Some images and rich memories of the pre-pandemic days of this great art fair. Enjoy! Anthony Meyer with man's best friend (Parcours 2009) Philippe Ratton & Daniel Hourde' Fang Exhibit 2006 (OPENING NIGHT) Philippe Ratton & Daniel Hourde' Fang Exhibit 2006. A sea of people holding champaign glasses obstruct traffic on Rue Bonaparte and Rue des Beaux-Arts! (Opening Night) Philippe Ratton & Daniel Hourde' Fang Exhibit 2006. This was a "tour de force" exhibit of Fang Byeri figures, sourced from their important clients, that can NEVER be duplicated in its scale and splendor ever again. (Parcours des Mondes 2009) Wayne Heathcote Gallery. Wayne is on the computer and Bruce Frank talks to a customer. (Parcours des Mondes 2012?) rue de Seine as a girl on a scooter runs over the foot of an African runner. (Parcours des Mondes 2016) A crowded Saturday on rue de Seine. This model in spacey outfit was associated with an exhibit by Galerie Vallois as I recall. (Exterior Galerie Meyer 2013?) Michael Auliso next to a Maori Artist with full moko tattooing who was collaborating with Anthony Meyer (Parcours des Mondes 2015) Alex Arthur and Thomas Murray (right) outside his gallery on Rue des Beaux-Arts. (Parcours des Mondes 2009?) Joris Visser outside his gallery on rue Guenegaud. Later that day Joris caught a thief stealing a piece. He chased him down and held him on rue Jacques Callot before the guy broke free and ran off. It was high drama. (Parcours des Mondes 2012?) Interior Michael Hamson's gallery. Sam Singer posing next to New Guinea mask. A possibly resemblance? (Parcours des Mondes 2013? ) Brussels dealer Alain Guisson (RIP) (left) with his colleague (darn, forget his name). (Parcours des Mondes 2009?) John Giltsoff (RIP) and his wife outside their gallery. He would never permit me to take any photos inside his galleries and was fearful of internet exposure. John is surely missed and so is his excellent taste. He would do the most amazingly accurate "voice impressions" of all the most flamboyant people in the art world! (Parcours des Mondes 2009) Udo Horstmann and Heinrich Schweizer (left). (Parcours des Mondes 2010? ) Edith Flak, Daniel Hourde' (center) possibly just returning from a Parachute jump, and son Charles Hourde'. (Parcours des Mondes 2009) La Palette: Udo Horstmann with Didier Claes (right) and Colette Ghysels (back right). (Parcours des Mondes 2009? ) Eugenia getting the job done. (Parcours des Mondes 2010? ) Alain Verala and his wife showing off, just purchased, beaded cache-sex aprons. (Parcours des Mondes 2010) Michael Auliso, with bad hair (center). A French security agent clears a requested photo with French President Jacques Chirac as he exists Galerie Christian Deydier on rue de Seine. I was surprised he only had one agent with him who was also his driver! After all, I was an unknown variable and so were the contents of my bag. (Photograph by Sam Singer) (Parcours des Mondes 2010) Michael Auliso with French President Jacques Chirac on rue de Seine. (Photograph by Sam Singer) (Parcours des Mondes 2010) Auliso and Chirac head for lunch at the Alcazar in the armored Citroen. Not! (Photograph by Sam Singer) (Parcours des Mondes 2009) Herma and Joris Visser at La Palette. (Parcours des Mondes 2009) At some gallery opening. Carlo Bella (right) Pace Primitive Gallery. (Parcours des Mondes 2008) Joseph Gerena (RIP) and Judith Schoffel transporting new purchases. (Parcours des Mondes 2017) Exterior Bruce Frank's Gallery on rue Mazarine. Left to right: Amyas Naegele, Bruce Frank, Fred & Kathleen Taylor, Alan Marcuson. (Parcours des Mondes 2015) Julian Flak (Parcours des Mondes 2007?) Galerie Flak with a memorable Northwest Coast/ Arctic Exhibition. (Parcours des Mondes 2015?) Exterior Ben Hunter's gallery. Ben with classic the bowler hat and handlebar mustache. Deiter and his beautiful daughter smiling back. (Parcours des Mondes 2016) Lin Chen-Willis standing outside Galerie Finch & Co. (Parcours des Mondes 2016) Chris Boylan and Jessica Phillips striking a pose. (Parcours des Mondes 2009) British dealers Adam Prout and Douglas Barrett (right). (Parcours des Mondes 2008) Galerie Jacques Germain. James Willis (RIP) talking with Germain (right). (Parcours des Mondes 2006) Opening night of Kevin Conru's Oceanic Shield Exhibition. John Friede standing in the entrance. Kirby Lewis is sitting on the curb. I still remember the charged excitement and anticipation of this exhibit! (Parcours des Mondes 2006) Opening night of Kevin Conru's Oceanic Shield Exhibition. Conru (left) talking to Kirby Lewis who is surely missed in the business. Kirby no longer sells "wood" but sell alcohol spirits instead. In hindsight probably a brilliant and timely transition. (Parcours des Mondes 2006) Opening night of Kevin Conru's Oceanic Shield Exhibition. John Friede holding court and drinking a Champaign. (Parcours des Mondes 2015) The tin can zombie aliens just landed. Clank.. clank-- bang... bang. Part of a mobile art exhibit by Galerie Vallois that I never quite understood. (Parcours des Mondes 2015) The tin can zombies coming out to dance again in front of La Palette. A creation of Galerie Vallois. (Parcours des Mondes 2015) Cafe' on rue Bonaparte. A customer enjoying her Yoruba Ibeji. Photo by Anita Schroeder. (Parcours des Mondes 2008?) Antonia and Ana Casanovas (Arte y Ritual) next to a massive Dan Mask. (Parcours des Mondes 2007) Kirby Lewis (Lewis Wara Gallery) striking a pose with his Vanuatu Rambaramp effigy figure. La fin
