ARTLURKER

In the last twenty years contemporary art fairs have established a foundation within the art world. For better or worse these fairs have changed the financial landscape of art commerce and will no doubt continue to do so. This effect is seen prominently today not least in Miami.

Entry into such fairs can be very competitive and more often than not only galleries are considered as opposed to individual artists (whom for the most part are unable to afford the cost of the booths which can run into thousands of dollars). Thankfully then, the dutiful staff at myartspace have considered the need for relative underdogs to be privileged with opportunities to get involved. In an effort to level the playing field and the artist social networking site myartspace.com is now offering a splendiferous resume-building table-turning competition involving Bridge Art Fair.

Bridge Art Fair (of London, Berlin, Miami and New York) currently presents a combined total of nearly 300 galleries and over 2,000 artists at four expositions throughout the year. Since the premier of Bridge Miami Beach in 2006, total sales of nearly $30 million and more than 100,000 visitors have confirmed Bridge as a leading voice in a newly globalized art marketplace.

Myartspace and Bridge Art Fair have now teamed up in order to establish a competition that will send three finalists to the Bridge Art Fair this December during Art Basel Miami Beach. 50 finalists will be represented in a catalog at the Myartspace booth with three top winners exhibiting at Bridge. (This includes a preview and press preview that involves influential art collectors, members of the press and myself!)

Isaac Julien, “Untitiled ( Deja-Vu No.2, Baltimore Series)“, 2007. Digital print with hand gold leaf margin, 20 x 30 inches. Courtesy: Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions, New Brunswick, NJ. Participating in Bridge Miami 2008.

Brian Sherwin, Senior Editor for myartspace stated: “The joint competition with Bridge is another example of how myartspace is raising the bar as to what should be expected from an art site with a diverse membership. We want to offer our members more than having their prize winning art featured on merchandise like so many other art sites have done. In other words, we want to offer competitions and prizes that will help emerging artists build upon their resumes. We strive to offer opportunities that can open doors for emerging artists.”

Hugo Lugo, “Boceto para conocer el mal tiempo”, 2008. Oil and acrylic on canvas, 111×142 cm. Courtesy: Ginocchio Gallery, Polanco, Mexico. Participating in Bridge Miami 2008.

Myartspace competitions typically involve a prestigious panel of jurors matched only by a handful of their competitors. On this occasion the jury will consist of Elisbeth Sussman, Senior Curator, The Whitney Museum; Janet Bishop, Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA); JoAnne Northrup, Senior Curator, San Jose Museum of Art; and Michael Workman, Founder, Bridge Art Fair. With a wealth of unrepresented talent in Miami this is no doubt a tempting opportunity for many to afford some much deserved exposure.

Winners will be announced on November 25^th and their art work will be represented at the Bridge Art Fair Miami Beach between December 4^th and 7^th.

For more information visit: www.myartspace.com/miamibasel