ADAA's Art Show Raises More than $1 Million for Henry Street

The Art Show 2013, organized by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) to benefit Henry Street Settlement, concluded with extraordinary sales and museum placements after a five-day run from March 6-10 at the historic Park Avenue Armory. Launching a week of arts
activities throughout New York City, the 25th edition of The Art Show was opened by a celebratory Gala Preview with more than 2,500 special guests. The preview and ticket sales raised more than $1 million dollars for the Lower East Side's Henry Street Settlement.

20,000 collectors, museum directors, curators, artists, art enthusiasts, and media came to view museum-quality exhibitions. Visitors came to view exhibitions by 72 ADAA galleries and purchase works for public institutions and private collections. ADAA President Dorsey Waxter noted, "Museums know where to find museum quality work. ADAA dealers bring exceptional material to The Art Show, and both the solo artist and thematic exhibitions showcased the diversity, connoisseurship, and excellence of ADAA member galleries."

"The scale and pace of The Art Show allows museum directors and their trustees to focus in on acquisitions," commented Adam Sheffer, Chairman of The Art Show Committee, "the 25th Anniversary edition of The Art Show continues ADAA's tradition of a intimate atmosphere which contributed to extraordinary sales."

Pace Gallery presented a solo show of bronze sculptural works by Kiki Smith that were acquired by museum trustees and patrons, including trustees of The Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Susan Dunne, Executive Vice President of Pace, reflected, "The Art Show is an ideal location to present these significant works and connect with museums and museum trustees."

Both contemporary and modern works were in high demand from ADAA dealers. Tibor de Nagy Gallery sold out their booth, with sculptures by John Newman going to American collectors and museum trustees of note. Conner • Rosenkranz sold an early American sculpture by Paul Manship for 1.5 million dollars. David Nolan presented works by Jorinde Voigt that sold to collectors from across the country. Menconi & Schoelkopf Fine Art sold multiple modern American masterworks with prices ranging $185,000 to $850,000.

Serious collectors at The Art Show were interested in acquiring work by both well-know masters and emerging artists. Anthony Meier of Anthony Meier Fine Art comments, "Once again the ADAA has provided a platform where a young artist can show among the masters and feel both comfortable and relevant."

Other noteworthy sales include a large-scale installation by Jannis Kounellis from Cheim & Read gallery, which was sold to a major American museuM. Alexander and Bonin's presentation of Mona Hatoum's work also resulted in a sale to a major institution. Works by Mary Corse at Lehman Maupin were sold out to significant collectors and all three spectacular Louise Lawler photographs at Metro Pictures were placed in the collections of American museums. Luhring Augustine's exhibition of work by Zarina Hashmi sold out to museum trustees.

In addition to gallery exhibitions, The Art Show presented public programming, including ADAA Collectors' Forums. On the occasion of ADAA's 50th anniversary, the Collectors' Forum series presented two Keynote Lectures. Entitled Picturing the Future: The Art World in the Next Decade, Jock Reynolds, Director of the Yale University Art Gallery, and Michael Findlay, Director of Acquavella Galleries, offered their thoughts as they envision what the art world might look like over the next decade.