Artlog presented Fountain Art Fair’s opening party on Friday, with a DJ set from the legendary Fab 5 Freddy, a performance by hip-hop trio Ninjasonik, and a set from NYC-based DJ NSR. As you might have guessed from the opening line-up, Fountain is a fair with alternative roots. Growing out of the Brooklyn art scene in 2006, co-founders David Kesting, John Leo, and Lincoln Capla conceived Fountain as a platform for up-and-coming artists and galleries to leverage support from collectors and critics during major art events. Since its inception, Fountain has held six exhibitions in New York, one in Los Angeles, one in Chicago, and just celebrated its sixth in Miami.
Fountain made its debut with three galleries—Capla Kesting, McCaig-Welles, and Front Room—in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse across the street from the New York Armory, followed by a similarly DIY fair in Miami. “Our first Miami, we took over a space that was an almost abandoned warehouse with six exhibitors,” explains Fountain founder John Leo. “Now you’re looking at 2011 Miami Beach, twenty-eight exhibitors, twenty-nine if you include the street artists of our 150 ft. street art install.”
“It was remarkably different from the other fairs,” adds Erik Hokanson of Grace Exhibition Space. "There were no rules. The public responded to this and you could see it in their faces—we created a positive and relaxed atmosphere where the emphasis was on the artwork more than the art dealer. That’s the way it should be.”
Installation in progress: Evo Love. Photograph by Kendra Heisler.
Installation in progress: Sarah Trouche. Photograph by Kendra Heisler.
Installation in progress: En Masse street art panel. Photograph by Kendra Heisler.
Installation in progress: Brian Leo. Photograph by Kendra Heisler.
Installation in progress: Miguel Ovalle. Photograph by Kendra Heisler.
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