DEEP IN THE
ARTS
DALLAS CELEBRATES CREATIVITY IN APRIL By Holly Haber
A
pril is a heady time when area arts institutions put their best foot forward for Dallas Arts Month. The lynchpin is the 12-yearold Dallas Art Fair, a vibrant international showcase of 85 galleries from April 21 to 24 at Fashion Industry Gallery. "It’s fun way to experience art from all over the world," says fair director Kelly Cornell. The fair got the citywide art theme rolling in 2013 when it self-proclaimed Dallas Arts Week, Cornell explains. Then, former Mayor and longtime art lover Mike Rawlings embraced the concept as a civic asset and useful tool for a metropolis eager to brand itself as an arts center. In 2017, the city established April as Dallas Arts Month. "The museums push their programming to synch with the fair because we have national
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and international press and all this great attention on Dallas," Cornell says. "The city really got behind this project, and with everyone together we are making great things happen across the arts in Dallas for the whole month." The celebration quickly grew to encompass theatre, dance, and music. Who's Who at the Art Fair Situated a block from the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), the art fair was launched in 2009 to capitalize on the city's significant base of contemporary art collectors, which has grown since with the surge of businesses and people relocating to Dallas, especially from California. "People are moving here who may already be established collectors, and they are getting involved on
the philanthropic and social levels," Cornell points out. "There is a bigger emphasis on local artists than a decade ago, and it's really important for the whole ecosystem." This year's fair draws gallerists from coast to coast plus Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. Among them are Archeus/
“Rabbit" by Keer Tanchak at Dallas Art Fair
Post-Modern, Hales, Hollis Taggart, Kasmin, Kerlin, Marlborough, Night Gallery, Perrotin, and Turner Carroll. Prominent local galleries also exhibit at the fair, including Cris Worley Fine Arts, Conduit, Erin Cluley, Galleri Urbane, and Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden. Largely focussed on contemporary art, this year's fair may well feature more figurative works, Cornell speculates. "A couple years ago things were far more abstract, and over the pandemic we've seen a lot more figurative work coming out," she observes. "People were attracted to seeing it. A lot of it is self reflection, identifying yourself, or someone you love or hate in these works." The fair is quite the social event. Its opening soiree on April 21 attracts big spenders seeking first dibs – Dallas Cowboys co-owner Gene Jones and other major collectors have been spotted there – and ticket sales benefit a fund for the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center and
