This year’s 18th Annual ART Santa Fe offers curated contemporary work ranging from cutting-edge photography to Japanese anime.
Housed in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center beginning Friday, July 13, through Sunday, July 15, the Redwood Media Group show revolves around the theme of “Allure,” or the power of contemporary and modern art to seduce, captivate and charm.
The 60 exhibitors —— many of them galleries from Miami, New York, Quebec and Osaka —— will showcase the work of about 1,000 artists, said Eric Smith, owner of four fine art shows across the U.S.
Prices will range from $500 to $100,000, he said.
Photographer Tim Tadder will bring his solid color, large-format figurative work to Santa Fe for the first time.
“He’s been getting a lot of attention,” Smith said.
A separate solo project area will offer works by independent artists, such as impressionists/abstractionists Kris and Angela Gebhart.
Gallery Edel of Osaka, Japan, will again feature famed artist Kusama Yayoi, known for her massive installations. The gallery also will offer works by Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and others.
Quebec’s Sammoun Fine Art will bring the works of landscape artist Samir Sammoun.
“I’ve known him for 20 years plus,” Smith said. “He’s an excellent painter. He just finished selling 18 pieces in New York. They’re Van Gogh-like landscapes with thick paint.”
The Hemp Museum in Berlin will bring live demonstrations and exhibits from artists who have either created art using industrial hemp papers and materials or have included industrial hemp as a subject matter.
Smith’s Redwood Media Group bought ART Santa Fe from gallerist Charlotte Jackson three years ago. He owns similar shows in New York, Miami and San Diego.
“There’s a lot of (art fairs) now,” Smith said. “It’s interesting. When people were only buying from galleries, they were pretty wealthy people.
“Today’s collectors are younger and they don’t have time to do that because they’re working,” he continued. “These art fairs have become a nice way to gather and collect. It’s a matter of convenience.
“In Santa Fe, we don’t have as many young collectors as we do in Miami,” Smith said. “Our collectors are 35-70, more in that range. (Santa Fe) is still the third-largest art market in America.”
