Joining the triumvirate of art fairs opening in San Francisco, ArtPadSF, an independent hotel-based art fair focusing on emerging and contemporary galleries and artists from the Bay Area and beyond, will debut at San Francisco’s legendary Phoenix Hotel.
In announcing the 2011 exhibiting galleries and programming schedule, ArtPadSF Director, Maria Jenson notes, “The Phoenix is the quintessential place to launch an independent art fair. It’s an oasis located in a San Francisco neighborhood that’s on the edge, and for many artists, collectors and enthusiasts, exploring the areas just outside of our comfort zones or what we recognize as familiar, is often the most invigorating way to find hidden treasures. Collecting can be fun and need not be limited to the exceptionally affluent. It can also be as much about the hunt as it is the find. ArtPadSF is an adventure–for us as producers, for our exhibiting galleries and artists, for our partners and sponsors, and hopefully for ArtPadSF visitors.”
ArtPadSF provides a broad cross-section of galleries, arts organizations and artists with a platform to present and accentuate the emerging disciplines and independent elements active in the contemporary art world and prominent in the Bay Area arts community.
Offering arts enthusiasts and seasoned collectors the opportunity to discover new trends and artistic practices, ArtPadSF will feature approximately 30 select galleries, as well as four days of contemporary art programming, which includes the utilization of the Phoenix’s heated outdoor pool for live art performances such as, ‘Swimming Pool Social Sculpture’, by graduating and continuing MFA students from California College of the Arts (CCA) Graduate Fine Arts program, and a suspended art installation by LTMH Gallery artist Alexis Laurent.
ArtPadSF’s inaugural year will feature afternoon speaker panels on Friday and Saturday, May 19th and May 20th. Moderated by William Moreno, independent curator, writer and board vice president of Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE), the ArtPadSF speaker panels will begin Friday, May 20 at 12:30PM with ‘California Contemporary Art in Context.’ Featuring panelists Alma Ruiz, curator of contemporary art for The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), Lawrence Rinder, director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and Erik Bakke, San Francisco Bay Area based artist, ‘California Contemporary Art in Context’ will investigate and discuss recent artistic trends and practices in the context of California and global shifts, asking such questions as: ‘Where are artists focused?’ ‘How do they respond to their environments?’ ‘What can be gleaned from their practices?’ and ‘What new media or technologies are they employing?’ The panel aims to present an overview of various artist practices and works.
Following the Friday art panel, visitors are invited to tour ArtPadSF from 3-5PM with Marianna Stark, collector and publisher of “Stark Guide to San Francisco Art.” Listen in and learn as Marianna asks dealers about their program aesthetic, personal bios, and what they’re showing at ArtPadSF.
Attendance limited, advance registration required. Please inquire at info@artpadsf.com
Further invigorating ArtPadSF’s programming, Juxtapoz magazine will present a speakers panel, ‘Collecting Street Art’ on Saturday afternoon. Organized by Justin Giarla of White Walls Gallery, the panel will present international street artists Blek le Rat (France), EINE (UK), and APEX (US). Moderated by Pedro Alonzo, a member of San Francisco’s graffiti and street art community, the discussion will begin at 1PM on Saturday, May 21st.
Exhibiting Galleries – ArtPad SF 2011:
Ampersand International Arts; San Francisco & Paris
Anno Domini; San Jose
Art Modern Gallery; Miami
Ever Gold; San Francisco
Galeria de la Raza; San Francisco
Gallery KM, Santa Monica
Gregory Lind; San Francisco
Hang Art; San Francisco
Jack Hanley; New York
Johansson Projects; Oakland
KrosWork; Oakland
Launch LA: Los Angeles
Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery (LTMH); New York
Mark Wolfe Contemporary Art; San Francisco
Marx & Zavattero; San Francisco
Michael Rosenthal; San Francisco
Mina Dresden; San Francisco
Patricia Sweetow; San Francisco
Robert Berman / E6 Gallery; San Francisco
Steven Wolf; San Francisco
Swarm Gallery; Oakland
The McLoughlin Gallery; San Francisco
Triple Base; San Francisco
Toomey Tourell; San Francisco
White Walls Gallery; San Francisco
ArtPadSF
May 19 – 22, 2011
WHERE:
The Phoenix Hotel
601 Eddy Street (at Larkin Street)
San Francisco, CA 94109HOURS:
Thursday: 7PM–12AM (VIP Preview & BRAF Benefit)
Friday: 12PM–10PM
Saturday: 12PM–10PM
Sunday: 11AM–6PMMORE INFO:
www.artpadsf.com or call 415 364 5465 (SF)
TICKETS:
$10 – General Admission
$50-$125 – VIP Preview Party (includes access to the Fair on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
