Выставка MiArt

MiArt is the international modern and contemporary art fair, now in its fiftheen year. The exhibition is divided into two main areas: Modern and Contemporary. MiArt has set itself the task of becoming an unmissable date on the Italian and international art calendar. For this reason, the fair, which for years has been showcasing the finest galleries specializing in 20th century art, has enlisted the help of a respected curator for 2009: Giacinto Di Pietrantonio. His task is to redefine the concept and rethink the approach of the event, in particular as regards the contemporary sector within the Italian and international context.

MiArt"s organizers intend to establish an active dialogue between the fair and its home city - with the arts, institutional and business worlds of Milan, a city with an enormous, and often unexpressed, potential. The art fair is set to become instrumental in relaunching this potential and the role of the city on the Italian and international art worlds. It will act as both the direct and indirect promoter of initiatives outside the fair that will improve the visibility of both the fair itself and Milan. MiArt is therefore organizing a series of exhibitions in various locations about the city. MiArt is also producing a new publication intended to help people rediscover Milan and its art.

As MiArt 2009 came to an end, it was registering an overall attendance of 37,000 visitors, in line with that of last year. In fact, the 140 exhibiting galleries (against 195 of the previous edition), the 958 artists represented at the exhibition (529 from Italy and 429 from abroad), and the 8,000 works of art being showcased were all extremely select.

 

Пресс-релиз выставки MiArt

MiArt 2009

International Exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Art in Milan

CONFIDENCE IN ART IN SPITE OF THE CRISIS

No longer just collectibles: art is back as an investment. Rewarding sales and public attendance in Italy’s art market capital

Quality has made the decisive difference at the 2009 edition

Milan, 22 April 2009 – The 14th edition of the International Exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Art drew to a close on Monday 20 April in Milan and MiArt’s new Project Manager, Alessandro Cappello, is now taking stock of an event whose new image has met with favourable reviews in the media and been rewarded by an excellent attendance of the public, collectors and gallery owners, as well as enthusiasts fascinated by the beauty of the works on display.

As MiArt came to an end, it was registering an overall attendance of 37,000 visitors, in line with that of last year. An increasingly attentive and competent public which has responded well to the new strategy focused on quality and selectiveness. In fact, the 140 exhibiting galleries (against 195 of the previous edition), the 958 artists represented at the exhibition (529 from Italy and 429 from abroad), and the 8,000 works of art being showcased were all extremely select. «This is a project we all strongly believe in and have invested considerable resources in, confident that this is a winning course of action», states Alessandro Cappello, in whose opinion «the decision to focus on quality has paid off, not only because it has made the exhibition more enjoyable but also, and above all, in terms of business. Comments by the exhibiting galleries have revealed a keen attention towards the event and a steady presence of Italian and overseas buyers, particularly important private collectors. Furthermore, in spite of a greater selection and reduction in the number of exhibiting galleries, last year’s attendance figures have been met and the average number of contacts per exhibitor has increased by +40% for each gallery».

The most outstanding element to emerge from the four days dedicated to MiArt is the strong feeling of confidence perceived among the booths, together with an elevated volume of sales: «Art has got out of its rut as a collectible item – Cappello points out – and is once more being regarded as an investment. In spite of the crisis; average purchases in the range of 20,000 and 150,000 euro for contemporary works, and yet higher figures in the modern segment, showed that art is acknowledged for its investment value, an investment that seeks out quality, not only in renowned artists, but also and especially, in artists that show future potential. MiArt has registered a turning point: until just one month ago, the crisis had partially cooled down the art market but this edition of the exhibition has marked a point of recovery, from where it seems possible to get started again, with evident signs of confidence».

Curated by Donatella Volontè, the hall dedicated to modern art has once more shown that this event acts as an extraordinary forum for anyone wishing to buy twentieth century masterpieces. This is a sector of excellence, which attracts gallery owners of great standing with a predominance of Italian works that are difficult to find on other markets. Nespolo, Soldati, Accardi, Haring, Mitoraj and Bonalumi, even a Picasso, are just some of the names registered among the sales effected in the Modern sector, a privileged showcase for works that represent a solid investment on a market that has long since recognised their unquestionable and stable value.

This is naturally a niche segment addressing an extremely select public, one that may dispose of considerable financial resources, and whose efforts to open its doors to international collectors this year have been rewarded by renewed attention and interesting negotiations. The new line of rigour and selectiveness was most evident in the hall dedicated to contemporary art under the direction of Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, this being a sector in which many artists hold future promise. The decision to position young galleries with those of a more consolidated reputation proved to be a winning move, since it provided a pretty accurate picture of the contemporary art world, with the presence of some great international names and a high number of Italian artists promoted by foreign galleries. Here too, a high volume of sales was registered, facilitated by more affordable quotations than in the modern sector but, more important still, gallery owners are aware of a growing interest towards young artists and towards art as an investment.

At last year’s edition the Unesco Observatory estimated the volume of trade to be in the range of 8 million Euros. “The same Observatory has also been at work this year”, concludes Alessandro Cappello. “The figures will be available in a few weeks, but we are already aware of a perceptible increase. The contemporary segment sold more pieces, but the modern came out on top in sheer monetary terms.

Save the date for the next and 15th edition of MiArt, from 25 to 29 March 2010, in Milan, at fieramilanocity.

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