It’s the seventh annual Dallas Art Fair and organizers just keep getting better every year. In fact, this year’s fair will feature nearly 100 prominent national and international art dealers and galleries from 22 cities.
Set for April 9 to 12, 2015 at the Fashion Industry Gallery (f.i.g.) in the Downtown Arts District co-founder Chris Byrne says this year's fair will feature the largest and most diverse selection of exhibitors to date and many will be debuting in Dallas for the first time.
“When John Sughrue and I co-founded the Dallas Art Fair, we considered ourselves the audience,” says Byrne. “Our intention was to create an event which, in addition to exposing the city to galleries from other parts of the world, would also build upon the strengths of the local art community. The Dallas patrons and institutions continue to foster a warm impression of the city both nationally and abroad.”
Byrne says that as the fair evolves, one thing that will be different this year is that the exhibitors who participated during the past six years have recommended other galleries, “and that's been beneficial to the fair's growth,” says Byrne.
This year, the Dallas Art Fair will include exhibitors from Antwerp, Berlin, Bogota, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Helsinki, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Marfa, Mexico City, Milan, Newcastle, New York, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Toronto, Turin, San Francisco, Vancover, and Zurich.
“One of the nicest things will be the range of programming during the week,” Bryne explains. “We are excited to have the Ei Arakawa performance at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Power Station's reception for Jos De Gruyter and Harald Thys, as well as Dallas Contemporary's opening of David Salle and Nate Lowman. We are honored that proceeds from our preview gala will benefit the Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center as well as Dallas Contemporary.”
Exhibitors to watch this year include newcomers including Galerie Perrotin, LABOR, 247365, Ibid Projects, Jack Hanley and highlights will also include Artist Marcin Dudek (with Edel Assanti Gallery) who will have a solo presentation titled “Border in Motion” in the main courtyard area of the fair.
The Dallas Art Fair Foundation will host local high school students at the Dallas Art Fair for an artist talk and a behind-the-scenes view with artist Gail P. Borden, will build out a special installation design for the Galleri Urbane booth and the Dallas Art Fair now anchors the official “Dallas Art Week.” Highlights throughout the week for Dallas Art Week will include Dallas Contemporary openings for David Salle + Nate Lowman on Wednesday, April 8; the Preview Gala on Thursday, April 9; MTV RE:DEFINE Gala & Auction honoring artist Michael Craig-Martin on Friday, April 10 and ArtBall50 at the Dallas Museum of Art on Saturday, April 11.
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will also host a musical installation/performance by French artist Claude Rutault at the Meyerson Symphony Center on Thursday, April 9 as a prelude to the first annual SOLUNA: International Music & Arts Festival launching in May 2015.
The first Dallas Art Fair – co-founded by Chris Byrne and John Sughrue – debuted in February 2008 with 35 exhibiting galleries at the Fashion Industry Gallery. Since that time it has nearly tripled in size with this year there being over 30 artists showing in Dallas for the first time.
“It's important that the Dallas Art Fair hosts content and programming which interests the audience - and we hope that we are presenting the local, national, and international galleries on an even playing field, allowing the viewer the important role of evaluating the artwork on its own terms," Byrne concludes.