SOFA NEW YORK 2005 WRAP UP REPORT:
STRONG SALES INCLUDE TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORK
RECORD ATTENDANCE BY COLLECTORS AND DESIGNERS

SOFA NEW YORK 2005 Opening Night Benefit.

An energetic crowd of over 1000 artists, collectors, curators and patrons opened SOFA NEW YORK 2005 on Wednesday evening with a festive gala preview benefit for the Museum of Arts & Design. Collectors and dealers agreed that Opening Night sales were strong. Linda Schlenger, President of the national collector group, Friends of Contemporary Ceramics (FCC), which attended SOFA NEW YORK, said, “I have never seen so many red dots (on sold artwork) so early at any SOFA ever. All the really wonderful work has sold.”

Sakiyama Takayuki (center left) with Joan Mirviss (center right) in the Joan B. Mirviss, Ltd. booth at SOFA.

Joan Mirviss of Joan B. Mirviss, Ltd., New York, specialist in Asian decorative and fine arts, said on Sunday that sales at SOFA NEW YORK were “Spectacular! Across the board. I can’t tell you how many new clients...I am totally gratified by the response. Whatever SOFA is doing (to attract top clientele), it’s doing something very right.” By Sunday noon, Mirviss had sold 23 pieces by mixed artists, in addition to all the ceramic vessel forms in her focus show by contemporary Japanese sculpture artist Sakiyama Takayuki. Mirviss said, “All the major pieces sold Opening Night.” She also reported securing 16 private and museum commissions for large-scale pieces by Sakiyama. VIEW SAKIYAMA TAKAYUKI SPEAKING ABOUT HIS WORK.

Garth Clark Gallery at SOFA NEW YORK 2005.

Garth Clark Gallery, New York, said “We’ve done extremely well. It’s been a great fair for us.” Clark reported selling 14-15 pieces by early Sunday afternoon including Akio Takamori’s Tall Envelope Vessel, North Wind by Rudy Autio, Untitled Head by Jean-Pierrre Laroque. Also selling well were vessel forms by Rick Dillingham, Robert Turner and Richard De Vore. Clark observed “a step up in quality of the general audience and overall attendance on the floor.” Garth Clark Gallery also sold two large-scale sculptures by Beth Cavener-Stichter, new to SOFA NEW YORK this year. VIEW BETH CAVENER-STICHTER SPEAKING ABOUT HER WORK.

Olga de Amaral ESTELAS, Special Exhibit (detail) Bellas Artes/Thea Burger, Santa Fe, NM and New York, NY

Thea Burger of Bellas Artes/Thea Burger, Santa Fe, NM and New York, said sales of new work by Columbian textile master, Olga de Amaral and sculptor Ruth Duckworth were, “Fabulous! We did wonderfully well, selling many our major pieces Opening Night.” In cooperation with the Museum of Arts and Design, Bellas Artes/Thea Burger presented a very well received Special Exhibit of suspended gold and silver leafed wall panels by de Amaral, never before seen in New York.

Artist Michael Lucero speaking about his work at SOFA NEW YORK 2005.

Of the many artists attending SOFA NEW YORK, there was perhaps no one more welcome after a five-year sojourn in Faenza, Italy, than Michael Lucero and his wife, painter Cheryl Laemmle, both represented by Donna Schneier Fine Arts, New York. Two major works from Lucero’s 1990’s Pre Columbus series sold Opening Night, as well as three of Lucero’s whimsical new ceramic and embroidered yarn sculptures over the weekend. VIEW MICHAEL LUCERO SPEAKING ABOUT HIS WORK.

Donna Schneier (right) in Donna Schneier Fine Arts booth, with Michael Lucero sculptures in foreground.

Donna Schneier of Donna Schneier Fine Arts said, “We’ve had a fabulous show!” Sales included major sculptures such as Betty Woodman’s 1982 Camellia Pitcher; Group by Viola Frey, 1989; Wood Peg Bowl by Ed Moulthrop, 1987; and a large gold luster glaze plate by Beatrice Wood.

Marvin Lipofsky's Australian Landscape Series at Holsten Galleries.

Kenn Holsten of Holsten Galleries, Stockbridge, MA reported brisk sales of sculptures by Marvin Lipofsky: “By the end of the Opening Night, we had sold half of Marvin’s exciting new Australian Landscape series.” Also selling very well at Holsten Galleries were constructed and cut optical glass by Martin Rosol. Mary Childs of Holsten Galleries said on Sunday afternoon, “This was Martin’s best body of work ever and we’ve sold 7 of 11 pieces we brought.” Holsten also sold two large cast glass sculptures by Latchezar Boyadijiev. VIEW LATCHEZAR BOYADIJIEV SPEAKING ABOUT HIS WORK.

Douglas Heller with Lino Tagliapietra Dinosaur in the Heller Gallery booth.

