Bridge Art Fair Premiers in New York

Featuring 60 International exhibitors

Known for spectacular shows of emerging contemporary art in Chicago, London, and Miami, Bridge Art Fair proudly premiers its New York edition March 27–30, at the Waterfront, 222 12th Avenue, in the northern section of Manhattan’s Chelsea gallery district. Concurrent with New York’s celebrated Armory Show, Bridge New York will host more than 60 international exhibitors from such diverse locales as Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the United States. "We're very excited to premier Bridge in New York, "says founder Michael Workman, "It's the undisputed center of the art world, a city enthusiastic about the independent approach to art we have a built-in passion for."

Special Focus: Asia

Bridge New York marks the expansion of Bridge as an international focus showcase, premiering with a spotlight on Asian art. Invited galleries are participating from Manila, Taipei, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and elsewhere across the Pacific Rim. Building on New York’s annual Asian Contemporary Art Week, Bridge New York’s Focus: Asia offers art collectors never-before-seen contemporary work from the East.

Each subsequent edition of the Bridge Art Fair will feature a different international art cultural focus, while maintaining the fresh new talent that Bridge has come to be known for. The Bridge “Focus” section of each future fair will be defined both by geography and culture, providing each show with its own distinctive curatorial premise.

Bridge Art Fair New York follows a very successful Bridge Art Miami ’07, and marks the beginning of our exciting 2008 roster of expositions, including our second year in London during Frieze, our third year in Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach, and our first year in Berlin during Art Forum Berlin. Bridge New York marks the first self-produced booth show for the Bridge Art Fair, with a floor plan designed by the acclaimed Chicago-based concept firm Douglas Garofalo Architects, Inc.

“The Tunnel”

Bridge Art Fair is known for its use of non-traditional spaces that are artfully transformed into temporary contemporary art centers, and our New York edition is no exception. The Waterfront building, popularly known as “The Tunnel,” is a 23,000-square-foot converted railway tunnel that was once home to the famous Tunnel nightclub. The space spans an entire NYC block over 700 feet in length, and its 20-foot ceiling offers an open, spacious environment for art lovers to browse the best in international emerging art. As a former cultural icon and a destination for creative nightlife, the Tunnel is particularly suited to Bridge’s cutting-edge approach.

ARTPORT’s “Cool Stories for When the Planet Gets Hot”

Bridge is also proud to present “Cool Stories for When the Planet Gets Hot,” a selection of video works by artists interpreting green themes, organized by ARTPORT, an international arts exchange project based in New York and Valencia, Spain. The compilation of 11 short videos will screen on a continuous loop each day of the fair.
"We are excited to be part of Bridge Art Fair's kick-off in New York City,” said Corinne Erni and Anne-Marie Melster, Founders and Directors of ARTPORT. “We share a vision with Bridge to bring together the most inspiring contemporary international artists from every part of the world."

Each future Bridge fair will incorporate similar international programs, giving each show a new look and educational offerings to provide collectors and museums a unique experience. Bridge will announce other special programs for New York ’08 in the coming weeks.

Bridge Art Fair

In a short period of time, Bridge has skyrocketed to become a major influence in the international contemporary art market, offering new finds for collectors and art professionals worldwide. Bridge New York follows several successful fairs in 2007. Bridge London ’07, located at the historic Trafalgar Hotel, featured 70 exhibitors from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US. The abundant media coverage included Art Newspaper, the New York Times, ABC, BBC, CNN, Fox News, and Art Info. Sales figures were well over a million dollars, with high-profile buyers including Beth DeWoody and a number of major US museums. Lloyd’s TSB, the fair’s sponsor, was inherent to the success of Bridge, inviting many important clients and offering special art-purchasing programs. Miami reaffirmed Bridge as a luxury brand, with nearly 80 exhibitors and total sales in excess of three million dollars. Bridge once again proved itself the flagship show on Collins Avenue.