NEW YORK, NY.- TEFAF New York Spring, the second TEFAF New York fair, TEFAF's debut outside of Europe, focusing on Modern and Contemporary Art & Design opened to vigorous sales and interest from around the world. Nearly 4,000 collectors and institutional representatives visited the Fair during preview day, Wednesday, May 3, acquiring works for both private and public collections. The Fair continues at the Park Avenue Armory through Monday, May 8.
The Fair features 93 of the world’s most illustrious dealers in museum caliber art and design, and a small number devoted to jewelry, African & Oceanic art and antiquities.
The exceptional pieces presented by the 93 international exhibitors drew sales from the first minutes of the Fair. Appetite for top quality blue chip Modern and Contemporary Art & Design was evident from the scope of sales reported by the exhibitors. Collectors found the dynamic, highly curated mix of art and design together under one roof in Manhattan, a compelling and refreshing draw. This dynamism illustrates to potential clients the seamless visual integration of different genres, styles and collecting areas.
Tom Postma’s sleek and ethereal rework of the Park Avenue Armory provides an elegant backdrop for the world-class works of art on view. In addition to the Drill Hall exhibition space, sixteen exhibitor stands are set in the historic landmark rooms at the armory, creating exceptional salon-like curated experiences for the visitor.
According to Willem van Roijen, Chairman of TEFAF, “TEFAF New York Spring marks a significant milestone for TEFAF worldwide. This is the first presentation of a TEFAF Fair dedicated to modern and contemporary art and design, a section of the market that TEFAF is excited to explore further. The creative rigour that dealers have demonstrated in the curation of their stands is testament to their expertise, knowledge and professionalism. TEFAF aims to support its dealer community by creating an unrivalled platform for dealers to reach collectors internationally.”
According to Heidi McWilliams, TEFAF Trustee, “TEFAF understands what the global collectors, who live and visit here, want. They are committed to the highest standards and surround themselves with quality and culture in their everyday lives. Amidst the exquisite ambiance at TEFAF, there is complete comfort in buying, thanks to rigorous vetting standards and knowledgeable experts. This combination of tightly curated and high quality works of art, in such a distinct environment, differentiates TEFAF.”
Several TEFAF New York Spring exhibitors focus on artistic and historic themes and specific artists. New York dealer David Zwirner is showing a selection of works by Anni Albers, Josef Albers, and Ruth Asawa – three artists whose lives and artistic practices found mutual inspiration during the late 1940s as part of the avant-garde community at Black Mountain College. Day One sales by David Zwirner were strong within $2 million total in the first hour, with 3 works, including 2 sculptures and 1 work on paper, by Asawa. In addition to “Untitled” above, selling for $1.5 million, Zwirner sold Untitled (SF.042a, Printed cork ends) (c. 19511952) Black ink on paper, created during the artist's first years in San Francisco for $100k and, Untitled (S.175, Hanging Single-Lobed, Four-Layer Continuous Form within a Form) (c. 1992) Hanging sculpture—copper wire with oxidized patina. This is an example of the artist's "form within a form" compositions, in which she created nested shapes from a single continuous line of looped wire for $400k.
On Thursday, Zwirner sold a major work by Josef Albers (188-1976), Homage to the Square, 1971, oil on Masonite, © 2017 The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. At 48x48 inches, the work at TEFAF is an example of the largest format Albers made for his “Homage to the Square” paintings.
Among the fair’s curated stands is Di Donna’s “feast” staged in one of the historic second floor Armory rooms, entitled “Surrealist Banquet” featuring the works of Surrealist Masters around themes of dining and food. Di Donna sold their widely-admired Salvador Dali centerpiece (left) on the first day. Buste De Femme Rétrospectif, Salvador Dalí (19041989)Painted and gilded bronze and mixed media Edition 8/8, 1933 (1977) © Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2017
Lisson Gallery brought early work by Carmen Herrera, the 101-year-old artist whose solo retrospective at the Whitney Museum and a current exhibition at Lisson’s New York’s gallery has renewed vigorous interest in her work. One of the works on view sold to an institution on the first day.
Early successes at the fair also include the sale of New York dealer Paul Kasmin’s iconic Constantin Brancusi’s polished bronze posthumous cast “Le Nouveau Ne,” which is cast from an edition of eight cast from the original 1920 iteration in 2003 shown left.
Kasmin also sold Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s seated “Babouin” 1990 in cast iron from a 1990 cast for between $1 million and $1.5 million. Another Opening Day sale at Kasmin inlcuded a Lee Krasner Gouache, Untitled (1964) for $400,000.
Galerie Gmurzynska enlisted the French fashion show producer Alexandre de Betak, sometimes referred “Fellini of Fashion” to design and execute its neon booth, shown left. Sales at Galerie Gmurzynska include Roberto Matta’s seminal 1954 painting, “Ouvrir les bras comme on ouvre les yeux.” It has been in a private collection since 1985 and sold at TEFAF for around $1 million.
Sculpture found particular favour throughout the fair. Sean Kelly’s striking sculpture by Kehinde Wiley (left) sold on opening day for $250,000.
Other sculptural highlights include Skarstedt Gallery’s Thomas Schutte head, “Wicht (5)” in patinated bronze from 2006, from an edition of six, for $650,000.
Tambaran Gallery, New York (left) sold “Galaxy” by Sung Hee Cho (Born Korea 1949) Korean Rice Paper (Hanji) and oil on canvas, 2016
DESIGN AT TEFAF NEW YORK SPRING
The mix of Fine Art and Design is one of the unique aspects of TEFAF New York Spring, bringing together the finest examples in each collecting category on the market today. Galerie Kreo (left) sold several of its contemporary highlights on the first day including “Chains” Metal Blue Single, 2016 by Ronan and Erwan BOUROULLEC, Limited edition of 8 pieces + 2 A.P. + 2 Prototypes Numbered and signed pieces, sold for $31,000; “Wanderoo Mirror,” from 2016 by Jaime Hayon, Limited edition of 5 pieces and 2 A.P. for $27,500; DooW4L Desk, 2014 by Jasper Morrison, Limited edition of 8 pieces + 2 A.P. and 2 prototypes, numbered and signed pieces, for $44,000.
The first sale on the first day at exhibitor Carpenters Workshop was Studio Job’s Pipe Side Table (Ceci n’est pas une table) 2015, polished and patinated bronze, 24k gilding, limited edition of prototype +3+1 AP
Bergamin & Gomide, the first Brazilian gallery ever at TEFAF sold a selection of superb works including “Untitled” by Sergio Camargo. Printed wood relief. Asking price $460,000 to private collector; “Untitled” by Sergio Camargo. Belgian black marble, asking price $90,000 to private collector; “Cromática 12” by Aluisio Carvão, asking price $750,000 to private collector and work by Myra Schendel from 1960s, asking price $180,000.
