Amidst a flurry of anticipatory pre-press, SCOPE Art Show’s 11th New York edition opened with record-breaking attendance at its new location across from the Armory Show. Preceded by a feature article in The Wall Street Journal, the excitement was palpable as SCOPE opened the doors of its monumental 30,000 square foot pavilion on 57th Street and 12th Ave. With over 18,000 attendees to its New York 2012 edition, SCOPE Art Show continues to be the premier showcase for international contemporary art and multi-disciplinary creative programming.
With proceeds benefiting New York-based not-for-profit, chashama, SCOPE New York’s VIP & Press Preview was attended by 3,500 influential collectors, press and industry leaders. SCOPE welcomed: The New York Times, Artforum, Art in America, Artinfo, The Gothamist, The Huffington Post, New York Observer, The Art Newspaper, Forbes, CBS, and Artnet, who touted SCOPE as “one of a handful of small fairs that sets itself apart.”
SCOPE New York 2012 featured 60 international galleries, all of whom enjoyed unprecedented exposure and sales. Artinfo reported: “Collectors literally pulling work of the walls as pace quickens at SCOPE,” as Eric Firestone Gallery quickly sold all of Retna’s works, in addition to a work by Shelter Serra to Beth Rudin DeWoody. Hailing this year’s show as “The best SCOPE New York to date,” Anthony Spinello of Spinello Projects also reported spectacular sales, including two Manny Prieres drawings also acquired by powerhouse collector, DeWoody. Having sold out work by Casey Grey, Ferris Plock & Greg Gossel, San Francisco’s Whitewalls exclaimed, “It’s been amazing. We’ve met hundreds of engaging, interested, serious, committed art collectors—new ones!” Sales at Galerie von Braunbehrens topped 300,000 USD, while Global Art Group reported a sale at 165,000 USD. A.M.F. Projects reported two of Lainie Love Dalby’s works acquired by acclaimed artist Kehinde Wiley, while SCOPE alum Rare Gallery reported a significant sale to the 21C Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.
Along with the exhibiting galleries, SCOPE featured a group of special projects supported by the SCOPE Foundation, emphasizing its core mission to be the premier launching pad for groundbreaking work. “Part of coming back to our roots is coming back to quality,” says Show Director Mollie White when interviewed along side with SCOPE Founder, Alexis Hubshman, for The Wall Street Journal. And indeed Artslant agreed: “The special programming presents visitors with SCOPE’s personal curatorial vision, bringing together performance, film and installation to show their dedication to sharing art, not just selling it.”
Gallerist Ethan Cohen calls SCOPE Art Show “A terrific venue for showcasing emerging artists—as good as it gets.” It was with this spirit that The SCOPE Foundation, in cooperation with WelcomeToCOMPANY, presented their New York 2012 Award to Congo-based artist Vitshois Bondo, of NOMAD Gallery, Brussels. Vitshois and NOMAD will receive 100 square feet of exhibition space at SCOPE Basel 2012.
SCOPE New York 2012 boasted attendance from press and curators alike: several galleries reported meaningful exchanges with critics Roberta Smith and Jerry Saltz, while Art Mur of Montreal was visited on several occasions by a notable Smithsonian curator. Hardcore Art Contemporary Space had tremendous success with Gaston Ugalde, with work acquired by Alan Stein, whose family’s collection is on permanent display at the San Francisco MoMA, where he is one of the trustees. “We are really excited about this new relationship,” says Hardcore, “just having him in our database is… unheard of!”
The incredible success of SCOPE New York 2012 sets the tone for the upcoming SCOPE Basel, which will take place June 12–17th at a high-profile venue in historic Kaserne, running concurrently with Art Basel, and just blocks away. SCOPE Basel 2012 is accepting application through April 9th. For Information & Exhibitor Prospectus please visit: www.scope-art.com or contact: mwhite [at] scope-art.com.
