17/01/2002
by Lee Klein

After being delayed due to the catastrophic World Trade Center events, the fourth San Francisco International Art Exposition, originally planned for September, will now run from the 18^th-21^st of January 2002. This gala art event will feature over 2,000 artists from 14 countries and over 100 art galleries. The San Francisco International is known throughout the world as perhaps the premiere contemporary art gathering on the West Coast.

Many involved in the international fine art exposition circuit have deemed the decision made by the fair’s organisers to postpone the event wise. As gallerist Nancy Hoffman related "Thomas Blackman, organizer of the SFIAE, did the right thing in postponing the fair because it took a while for the art market to get going again".

Given that the SFIAE is held in the city of San Francisco, traditionally one of the gateways between the United States and the Far East, it should come as no surprise that there will be a strong presence of Asian Galleries. San Francisco has always been the chief Western U.S port engaged in the China trade. Further, the storied metropolis is fabled for its Trans-Pacific commerce with other Asian economic powers. Two galleries from Hong Kong, Art Beatus and Art Scene China, specializing in contemporary Chinese artists will be on hand. Further four South Korean galleries, including Gallery Bhak and Gallery CAIS, will also be attending.

The delegation from Europe, while not as large as the Asian contingent, includes galleries from Russia (Krokin Gallery); Spain (Galería Espacio Mínimo), and the United Kingdom (Jill George Gallery). Among the dealers from Latin America who will be present are Praxis International Art from Buenos Aires and Galería El Museo from Bogotá. The Manhattan based Neuhoff Gallery which features European American and Brazilian contemporary artists, as well as modern masters will hold forth. Nicole Katz the director of Neuhoff looks forward to the San Francisco event because "California is a contemporary market and a new market for us.... full of contemporary, new collectors."

The host city is represented by many of its prominent galleries including John Berggruen, who is presenting the city’s favourite octogenarian Wayne Thiebaud, whose canvas Hill Hotels (1992-1997), a street scene that takes a creative and exaggerated look at the steep avenues of the city, will be in the limelight at the exposition. As well as the hometown establishments also accounted for will be art dealers from major United States art centres such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Included in the ranks of leading New York Galleries attending will be Forum, Marlborough, Debs & Co, Nancy Hoffman, Salander- O'Reilly and Allan Stone.

New York gallerists feel that attending the fair means to venture forth with hope even during a downturn in the economy. Corey Sicha of Debs & Co said "we expect to have a good time, gain exposure for our artists, and hope to sell a lot because the works we are bringing are very affordable". Nancy Hoffman gallery will be exhibiting everything from Gregory Raymond Halili’s small paradisiacal watercolours of the night-time sky seen from behind a curtain priced at $ 1,500 (€ 1,700) to Viola Frey’s wall with figurines quoted at $ 125,000 (€ 142,000). Hoffman also sees San Francisco as a "Thriving city where all kinds of people from all kinds of places travel to" and therefore a good opportunity to meet new clients. Forum Gallery of New York will presenting works by Odd Nerdrum depicting scenes of Scandinavian lore, whose prices top out at $ 260,000 (€ 295,400). Forum will also bring a selection of works by Reginald Marsh, an important the American modernist who depicted the bawdy side of New York with the ability of a classical draughtsman. Marlborough Gallery specialized in modern masters from the United States, Great Britain, and Latin America will be presenting works by Red Grooms, Fernando Botero and Claudio Bravo ranging between $ 5,000-400,000 (€ 5,700-454,400).

Charles Arnoldi another well known California painter working with Charles Cowles will be represented by several paintings at the fair, including the humorously named Mini Me available for $ 9,500 (€ 10,800). A work that is representative of Arnoldi’s current style that deals with pigmentation, convergence of hue, the ordering of similar shapes and the art of erasure.

Among the very contemporary offerings Debs & Co will present works by Joy Garnett, a young New York City painter whose last exhibition Rocket Science, held at Debs & Co. in spring 2001, was accompanied by an essay by Bruce Sterling, the famous cyber punk writer. Garnett's Night Vision (2000, oil on canvas, 65 x 80 cm), part of a series which depicts military disasters, night vision war footage and declassified cold war material, will be available for $ 2,200 (€ 2,490).

Finally, with its rescheduling into the January art calendar, the SFAIE has taken on a new role as a transcontinental backboard and as part of a triangle in concert with Art Miami and the New York Armory (22^nd-25^th February 2002).