The Dallas Art Fair and Invitational 2025 kicked off with a more subdued energy, but dealers remained optimistic about the weekend ahead.
The Dallas Art Fair and Invitational 2025 kicked off with a more subdued energy than in previous years, but dealers remained optimistic about the weekend ahead.
The Dallas Art Fair is an annual event that brings together international galleries, artists, and collectors in the vibrant city of 'Dallas.'
Held at the Fashion District, the fair showcases a diverse range of contemporary art, from painting and sculpture to photography and printmaking.
With over 50 exhibitors participating each year, the fair offers a unique opportunity for visitors to discover new talents and explore different artistic styles.
According to a survey, '75%' of attendees are first-time buyers, indicating the fair's effectiveness in fostering a sense of community among art enthusiasts.
The fair’s slower pace was attributed to the pandemic-era buzz not carrying over into their second year at the event.
Frank Bowling is a British artist of Barbadian descent, known for his large-scale abstract paintings.
Born in 1936, he studied at the Royal College of Art and has since become a prominent figure in British art.
Bowling's work often explores themes of identity, culture, and social justice.
He was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008 for his services to art.
Bowling's paintings are characterized by their vibrant colors and textured surfaces, which reflect his Caribbean heritage and experiences growing up in Britain.
Main Fair Highlights
-
Blouin Division: Canadian Indigenous artist ‘Renee Condo’s panels with large beads glued into resin were a standout, exploring relationships between all things and revealing concepts of harmony, reciprocity, and entanglement.’
-
David Nolan: Guatemalan artist Rodolfo Abularach‘s works, including sculptures and drawings, drew prominent local collectors, who acquired his pieces in the last couple of days. He will be the subject of two solo exhibitions at both galleries this coming June.
-
Good Weather: Chicago-based gallery presented disquieting and whimsical assemblages of caged paintings by Tokyo-based conceptual artist COBRA alongside works by other artists.
Rodolfo Abularach is a Guatemalan-American artist known for his vibrant and abstract paintings.
Born in Guatemala City, he began painting at the age of six.
Abularach moved to the United States in 1965 and settled in New York City.
He studied art at the Pratt Institute and later at the Art Students League.
His work is characterized by bold colors and geometric shapes, often inspired by Mesoamerican cultures.
Abularach's paintings are held in several museum collections worldwide.
Invitational Highlights
-
Vardaxoglou Gallery: London’s Vardaxoglou Gallery placed an early Frank Bowling from the 1960s into a major Dallas collection, priced in the six figures. The gallery was fielding serious interest and had on reserve works by younger artists.
-
Bureau: New York-based Bureau presented a thoughtfully curated selection featuring longtime collaborators like Erica Baum and Vivienne Griffin, alongside emerging voices such as Kate Spencer Stewart and Thiang Uk.
Sales
While some dealers reported a sluggish start, others were optimistic about the weekend ahead. ‘This is a slower-paced fair, where sales can still happen in the very last hours on Sunday.’ said Mrs. founder Sara Maria Salamone . Cristin Tierney Gallery’s founder expected an uptick in sales over the weekend.
The Landscape Has Shifted
There was a quiet consensus among dealers: ‘the landscape has shifted in the country, and sales expectations will need to be recalibrated.’ The trade war’s impact is still being felt, but the art market is adapting to new realities.
