A Vegas sensation inaugural Artexpo® Las Vegas: infuses fine-art industry with electrifying energy

Art Business News, Nov, 2007 by Jennifer Dulin

A sense of excitement and invigoration pervaded the show floor, Sept. 28-30, during the first ever Artexpo Las Vegas, hosted at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Much like its new location, the show left a lasting impression on exhibitors and attendees alike with the myriad of new art, artists and buyers present at the event.

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Las Vegas proved to be a gracious and entertaining host for the first-time show, which featured more than 350 exhibitors from across the globe in categories ranging from traditional art to sculpture to contemporary glass and large-scale installations. Originals and limited editions created specifically for the show added to the festive environment, and new releases from emerging and established artists caught the eyes of the 10,000-plus trade and consumer attendees.

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Exhibitors cashed in on buyers of many calibers and solidified relationships with longstanding customers while enjoying all the glitz and glare Las Vegas had to offer. Attendees enjoyed a host of special events, including a well-attended Preview Night, a successful charity auction, celebrity appearances by Tony Curtis and Grace Slick and onsite demonstrations and performances by several exhibiting artists.

"The Vegas show was a great change of venue," said PJ Campbell, owner of Piccadilly's Fine Art Galleries in Cleveland. "Along with seeing many familiar faces of the larger publishers who attend New York, it was even more enjoyable to see the fresh, new West Coast artists who were able to set up for the show. We made a lot of new connections with whom we look forward to building relationships."

Eric Smith, vice president of The Art Group, the show's producer, was pleased with the industry's positive response to the first-time show. "There was a genuine buzz at Artexpo Las Vegas," he said. "Every exhibitor I talked to was upbeat and excited about the show. That kind of energy and excitement is contagious, and the proof was in the crowds. I want to thank everyone who participated; it was fun to be a part of."

THE BUYER EXPERIENCE

With so much to do and see, attendees of Art-expo Las Vegas often mapped out their visits, much like a Vegas tourist would when deciding among the vast array of available activities. However, instead of hopping from the Bellagio to the Venetian, attending buyers did all of their "traveling" on the Artexpo show floor.

A popular start was the PREVIEW NIGHT, which kicked off with a dynamic live painting performance by artist David Garibaldi. Inspired by the sounds of The King, Garibaldi created a contemporary portrait of the famous Elvis Presley in under 10 minutes. The energetic crowd cheered him on and were amazed at the resulting paintings (Garibaldi sold nearly every performance piece he created during the course of the three-day show).

Afterward, attendees flooded the show floor and were greeted with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a plethora of fresh art from new and well-known exhibitors. Attendees didn't waste any time to start buying; several exhibitors reported not just one, but multiple sales, during Preview Night--an occurrence many said was a welcomed surprise.

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"The Artexpo Las Vegas Preview Night was the best we've ever had," said artist Ford Smith. "We've never sold that many paintings at a preview night because people usually don't buy so early. I think we all share the feeling that we're excited to be here. Vegas is lots of fun with so much to do; it's just a great venue."

Leland Williams, president of Monarch Gallery in La Jolla, Calif., was present for the preview. He brought nine employees to seek out new art and take advantage of the education at the show. "Everyone took really good care of us," Williams said. "There was a lot of high-end art. My wallet was empty when I got home."

Artist Ed Heck was in on the success as well. "After the Preview Night, I was all set," Heck reported. "I am connected now with eight galleries from Germany and a half dozen new galleries from California. The West Coast exposure has been great."

Artists such as Hamilton Aguiar of The Nan Miller Gallery and Fabian Perez of Robert Bane Editions were present at the opening night to discuss their new works. Aguiar unveiled his first sculpture, "Uno," which stood 8 feet tall in the middle of Center Court. The double-sided aluminum work was created to look like a portion of a filmstrip, which collectors can add on to as the artist creates more large-scale sculptures.

Perez was proud to show attendees his newest commissioned piece, "Self-Portrait of Monica." "This is already such an amazing show," he said during the Preview Night. "It's not too big and not too small. It's going to be great."

Industry professionals eager to learn more about sculpture, giclee printing, marketing and sales could be found attending classes at THE GALLERY SYMPOSIUM, sponsored by Art Business News. As the only in-depth, fine-art education program offered in the industry, The Gallery Symposium offered 13 classes from six expert instructors.