Art Expo: Local Dealers Exhibit Their Discontent
Quiet no more, Chicago art dealers are raising their voices in the hope they can keep the prestigious Chicago International Art Exposition from losing its luster. Last week gallery owner Carl Hammer, president of the 40-member Chicago Art Dealers Association, said he had met with Art Expo executives to seek assurance that local dealers will have a significant say in planning future Art Expos. “We are trying to convince management they need gallery input,” says Hammer. His comments come in the wake of complaints from out-of-town dealers that fair officials aren’t doing enough to promote and upgrade the annual exposition.
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John Wilson, head of the Lakeside Group, which runs Art Expo, did not spell out how he would respond to the Chicago dealers, except to note, “We have always listened to what they have to say.” He pointed out that local dealers are already a part of the selection committee that determines which dealers will participate in Art Expo each year.
Meanwhile, David and Lee Ann Lester of Art Chicago continue their efforts to take advantage of the dealers’ discontent. Last week they faxed local dealers copies of articles about Art Expo and Art Chicago that appeared in this column and in the Sun-Times, with a cover letter touting what they considered to be the fair’s strengths, including a festive opening night gala. The Lesters closed the letter with a line no doubt intended to play off of what Hammer and others see as Art Expo’s autocratic image: “Call us and tell us exactly what you need and how we can serve you.”
Execs associated with all three venues say they are trying to hold ticket prices down after promoters were criticized last year for price gouging. At the World, pavilion ticket prices range from a low of $15 for the Allman Brothers to a whopping $49.50 for Genesis, with most other tickets falling between $20 and $30. Macferran said tickets for most shows at Alpine Valley would average around $25 for pavilion seats and $17.50 for lawn admission.
