Travel blog from Miami. We arrived late last night. Jetlaged and ate dinner at our usual place at the first floor of our Apartment building at Ocean Drive. A few blocks from where we are going to work for the next 10 days. We are going to participate at Scope art fair during Art Basel week Miami. It's our third time, but the first time we are traveling with support from OCA (office for Contemporary Art Norway). We are so greatful for this support, it also means less sleepless nights!! :-)
Day 1) November 29
Early morning. We woke up at 6:00 am and none of us were able to sleep. We are staying in the same apartment for the third year in a row.
We are now on our way to Scope at the beach, hoping that all our artworks has arrived... wish us luck!
Almost unbelivable. All the artwork has arrived. From Asbury Park, New York, London, Copenhagen and Oslo. We are missing 4 strecher bars ordered in Miami and our booth was not painted so waiting for the second layer now.
Luis Bivar brought his girlfriend from Portugal
Luis Bivar streching all the canvases.
Day 2)
Bianca and Kathrine woke up at 6:00 this morning. I was a bit luckier...got to sleep until almost 8:00.
Started the day at our local restaurant (with the most expensive, but best coffee we have tasted so far) when the rain started pouring down!
Its very convenient to be on the beach when the sculpture requires sand.
Sculpture by May Von Krogh,
Henrik Uldalen's strecher bars did not arrive on time so we sent Ole Marius to pick up some new ones in a taxi half way through Miami. So thankful, Luis Bivar streched them all and everything was ready in time.
Starting to look good...
All the lighting is done and we are ready for the opening tomorrow! It's been a long day.
Day 3)
The Scope Platinium first view and Press opening
It's over midnight and l just got home from a VIP dinner at MANA Miami. It has been an incredible day. Both collectors and press was amazed by our artists and both. There was two journalists from Praque who took a lot of pictures and said we had the best booth at Scope this year. They were writing for international magazines. So we will see...
We got a request from an entrepreneur if Gabriel Schmitz could do a big mural on a building in Miami in 2017. I will definitely follow up on that. And we sold a painting by Olav Mathisen to a collector from Basel.
The highlight of the day was that l was asked by a gallery in Chicago to curate a show with Norwegian artists in 2017!! That's a great opportunity both for my artist and the gallery.
I had to leave the fair around 6:00 to go to a VIP dinner and reception at Mana Miami in Wynwood. There was so much traffic that l was almost late...so nervous. I was invited by Eileen Kaminsky, the founder of ESKFF at MANA Contemporary and an important collector. (For you who doesn't know, l have collaborated with them for a year now and was offered a chair at their board this summer).
I was there at 7:00 and was velcomed by these guys. So classy. All the important collectors and buyers were there and l got to hand out some business cards. The ones with the USB sticks in them that everyone is so impressed with. (I even got a lawyers phone number earlier today because someone thought that l should get a patent on it:-) Then it was the dinner, speeches, the Miami Symphony orchestra played and everything was beautifully organized. So proud to be a part of it.
Eileen Kaminsky and me inside MANA..
After dinner we got a preview on the shows at Mana...
Tomorrow l will check with Bianca and Kathrine how the collectors mingling at Scope tonight went. I was not able to be there because of the dinner. They are both at sleep now. Can't wait to hear how it went.
So tired and jet lagged...good night from Miami!!
Day 4)
Second day at Scope, yesterday it was VIP and press. Today the fair opend for the public.
May Von Krogh's sculpture is getting a lot of attention. Everybody loves it, the beautiful meeting the grotesque...
A lot of people pointed out today that they like our booth, some even said that they think it's the nicest one at Scope. Yay!
It's been a good day and a lot of positive attention...looking forward to rest.
We think that the fair is really good this year. Very high quality of the works.
Some highlights at SCOPE:
Our favorite girls at Parlor Gallery, we just love them. Too bad that they are not our neighbors this year!
More to come, l have not seen the whole fair yet...its to busy and too much.
We were invited to a VIP opening at AQUA tonight and we all went. Got to say hello to Patrick at Vertical Gallery. We met him at scope last year and he got two of Olav Mathisen's paintings back with him to exhibit in Chicago.
Highlight of Aqua Artfair.
Good night from Miami!
Day 5) Sleep is overrated...just saying.
Got up early to join Eileen Kaminsky to a fabulous breakfast at a collectors house. Mingling and drinking Champagne at 9:30...not something l do everyday.
After breakfast Eileen and Gina (the director of ESKFF) went back to Scope with me. Eileen bought a painting of Luis Bivar and that was the first sale of the day.
Scope was crowded with people all day! We sold six pieces of Olav Mathisen and one of Peter Ravn in addition to the one by Luis Bivar. 8 all together. We are now half way through the fair and so happy with the result so far!
The installation by May von Krogh is getting a lot of attention. I really hope it stays in the US!
Day 6) after a rainy rainy night...
We had breakfast with a collector from New York at DIRT on 5th and Washington. Great new place which serves ecological food.
Crowded with people at Scope today despite of the bad weather!!
One cocktail at the fair before we left...they are serving free coctails all evening!
After the fair we were Invited to the Edvard Munch Art Award announcement by OCA and the Norwegian Embassy. Congratulations to award winner Camille Henrot! We met some fellow artists and gallerists at the reception. Great event and honored to be invited!
After the event we went to the VH1 Scope Party at Nikki Beach!
God night from Miami...it's been a really long day!!!
And then we told OCA and the Norwegian Consulate that Norwegian artist Olav Mathisen have been offered a recidency in Istambul and about Ole Marius' representation in NYC. All because of our presence at Scope!
Today has been a really busy day at the fair. It's been raining all day and we were so nervous that it was going to stop people from coming to the beach, but it was crowded all day. They promised us 45.000 people and l don't think that's an overstatement!!
Tap Tap, an Haitian restaurant with a live band...really cool place!
Our feet are swollen, our throats hurt and way to little sleep. But if you look away from all that, we are doing great!!!
Good night from Miami Beach.
Day 8) last day at Scope
It's 4:00am at Miami Beach and we are just finished wrapping up our booth. Now some wine and dinner in the middle of the night...yay!!! #SCOPEMiamiBeach #galleriramfjord #finito
