SEATTLE, WA.- The second edition of the Seattle Art Fair, presented by AIG, and co-produced by Vulcan Inc. and Art Market Productions, closed on Sunday, August 7, 2016, with successful results reported by collectors, dealers, artists, participants, and visitors. In its second year, the fair, which ran from August 4-7, 2016, expanded its community engagement through the addition of Artistic Director Laura Fried and a diverse lineup of Projects and Talks that she organized—installations, performances, panels, and other events both at the fair and throughout the city of Seattle. Some 18,000 visitors attended the fair in 2016, with work presented by 84 local, national, and international galleries.

Max Fishko, Fair Director, commented, “Seattle Art Fair's second edition welcomed an incredible group of collectors from across the country, and our 84 exhibiting galleries engaged this audience with their top-tier presentations of modern and contemporary art—once again making it clear that the Seattle Art Fair is a destination and a can’t-miss event on the art world calendar."

Said Laura Fried, the Fair’s Artistic Director, "The response to the Projects and Talks program was overwhelming. I am so moved by the level of engagement in this community, and the diverse and enthusiastic audiences that participated. We are grateful to the artists and speakers for their inspiring contributions and for pouring so much of themselves into this endeavor."

Michael Rosenfeld of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery (New York) said: “The Seattle community has a very different vibe from any other city where I’ve participated in an art fair. There is a real passion for the art, a genuine interest, and they are not only interested in learning about the work of an artist, they are taking the next step and buying it. In the collectors I’ve met here, I sense a real camaraderie, they are supportive of each other, and they have created an upbeat collecting community.”

Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo / New York), run by artist Takashi Murakami, added, "It was a very sophisticated and discerning crowd, which was both challenging and rewarding. Word had definitely gotten out around Seattle about the fair and there was a palpable sense of pride among local collectors."

Jane Beebe of PDX CONTEMPORARY ART (Portland, Oregon) explained, “We heard quite universally how beautiful the fair looked with the wide aisles and the airiness—people could breathe. The word is out, and the fair was very well attended, especially this year. Visitors were knowledgeable about art and knew what they were seeing. With the hiring of Laura Fried as Artistic Director, the fair showed that commerce and raising the bar are not mutually exclusive.”

Select sales highlights:

• David Zwirner (New York) sold work by Fred Sandback, and multiple works by R. Crumb, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Al Taylor. A Yayoi Kusama painting that was made by the artist specifically for the fair sold to a local collector.

• Marlborough Gallery (New York) sold work by Dale Chihuly.

• Michael Rosenfeld Gallery (New York) sold works by a wide range of artists including Claire Falkenstein and Alma Thomas.

• Paul Kasmin Gallery (New York) sold photographs by Robert Polidori for approximately $30,000 each.

• Pace (New York, London, Beijing, Palo Alto) sold work by teamLab—who also presented an interactive installation as part of the Seattle Art Fair’s Projects.

• Petzel (New York) sold work on paper by Hiroki Tsukuda.