Calm Oasis in an Art Whirlwind
Grela Orihuela, director of Aqua Art Miami, December 6-10, and Art Wynwood, February 15-19, 2018, shares with BLOUIN ARTINFO what makes Aqua Art Miami unique in the broad array of offerings during the Miami Art Week, and how its relaxed vibe adds to the buying experience.
In the highly-energized art fair atmosphere during the Miami Art Week, how do you ensure that Aqua Art Miami stands out with the art that it showcases?
In our calm oasis of the Aqua Hotel, we’ve carefully curated an outstanding group of widely international galleries that emphasize bold, dynamic pro- grams across generations of emerging and established artists. The result is a highly-spirited vibe from a range of cultural perspectives not typical at a single fair, and not even typical for Aqua — more than half our galleries are new to the fair this year.
What are the biggest trends in buying today when it comes to art by emerging artists and mid-career artists, the focus of your fair?
Every collector has their own unique approach, thatʼs why we’ve worked so hard to present a wide range of work at many levels of acquisition. Buying trends are highly influenced by social media, but many collectors still rely on their own personal engagement with work — we designed both approaches into our fair, which will be very visible on social media and is also a perfect physical setting to spend time and presence with each gallery.
What is it about the work of these artists that sets them apart from the older generation, and that attracts the buyers?
At its heart, Aqua has a youthful voice, with a solid foundation of seasoned work. Visitors will encounter vivid social practice and at the same time a really strong showing of aesthetic adventures. The idea is to create a very dynamic environment to let the collector discover the relationships between intentions, techniques and forms of every kind. And there are a lot of forms!
What would you advise someone with limited time in Miami to not miss out on at Aqua Art Miami?
Two especially unique things about Aqua — a really active dynamic of work as I’ve described, and the truly singular location of the place itself. No other fair has this authentic Miami Beach setting of an historic indoor-outdoor enclave, itʼs a destination where you can enjoy discreet, individual time with every gallery. The courtyard, terraces and lobby are places to relax, meet and engage with fellow collectors, friends, and make new friends as we’ve created an atmosphere thatʼs inclusive and very welcoming. We’ve curated music and performances every day and a happy hour every afternoon so you can just take refuge to re-center your art-going from the city-wide clamor.
The unique venue of the fair is one of its defining features. Do you think the venue itself has played an important role in helping the fair stand out in a crowd?
Absolutely, because itʼs physically and geographically such a gathering spot, itʼs the starting point for developing our fairʼs special vibrant character, its explorations of multi-generational work.
Do the producers of Aqua Art Miami have any plans to replicate this model in any other city?
One never knows...!