Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1500317
T he 15th edition of Dallas Art Fair has left us all a bit winded. Open any art-world publication of late, and they all proclaim that the pandemic is over and that fairs — a major component to the multi-billion- dollar global art market — are back IRL and in full swing. Anyone who is familiar with fairs (see also Art Basel's numerous international offerings, Frieze, and The Armory) knows that they generally open on a Thursday or Friday, and the frenzy of sales normally happen within moments of the VIPs (Very Influential Purchasers) arriving. Then over the course of the weekend, the gawkers (those hoping to get a glimpse of gazillionaires perusing booths and disposing of their disposable cash on contemporary art) are offered admittance via purchased tickets. The Dallas Art Fair follows that format, with a VIP Gala Preview on Thursday and public access through Sunday. But, as the profile of our hometown iteration has grown, so has the "week" of events. Granted, the entire month of April has been dubbed Arts Month, but DAF parties began occurring the weekend before. For that entire week, many I encountered shared that on some evenings, they were making multiple stops to give multiple air-kisses at multiple receptions taking place all around Dallas. See? Winded. A WEEK OF NON-STOP ART GAZING AND PRAISING. By Billy Fong. Photography Beckley & Co., Exploredinary, Bruno Snap the Picture, Kaitlin Saragusa/BFA. Illustrations Alex Tomic. ARRRRRRRT PARTIES (Continued) ZOOM! Kaleta Blaffer Johnson Velia De Iuliis Renee Morris at Dallas Art Fair Abby Ronner at Dallas Art Fair Kelly Cornell Sarah Blagden at Dallas Art Fair Katie Eva Gaj with Tamara Malcher's Amazone II, 2023, and Amazone I, 2023, at Dallas Art Fair 28