Unstoppable

The 2020 edition of The American Art Fair was held in a virtual format for its 13th year

Like many events we know and love, the prestigious affair, The American Art Fair had to pivot this year and adopt an online-only model for its 13th year running. The fair—which ran October 9 to 18 at www.theamericanartfair.com—featured, as always, top fine art dealers including D. Wigmore Fine Art, Driscoll Babcock, Avery Galleries, Debra Force Fine Art, Jonathan Boos, Graham Shay 1857, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Questroyal Fine Art, Thomas Colville Fine Art, Vose Galleries and 14 others.Romare Bearden (1911-1988), Black History, ca. 1979. Collage of various papers mounted on illustration board. Courtesy D C Moore Gallery.

“The American Art Fair continues its tradition of exhibiting historical American art, which excludes the work of living artists. We continue to introduce major works by important American artists whose art is in high demand and who are included in the collections of the leading museums throughout the country,” says fair founder Thomas Colville, who owns Thomas Colville Fine Art in Guilford, Connecticut. “Each dealer offered two works accessible on our website that have not been offered by them before this event.”George Luks (1867-1922), Poverty Hump, Maine, ca. 1922. Oil on canvas, 25 x 30 in., signed lower right: ‘George Luks’; signed and inscribed on verso: ‘Poverty Hump / Maine / by George Luks’. Courtesy Avery Galleries.

Stuart Davis (1892-1964), Wharf, 1931. Oil on canvas, 18 x 22 in., signed lower right: ‘STUART DAVIS’; signed and dated on stretcher: ‘STUART DAVIS 1931’. Courtesy James Reinish & Associates.A number of noteworthy sales were made within the first few days, including works by Martin Johnson Heade (Questroyal Fine Art), Doris Lee (D. Wigmore Fine Art) and Alfred Maurer (Deborah Force Fine Art). Exhibitors reported a wave of interest and inquiries during the fair’s run, and several major sales are still pending.

Among the dozens of 19th- and 20th-century artists whose works were represented at the virtual fair included Romare Bearden, Sanford Robinson Gifford, Marsden Hartley, Will Barnet, Martin Johnson Heade, Jacob Lawrence, Reginald Marsh, Elie Nadelman, Jane Peterson, Norman Rockwell, Charles Sheeler, John Singer Sargent, John Sloan, Andrew Wyeth and William Zorach.John Millard Ferren (1905-1970), Untitled, 1936. Oil on canvas, 35 ¼ x 45 ¾ in. Courtesy D. Wigmore Fine Art.

The American Art Fair plans to return in 2021 at its well-known venue, the Bohemian National Hall in New York City, from November 13 to 16. Collectors and attendees can keep up with the latest news about lectures and plans for the 2021 fair at www.theamericanartfair.com. —