Heller Gallery, New York did very well with its major presentation of major glass sculpture by Venetian maestro, Lino Tagliapietra. Douglas Heller said, “Lino has a most impressive ability to come up with new and innovative work. We were very gratified by the response to his newest work.” Sales included two of the new Mandara 2005 series, a Dinosaur from 2005, as well as two Bilbao sculptures from 2004. Heller Gallery also sold a major cast glass sculpture entitled Butterfly Dress (Absence),2004 by Karen LaMonte. VIEW DOUGLAS HELLER SPEAKING ABOUT HIS GALLERY PRESENTATION.

Mari Meszaros Frozen in Time II, 2002 R. Duane Reed, New York and St. Louis

Duane Reed of R. Duane Reed, New York and St. Louis said, “It was the best Opening Night for sales we have ever had.” Major sales included Mari Meszaros, Frozen in Time II, 2002, fused and cast glass. Reed continued, “We have been at SOFA since its inception, and the every year the quality of the show improves. The visitors who were curious onlookers 8 years ago are now our clients. 60% of our sales at SOFA this year have been to new clients. This has been our best SOFA ever!”

Victor Armandariz of Ann Nathan Gallery with Cristina Cordova head.

Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago led the way at SOFA NEW YORK for contemporary furniture, painting and sculpture at SOFA NEW YORK, selling 4 major works of steel and natural rust patina with paint in traditional Shaker furniture styles, including Round Trestle Table by Jim Rose. Also selling was a large-scale oil painting, RSVP by David Becker. Victor Armandariz of Ann Nathan Gallery said, “We’ve had a fantastic show!” Sales also included three striking ceramic heads by Cristina Cordova.

Barry Friedman (left) discussing Yoichi Ohira's new vessel forms at Barry Friedman, Ltd.

In addition to enjoying success with 2005 vessel forms of contrasting colored powders with glass canes by Yoichi Ohira, Barry Friedman, Ltd., New York sold large-scale photography at SOFA NEW YORK, including two sepia toned gelatin silver prints by Frederic Ohringer.

Leslie Ferrin (far left) with Lucy Feller photograph in background at Ferrin Gallery.

Strong sales of two-
dimensional work were also reported by Leslie Ferrin of Ferrin Gallery, Lenox, MA. “We were delighted to premiere digitally collaged photographs by Lucy Feller. We sold two and received commissions for ten more. We were very pleased with this reception, not knowing what to expect at SOFA.”

Robert Aibel, left, with sold George Nakashima server in right background at Moderne Gallery.

Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia enjoyed excellent sales of mid-century modern furniture by artist-designers George Nakashima and Wharton Esherick. Robert Aibel of Moderne said, “We noticed an incredibly high interest in our work, resulting in an extremely high number of sales. There was wonderful energy on the show floor.” Sales included a 1963-4 server entitled Unique Cabinet of American black walnut by Nakashima and a rare Hammer Handle Chair by Esherick. Moderne Gallery also sold several vintage Wendell Castle pieces including a pair of curly maple Crescent Rockers of curly maple from 1983, and a walnut dining room table from 1974.

After their Lecture Series presentation, from left: Liza Kirwin, William Daley, Helen Drutt, Nanette Laitman, Tacey Rosolowski, Robert Ebendorf and Mija Riedel.

An estimated 650 persons attended thirteen SOFA NEW YORK 2005 Lecture Series presentations in the Tiffany Room at the Armory. Of special note was a panel featuring key principals and artists discussing The Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, an important program of The Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution to record oral interviews and collect the papers of key figures in the decorative arts.

Dr. Sylva Petrova and Wing 11 by Stepán Pala.

Also well attended was Dr. Sylva Petrova’s lecture on Czech glass presented by the Czech Center New York, with a festive reception following at the booth of Galerie Pokorná, Prague. Galerie Pokorna reported major sales at SOFA including 3 cast glass sculptures by Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtová, Wing II, 2005 by Stepán Pala and Jacob’s Ladder by Vaclav Cigler. Jitka Pokorna said, “I’m very happy, we had an excellent show! New collectors came, collectors of painting and sculpture who bought glass for the first time from us.”

The Bentley Project's booth at SOFA NEW YORK 2005.

The Bentley Project, Scottsdale, AZ, new to SOFA NEW YORK, reported very strong sales of pieces by major artists, including selling all of the work of John Rose, whose piece Incantation was featured on the cover of the SOFA NY 2005 catalog. Betsy Rosenmiller said, “Many of our sales were to new collectors and we secured several large commission projects with important design firms and individuals. We also had a great deal of interest from collectors in the new work by ceramic artist Bobby Silverman. His luminescent, minimalist paintings on porcelain tiles were a focal point of the booth, and we sold most of the pieces that we brought and several from the gallery.”

Daniel Hamparsumyan (left) with Patty Warashina bust at Loveed Fine Arts, New York.

Mark Lyman, President of SOFA NEW YORK and its sister show, SOFA CHICAGO in the fall, said, “SOFA NEW YORK continued to stretch in new directions with the addition of qualified two-dimensional paintings, video art and photography. Also dealers noted an upswing in attendance by architects and designers, as well as top-notch collectors. We look forward to developing these areas in future shows.”