THE IMPACT OF ART FAIRS AND THE WOMEN BEHIND THEM

Kelly Cornell and Zélika García nurture two fairs in trying times and prevail.

BY CARLOS GONZALEZ-JAIME

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Kelly Cornell at Dallas Art Fair. Photograph by Exploredinary. Zélika García at Zona Maco. Courtesy of Zona Maco.

Zona Maco 2022, installation view. Courtesy of Zona Maco.

Iwas introduced to the term “art fair” in 2001 while living in Miami. There was great anticipation surrounding the inaugural Art Basel Miami. Unfortunately, the terrible events of September 11 put the opening, and the entire world, on hold. The fair opened the following year and became one of the most important art fairs in the Americas and a catalyst for the arts in the US. At the same time, a young woman, Zélika García, graduated with a degree in art and started Muestra art fair in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey. After two editions, the event moved to Mexico City, and twenty years later it has transformed into the most important art fair in Latin America: Zona Maco.

Last February, I attended the 18th edition of Zona Maco. After changes due to Covid, the event returned to its traditional format with several sections, including contemporary and modern art, antiquities, design, photography, and emerging artists. More than 200 galleries from all over the world and 57,000 visitors participated in this edition. I had the pleasure of talking to Zélika, the mastermind and soul of Zona Maco. She believes the most important part of the fair is facilitating connections and relationships among exhibitors and visitors. “The fair generates opportunities for gallery owners to meet new artists, and for collectors to learn about their work and get acquainted,” she says. Additionally, through the fair, “Curators and directors from international museums have discovered and offered exhibitions to Mexican artists.” Zélika hosted a small group of collectors, gallerists, curators, museum directors, and “art lovers” (like me) at her astonishing apartment overlooking Chapultepec Park, where I was able to experience the magic of those connections.

When I asked Zélika if it has been difficult to be such a successful woman in a male-dominated country and industry, she smiled and said, “I believe that machismo is present at all levels, in all industries. There are still many things to be done in terms of equity for women . . . In the art world, the work of women artists is becoming more and more visible. There are many initiatives from galleries, fairs, and institutions, but there is still a lot of work to do.” Although she has noticed substantial changes, Zélika remains an agent for change and is committed to advancing gender equality in the art world. Since very early in her career, she has received numerous awards. She was named one of the 50 most powerful women in Mexico by Forbes Mexico, and she is considered one of the country’s most influential leaders.

Just a quick two-hour flight from Mexico City, Dallasites have our own art fair, driven by the young and powerful Kelly Cornell. Kelly is the brilliant woman behind the engines that move the Dallas Art Fair (DAF) and local art scene. Galleries are already planning which masterpieces to bring to Dallas in April, and DAF VIP tickets are in high demand. Two months in advance it feels like “love for art is in the air” in North Texas.

Kelly started working as an intern in 2011. “While still in school I fell in love with [the fair], and I kept coming year after year,” she says. After she graduated from SMU with a double major in painting and arts management, she had the opportunity to work for the fair. “I really just jumped on it,” she says, face beaming with love for her job.

Kelly became the managing director in 2016 and juggles a busy schedule. She is mom to two little girls, and with her husband, she founded a leather-goods company. “But how do you do it?” was the first question that came to my mind. “I don’t know,” she laughed, “It’s just a shuffle . . . but it’s fun and we’re making a big impact.” And I asked the same question I’d asked Zélika, about how challenging is it

Isabel Alonso Vega, Suspiro III (detail), 2022, smoke and acrylic case, 20 x 20 x 13 in. Courtesy of the artist and Proyecto H for Dallas Art Fair.

for a woman—particularly one so young—to lead such an important event. Kelly responded that it’s good to be challenged; “I feel that I constantly need to prove myself,” she said, which gives her “a lot of energy.”

And yes, you must have very high energy to launch the 14th edition (April 21–24, 2022) just a little over five months after the previous one in November. This spring’s DAF will bring more than 80 galleries from across Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, including CURRO, Drexel Galería, Galería Mascota, Proyecto H, and Saenger Galería from Mexico. The fair aims to “target the next generation of collectors,” says Kelly. And, she continues, “What makes our fair different from others is our scale and the friendliness of the people. We want everyone, experienced and new collectors, to feel welcomed, and I think we have achieved that.” Another unique component to the fair is the Acquisition Fund for the Dallas Museum of Art. Since it was established in 2016, the fund has raised over $500,000 that the DMA uses to acquire works of art at the fair. “I’m very happy that most of those acquisitions are exhibited almost immediately; that’s very satisfying,” Kelly says.

These two talented, young, and powerful women control their cities’ art scenes for over a week each year. Everyone involved with the art and hospitality industries—galleries, museums, hotels, and restaurants, among others—depend on what they do. Interviewing these remarkable women has solidified my belief in the transformational impact art fairs can have on a city and its citizens.

Almost 21 years ago a terrible act of terrorism almost stopped Art Basel Miami from happening. In hindsight, it seems to have made the fair, and all of us, stronger and more resilient. As I write, a terrible war has erupted in Ukraine. My hope is that it ends soon. And I hope that while visiting the Dallas Art Fair and connecting with people from different cultures and backgrounds we use the opportunity to understand that we are all humans and are all responsible for a better world. I truly believe the arts can help get us there. P

Left: Johannes Boekhoudt, The Saint, 2019, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist and Drexel Galería for Dallas Art Fair. Below: Octavio Abúndez, Epistemología (Instrucciones Inciertas series), 2022, ultra-clear tempered glass of 6 mm, silver emulsion, mirror, wood, 91.93 x 43.30 x 4 in. Ed. 1/3 + AP. Courtesy of the artist and CURRO, Mexico City for Dallas Art Fair.