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JANE ROZELLE CANVASES THE SCENE. ADDITIONAL REPORTING CATHERINE D. ANSPON. PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL DRIENSKY, KELLY TAUB, RACHAEL WISE. STATE OF THE ART DALLAS ART FAIR CELEBRATES AN EYE-OPENING SEVEN YEARS. T he seven-year itch did not apply to the Dallas Art Fair, which returned for year seven at Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G), swinging a paint- packed punch. With more than 90 national and international dealers, the sold-out Fair attracted approximately 10,000 attendees (including an increasing contingent of Manhattan art acolytes) because of its art- smart mix of programming, exhibitors of vision and, oh yes, parties — including an official kickoff, collector sneak peeks, soirées at the Power Station and Pump House and a blowout closing bash that made being in the art industry the most desired profession on the planet. Neiman Marcus Downtown once again kicked off the entire Dallas Arts Week. Fair co-founders Chris Byrne and John Sughrue — alongside wife Marlene and NM bigwigs Jim Gold, Jeff Byron, Neva Hall, Ginger Reeder, Kevin Hurst and Mimi Crume Sterling — welcomed edgy performance artist Karen Finley, who back in the day agitated the National Endowment for the Arts folks with her risqué performances that involved nudity and molten chocolate. No chocolate came out this evening, but it was avant-garde nonetheless. Finley sat down with guests including Soluna festival's Anna- Sophia van Zweden and Christie's Capera Ryan to create watercolor masterpieces based on the artist's psychic interpretations of each sitter. Seven days later, gallerists, collectors, curators, correspondents for national and international art media and the curious popped up around town — New York- based artists David Salle and Nate Lowman were on the scene at the Dallas Contemporary for a members' opening of their solos, Michael-Craig Martin hopped the pond to serve as this year's honoree at MTV Re:Define, and the Dallas Museum of Art team including Maxwell L. Anderson and Gavin Delahunty could be spotted holding court and gearing up for DMA's Art Ball 50. (Stay tuned for details in next month's pages and at papercitymag.com.) Opening day of the Dallas Art Fair commenced with the collector's series luncheon at Stephan Pyles headlined by local luminaries Mark LaRoe, Jeremy Strick, Kenny Goss, Howard Rachofsky, Marguerite Hoffman, Jackie Stewart, Alden Pinnell, Christen and Derek Wilson, and collector/artist Jay Shinn. After breaking bread, the crowd galloped to F.I.G. for an insider preview of the museum- worthy modern and contemporary masterworks. This was the first chance for acquisitions, and during the next two hours, brisk shopping was done. Hours later, the opening gala was one of the pinnacles of the week, as some of the most astute collectors in America previewed and acquired illustrious wares from gallerists in from Tokyo, Helsinki, Milan and even those with Texas roots. Top booths included London-based Hales Gallery, manned by Stuart Morrison and Paul Hedge, with their monographic show for Frank Bowling (a museum had already come shopping); Sicardi Gallery's Latin American-inflected offerings, especially the chromatic abstractions of nonagenarian Carlos Cruz-Diez; Workplace, in from the U.K. with its twin-sister painters, Laura and Rachel Lancaster, who caused quite a stir; Various Small Fires' gallerist Esther Kim Varet (an L.A. young lion who grew up in Dallas and now represents power players such as Mernet Larsen and Jim Drain), seen chatting with adviser Cindy Schwartz; and Dallas' Zhulong Gallery, where director Aja Martin curated a highly praised video wall for works by Renee Cox. Other familiar faces included famous photog Jessica Craig-Martin (in town to support her dear ole dad); Mayor Mike Rawlings with wife Micki (whose daughter, artist Michelle Rawlings, has shown at The Goss-Michael Foundation); and gallerist Wade Wilson, in from Santa Fe, Houston and Fort Worth with New York painter Danielle Frankenthal. Year seven went out with a bang at the closing- night soirée on the lawn outside The Joule Hotel, where Tony Tasset's Eye served as the backdrop for a psychedelic party with circus-themed models, swing sets to play upon, donut walls and candy- filled tables for feasting, all set to soulful serenades from gospel singer Leon Bridges of Fort Worth. Having a ball: Michelle Moussa, Carol and Frank Riddick, Sharon Young, Waverly and David Smith, Richard Eiseman, Anne and Steve Stodghill, Barbara Buzzell, Michael Cain, Mark Plunkett, and Stefania Morandi. Anna- Sophia van Zweden Ed Shaikh Gable Shaikh Karen Finley Howard Rachofsky Marguerite Hoffman Jeremy Strick Derek Wilson Christen Wilson Ginger Reeder Julie Taubman Johnson Hartig Stephanie Adelson Matthew Minick Nicole Pacich John Sughrue Marlene Sughrue Sébastien Vitry Kelly Coppock Erica Denton Jacquelin Sewell Taylor Richard Phillips Chris Byrne Eye spy … Jacqueline Anderson Maxwell L. Anderson Micki Rawlings Mike Rawlings Juliette Aston Mark Moussa Anais Assoun Mimi Crume Sterling Ulrich Sterling Mary Morgan Radcliff Megan Bowdon Kat Herriman Alden Pinnell Jackie Stewart Robyn Siegel Cecily Gooch Kelly Clark Cindy Schwartz Graysha Assoun Christy Pope Chad Solomon JUNE | PAGE 10 | 2015 Jessica Craig-Martin gets up close with Brandy Michele Adams.