The SOFA NEW YORK 2010 Opening Night Preview

The SOFA NEW YORK 2010 Opening Night Preview

Approximately 18,500 collectors, curators, architects, interior designers, art advisors and new enthusiasts took in SOFA NEW YORK, presented by 58 international galleries and produced by The Art Fair Company. President and founding director of SOFA fairs in New York, Chicago and Santa Fe, Mark Lyman said, "The mood on the floor was energetic and more upbeat compared to last year. Many dealers reported their top offerings sold quickly at the preview and sales held steady throughout the fair." Lyman reported opening day ticket sales were up 60% and sales on Saturday up 72%.

	The Joan B. Mirviss Ltd. booth at SOFA NEW YORK 2010

Even opening the fair on tax day did not scare off buyers. A stunning case in point—Joan Mirviss of Joan B. Mirviss Ltd., New York sold 23 pieces by the celebrated Japanese ceramicist Koike Shoko within 30 minutes of the show’s opening. “Opening night was very strong,” said Mirviss. “In addition to SOFA’s regular clients, there were many new faces who expressed serious and knowledgeable interest in what we presented. I could have sold my show twice and some pieces 2 or 3 times. It’s the best SOFA I’ve had thus far.”

Guests interact with the large-scale ceramic works of Felicity Aylieff. View artist interview

Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon of London said, “Opening night was the most successful preview we’ve ever had! We saw many collectors we’ve nurtured at past SOFA’s with many of them attending the opening preview, anxious to be on the show floor at the earliest opportunity, a change from prior years. We’ve sold to new clients and done really well.” Major sales at the gallery included two very large-scale thrown and glazed porcelain columns with over-glaze enamel transfers by Felicity Aylieff in the $40,000 range.

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	SOFA NEW YORK 2009

New York, December 22, 2009:  Long heralded as the nation’s premier fair for outstanding contemporary decorative arts and design, the 13th International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair in New York City will open on the evening of Thursday, April 15 and run through Monday, April 19, 2010 at the Park Avenue Armory. Mark Lyman, Founder/Director of SOFA and President, The Art Fair Company says, “The move to a Thursday opening and extended fair-run through Monday was recommended by our dealer committee in response to collector, curators and dealers needs. Judging from the remarkable success of our 16th SOFA CHICAGO held last November, we anticipate vigorous sales at SOFA NEW YORK.”  Donna Schneier of Donna Schneier Fine Arts, Palm Beach, succinctly expressed the sentiments of dealers at the Chicago fair—“The fear is gone.” Lyman adds, “Collectors are giving themselves permission to buy again—at all price levels. And because contemporary decorative arts and design has flown a bit under the radar, the area has yet to be marked by a heavy preponderance of speculative buying and flipping.  Bounce-back sales at SOFA fairs reflect the continuing stability of this market."

Guest in the Ornamentum booth at SOFA NEW YORK 2009

SOFA NEW YORK 2010 Opening Night this year will be Thursday, April 15. Lyman will repeat the successful format of an invitation-only tier beginning at 5:30 pm, with the vernissage open to the public from 7 – 9 pm by ticket purchase. Opening Night attendees may also support New York’s Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) by purchasing a ticket to attend a private dinner in the Armory’s Tiffany Room beginning at 8:30 pm. 11 Lecture Series presentations are planned and will take place in the Armory’s Tiffany Room on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17. Also planned for the fair is an expanded VIP Program for upper-level collectors and gallery clients. 

	Michael Eden A Rebours, 2009 Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon London, UK

Among the 58 premier dealers participating in SOFA NEW YORK 2010 to date are: Galerie Besson, Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon, Joanna Bird Pottery, Katie Jones, Zest Contemporary Glass Gallery and Contemporary Applied Arts from London; Heller Gallery, Joan B. Mirviss, Scott Jacobson Gallery (formerly Leo Kaplan Modern), and Lyons Wier Gallery from New York. Veteran dealer Thea Burger of New York, returns to SOFA NEW YORK to present seminal modernist ceramics by the late Ruth Duckworth. Leading the way in contemporary and mid-century modern furniture and art are Moderne Gallery, from Philadelphia, William Zimmer Gallery of Mendocino, CA, CRFA of New York, and secondary market dealer, Donna Schneier Fine Arts of Palm Beach. Top dealers in textiles are browngrotta arts of Wilton, CT and bamboo specialist Tai Gallery/Textile Arts of Santa Fe. Art jewelry gallerists include Aaron Faber Gallery and Charon Kransen, Ltd., of New York, Ornamentum of Hudson, NY, Sienna Gallery of Lenox, MA, Oliver and Espig of Santa Barbara, CA and Valentin Magro New York. Also of special mention are long-time SOFA venerables: Ferrin Gallery of Pittsfield, MA; Jane Sauer Gallery of Santa Fe, Snyderman-Works of Philadelphia, and Duane Reed Gallery of St. Louis. DEALER HIGHLIGHTS

Kishi Eiko Rectangular, leaning form with colored clay inlays, 2007 Joan B. Mirviss, Ltd. New York, NY

Lyman is excited by the new dealers comprising 1/3 of the galleries accepted for a total of  58 dealers from the United States, Argentina, Brazil,  Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Israel, Italy, Japan and Turkey. New and noteworthy are cross mackenzie gallery of Washington, DC and Schantz Galleries of Stockbridge, MA, a solo debut for Jim Schantz, Holsten Galleries gallery director for 27 years, who recently purchased the Berkshires gallery.   

Lyman concludes, “We are looking forward to a successful SOFA NEW YORK and second annual SOFA WEST: SANTA FE, July 8 - 11, 2010, Opening Night, July 7, at the Santa Fe Convention Center in the city’s historic downtown.”

The Santa Fe fair has moved from June to July to be part of Santa Fe’s high summer season, with the world-acclaimed Santa Fe Opera, and popular Folk Art Market in full swing.

	Ruudt Peters Ornamentum Hudson, NY

Downloadable high-resolution press images are available in the Press Room at www.sofaexpo.com/epress/.

NEW OPENING DATE! SOFA NEW YORK 2010 will be presented April 16 – 19th at the Park Avenue Armory, Park Ave. at 67th. Opening Night, Thursday, April 15: Invitation-only 5:30 – 7 pm; Public Preview 7 – 9 pm, Tickets: $100.00. Opening Night attendees may also support New York’s Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) by purchasing a ticket to attend a private dinner in the Armory’s Tiffany Room beginning at 8:30 pm.  To purchase dinner tickets call Stephanie Lang at 212.299.7729. Exposition hours: Friday, April 16: 11 – 7 pm; Saturday, April 17: 11 – 7 pm; Sunday, April 18: noon – 6 pm; Monday, April 19: 11 – 5 pm. Tickets are $25 for a single day of general admission and $40 for a four-day pass; both include catalog. For general information, visit www.sofaexpo.com; call 800-563-SOFA (7632) or 773-506-8860; or email info@sofaexpo.com.