Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1516371
Fair An art advisor, auction-house expert, and collecting couple all weigh in. Adam Green, founder, Adam Green Art Advisory, on why attendance at the Dallas Art Fair is de rigueur for collectors, and which artists he's steering his clients to. In recent times, the number of art fairs across the country h a s i n c re a s e d significantly — however, those t h a t r e m a i n relevant and show high-quality art are not as often found. The Dallas Art Fair is one that time and time again continues to be an incredible fair for those local to the area, as well as to the international art community. Important galleries from around the world visit Dallas seeking to reconnect with existing Texas collectors and engage with new ones. For those of us who do not live in New York or Los Angeles, having this kind of quality time to invite gallerists into your home for collection visits, or to go out to dinner to get to know them better, is incredibly rare and valuable. The art world is a relationship- driven business, and ultimately having high-touch moments of face time with top gallerists and artists who come out for the fair will strengthen your relationships. This could put you top of mind when those galleries decide who is getting access to highly desirable, in-demand artworks. Collectors from other cities often lament about the difficulty in getting galleries' attention. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity by making sure you attend the fair, get to know the galleries who are visiting Dallas, and hopefully buy something to show your support … More with Adam Green on papercitymag. com. Geoff Green, collector, on behalf of himself and his wife, Sheryl Adkins- Green, on their must-sees at the fair. • Babajide Olatunji at TAFETA: All it takes is one look to be completely mesmerized by Olatunji's portraits. His fictionalized sitters, often painted on a larger-than-life scale, are so realistically portrayed that they could be mistaken for photographs from afar. This London-based self-taught artist's hyper-realistic work is meticulously painted in charcoal and pastel. The gaze of the Girl with Green Scarf II draws one in to notice subtle facial scarification marks made to distinguish cultural groups and rank in his native Nigeria. The folds in the green scarf drape softly; her skin glistens. The culmination of Olatunji's painterly prowess creates a radiant moment between the portrait and the viewer. His ability to forge these meaningful connections sets his work apart from other artists. Clockwise from top: Frank Hettig recommends Callum Innes' Untitled Lamp Black/Alizarin Claret, 2023, at Kerlin Gallery; and Deborah Butterfield's Untitled 5282, 2021, at Marlborough Gallery. Geoff Green and Sheryl Adkins-Green recommend Babajide Olatunji's Girl with Green Scarf II, 2023, at TAFETA Gallery; and Jessica Vollrath's Tell Them You Are My Sister, 2023, at Pencil on Paper Gallery. All images courtesy the artists and their respective galleries. (Continued) 44