MIAMI ART SCENE

So I investigated the local art scene whilst in Miami today. Spoke to a local dealer who opened up his gallery just 2 years ago, after doing private dealing for 12 years before that. He said, among other things, that the arrival of international art fairs -- Basel -- was significant in making the local artists suddenly focus on their work. That what is good about the local artist community is the ongoing dialogue but that the arrival of "external" forces like Basel made them pause to think, Dang: Let's really do this right.

And, consequently, this dealer has noticed that the quality (however he judges it) in what he sees in studio visits suddenly has improved or ripened to the point that he himself was encouraged to set up a gallery representing primarily the locals. That, finally, the time was right to do so.

Of critical import is that in Miami -- unlike in San Francisco -- collectors support their local art (gallery) scene. And not only do they buy local artists but they buy in depth.

All this is old news to me in terms of how they relate to SF, where I would like to set up PFA someday. But given the ridiculous POVs of local collectors -- particularly ridiculous given the fabulous talent of Bay Area based artists -- it's not something I've figured out how to address yet. That PFA's structure will not require me, as dealer, to depend on local collectors' expenditures is not the same as that the artists I will represent won't care.