Installation view of Teresita Fernández exhibition at Lehmann Maupin Gallery. On view through 19 December, 2009. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery.
Lehmann Maupin and Pinacoteca hosted an event on December 2 in Miami in honor of the Miami born artist (represented by Lehmann Maupin), Teresita Fernandez. Given the extra attention toward Latin American art this year – the de la Cruz collection, an El Museo del Barrio event, a Latin American special project booth at Design Miami/ – the pairing seemed perfect and timely. The cocktail was part of Pinacoteca’s ABMB Curated Art Travel program which had several tours and activities participating collectors and art enthusiasts could sign up for each day. It also coincided with Fernadez’s solo show up at Lehmann Maupin in New York. Her work was also present at Lehamnn Maupin’s both in the main fair and reportedly sold out within the first day.
Despite the many competing events that evening, a crowd that included Calvin Klein, Cecilia Dean, and Maria Baibakova turned out at the Setai. Said David Maupin of the event, “It was a natural decision to collaborate with Pinacoteca to celebrate the work and accomplishments of Teresita Fernández. We currently have a fantastic exhibition of her graphite works on view at our Chelsea location and we’re receiving so much interest in her works here at the fair, it seemed to make sense with her work and their mission.”
Teresita Fernandez and Anna di Stasi, courtesy of Patrick McMullan.
We spoke with Anna Di Stasi, Whitewall’s Art Travel Expert post-Miami about the collaboration with Fernandez and Pinacoteca’s Miami program.
WHITEWALL: Pinacoteca and Lehmann Maupin hosted an event celebrating Teresita Fernandez. How did your relationship with Lehmann Maupin come about?
ANNA DI STASI: I have been a fan of the gallery for years and of Teresita’s work since 2003 when I saw her installation at the Miami Art Museum. That been said, the relationship came about through Karen Bookatz, our Director of Programs, and Bethanie Brady of Lehmann Maupin whose vision for an event at ABMB connected with ours.
WW: Why was Teresita Fernandez, as an artist, a good fit?
ADS: Teresita embodies the first generation of Latin American artists who are neither defined nor constrained by their cultural backgrounds. Personally, I love the lyricism and synthetic beauty present in her oeuvre, its cultural anonymity, and her unapologetic avoidance of geographical or gender contexts.
WW: I heard from Lehmann Maupin that the event was quite successful, and that the collectors they had invited expressed interest in Pinacoteca’s programs. Would you say the event was a success?
ADS: Yes, absolutely! It was an intimate and lovely evening shared with old and new friends. We are also delighted with the interest received in our programs and look forward to establishing long-term relationships with many of the attendees.
David Maupin and Cecilia Dean.
WW: Pinacoteca also hosted a Curated Art Travel program during ABMB. Participants could choose from a number of tours and events to join in. How was the overall mood of the fair, would you say?
ADS: The mood was optimistic, even energized. While definitely not as ebullient as years past, collectors and dealers have come to terms with the reality of a new market and generally feel quite enthusiastic about the future. Conservative pricing across the board and a welcomed emphasis on quality were noted at most fairs, particularly at NADA.
WW: Tours of private collections like Ella Fontanals Cisneros, the Rubells, and the Margulies were offered. What do you hope participants and possible collectors from Pinacoteca will get out of those kinds of visits? Does it help them visualize the potential of collecting contemporary work?
ADS: Visiting these collections – some of the best in the US – is central to the development of emerging collectors as they allow for intimate and unexpected dialogues with contemporary artworks beyond historical readings, museum narratives, or the commercial objectives of gallery shows. Visiting these public spaces allows them to conceptualize collecting as a personal and emotional enterprise filled with social responsibility.
WW: You also lead tours around the main fair and many satellite fairs. How did you choose which ones to cover and what is your role there – art advisor? How did you find the turnout of work at the satellite fairs? Any highlights or noteworthy new artists?
ADS: We go to great lengths to curate a superb selection of galleries exhibiting artworks that are relevant to our clients’ interests. While some galleries are a must see year after year, not all of them offer a selection that is compatible with our clients’ aesthetic or particular interests. I was intrigued by Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmain mirror pieces of detailed geometric motifs at The Third Line, Nao Tsuda and Yutaka Aoki at Hiromi Yoshii, and Tamar Halpern at White Columns amongs others.
Teresita Fernandez, Nocturnal (Cinematic Pour) 2009. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery.
ADS: This year, we developed a walking seminar featuring a selection of contemporary Latin American art galleries at ABMB such as Luciana Brito, Nara Roesler, Faria Fabregas, amongst others. The walk aimed to highlight current issues and themes specific to Latin American art and presented historical art movements outside of the mainstream. Miami has always benefited from its proximity to Latin American talent particularly from Cuba and as of lately, Brazil and Colombia. Nonetheless, the recent commercial success of Latin American artists is the result of a growing appreciation of their work among curatorial circles. Institutional support, absent until very recently in the US, has championed an unprecedented interest in twentieth-century abstraction and conceptual art.
WW: There are so many events during ABMB week and most people feel like they didn’t get the chance to see it all. What was the highlight of the program this week for you?
ADS: I had a wonderful time at the party hosted by Fred Torres Collaborations held at The Raleigh. It was the most fabulous event–a little extravagant–but perfectly executed and very tasteful. I would say one of my personal highlights was the impromptu conversation we had with artist Cao Guimarães of the Nara Roesler Gallery while visiting their booth. Cao was kind enough to discuss his Gambiarras series with us, imaginative and humorous photographs of objects and surroundings intelligently reworked to make them functional.
Maria Zagrebelnaya, Maria Baibakova, Rachel Lehmann, Sarah Douglas, and David Grosz.
