discussions and special events.

“The expanded programs, including the annual special exhibitions and lecture series that explore international trends, enable Art Miami to compete on a higher level in the increasingly complex art market,” says Vardy.

With more than 24,000 visitors in 2006, Art Miami experienced a 10 percent increase over attendance in 2005. Art Miami allows visitors the opportunity to discover new trends, new artists and new galleries, while building awareness of today's art world. Art Miami is also an art shopper’s paradise: all of the paintings, sculptures, photographs, and other media are all for sale.

Art Miami Highlights 

	Miami native Purvis Young has been singled out as the Director’s Choice at Art Miami

Director’s Choice
Purvis Young has been creating art for nearly 50 years and is now acknowledged worldwide for his unique and often poetic approach to urban art. To celebrate this Miami native and his prolific body of work, Young has been chosen as this year's Director’s Choice artist. This annual program offers local artists a unique opportunity to exhibit a single piece or installation at the entrance to Art Miami.

2nd Annual Caribbean Project
Art Miami 2006 explored contemporary art of the Caribbean, devoting exhibition space and inviting experts in the field to speak on a panel about the state of current art practices throughout the region. Based on its success, the fair will continue to endorse this program by featuring new countries each year and offering visibility to artists who typically do not have access to mainstream exhibitions. The 2007 edition, titled “Caribbean Crosscurrents”, is curated by Tina Spiro of Miami’s Chelsea Galleria, and features four artists from Curaçao, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

FIU Project
“Inter-Sections, Nature and the City” is a multimedia exhibition showcasing the works of Florida International University’s (FIU) emerging and established student and alumni artists. Co-curated by author and professor Carol Damian, and FIU Dean’s Advisory Board member Mirta Kozolchyk, the show includes photography, sculpture, installation pieces, drawing and mixed media, and questions the medium as the message.

Panel Discussions
Art Miami’s educational component is one of the features that have allowed the fair to stay connected to its visitors through an exchange of information in an intimate setting. The lecture series is designed to empower the art amateur or professional with the knowledge to better understand Art Miami’s special showcases, exhibitions and contemporary and modern art. Topics reflect areas of interest inside the fair as well as the contemporary art market in general, including a panel on collecting art; focus on Caribbean Crosscurrents with a panel of distinguished guests; and a panel that will explore the role of museums in our community.

	A sculpture by Emiliano Ruanova, part of Art Miami 2007

Nall: Encounters with the Artist
Nall’s extraordinary works and vision have been recognized by some of the most important collectors, institutions and critics internationally. Born in Alabama, he has traveled the world to discover himself and the inspiration for his art. Following artist-in-residence statuses at the University of Alabama and Troy University, Nall will be taking up with the New World School of Arts at Miami-Dade College. As artist-in-residence in December 2006 and January 2007, his works will be on view at Wolfson Campus and he will teach selected art students unique drawing techniques, print- making and mixed media. In honor of the occasion, Art Miami and Goldman Sachs will host a reception on VIP night, Thursday, January 4, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dubbed “Nall: Encounters with the Artist,” his works will be exhibited during the fair at the Westwood Gallery booth.

SLICE
A new initiative, SLICE, features a small group of first-time participants presenting avant-garde works. This invitational was created by Art Miami organizers to showcase artists who are provocative and new to the international market. Galleries from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the United States will be featured in this section.

Special Events
Art Miami is celebrating the city by collaborating with local arts organizations and communities. Events at ArtCenter/South Florida, the Miami Design District and the Freedom Tower are scheduled throughout the fair. Many will be free and open to the public.

For more information on Art Miami, call 305-573-1388 or visit www.art-miami.com.