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This is the first review of the San Francisco Tribal Art Show after its significant transformation. We're fortunate the show happened "before" the Wuhan Virus could shut it down. The new show promoters made several BIG changes. They made the show one day shorter with the opening happening on Friday at 2pm instead of Thursday evening. Most importantly, they made the bold decision to combine TWO shows into one! Their Native American Art show, which normally occurred a week after the Tribal show in Marin, was combined WITH the tribal show this year. This meant that many Tribal Art dealers were purged from the show both voluntarily and involuntarily. Dealers not returning this year include, Chris Boylan, Wayne Heathcote, Michael Auliso, Zena Kruzick, Tad Dale, Morgan Oaks Gallery, and Laurent Dodier. Dodier was the last of the French dealers to try to capitalize on the show but ultimately gave up on the American market too. Back in 2006 the show was just the opposite. It was at its zenith with over half of the exhibitors at Fort Mason coming from Europe. Those were the days when the there were mega American Collectors driving the market though. Regarding dealer sales at the show, nobody told me they sold great but Vicki Shiba said she was surprised and pleased with sales. Saturday was the most crowded day and there was some buzz and energy. People were not only drawn by the art and exhibitors but also by the two special exhibits, "The Casper Project" in the foyer and the Native American blanket exhibit "Variations on a Loom". For most people it is enough for them to have an art experience without the need to buy or collect. Some dealers told me if they had not sold to other dealers, that they wouldn't have had any sales. So there is a kind of alchemy that takes places from all the dealers assembling in one place which is certainly positive. But it is not so for everyone. A New York exhibitor told me the high booth rent, plus travel and hotel expenses, make it difficult to break even. So we may even see fewer East Coast exhibitors in the future? From my observations the number of visitors under age 40 years is less than 10 percent. It is a testimony how this market has been drastically reshaped by a devastating generational shift. Over the last 12 years the entire marketplace has contracted largely due to changes in attitudes and behaviors of the "Millennial generation" (born between 1981-1996). They don’t care about having an old fashioned “Art Experience" or about the art their parents or grandparents collected. Unlike past generations, what they value is electronic devices, social media likes, climate change, and “woke culture”... From my perch the transition has been sad to watch. But the great news is there is always fresh old material coming to market and the timing and buying opportunity is amazing. I analyzed a raft of old receipts from over the years and my data shows that prices from 2008 have come down 40-70 percent for the "middle market"! I know since I swim there. This is not true for the very high end though and will remain so. My point is that I'm screaming from the roof top saying "There has NEVER been a better time to buy or begin collecting with such historically low prices. Mega Investor Warren Buffet keeps making billions on the contrarian philosophy: “Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy and Greedy When Others Are Fearful”. Opening night around the food court. Dave Deroche (Piedmont CA) with an Austral Island Ceremonial scoop. Louis Nierjing (Maastricht Netherlands) Always great Himalayan Material. Opening Night. Photo was taken in Mark Eglinton's impressive booth at the front of the show (Left to right: Woods Davy, Fily Keita, Mark Eglinton) Mark Eglinton (NY) (Mark Eglinton) Fang Mask (Marc Eglinton) Rare Bassikassingo Mask ![]() Galen Lowe Art & Antiques- Seattle Galen Lowe Continued (showcase view) Mark & Carolyn Blackburn's booth just off the food court. It was their first time as dealers in San Francisco. Great material. Note the Hawaiian Mirror! Mark & Carolyn Blackburn Last year we were blessed to have their special Fijian exhibit in the Foyer of the show. It was a preview exhibit of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) "Fiji, Art and Life in the Pacific". In the 20+ years I've been attending this show, this Fijian exhibit I mention was the best special exhibit EVER at fort Mason. The Casper Project Exhibit in the Foyer My first impressions of the everything beaded “Casper Project Exhibit” was tacky, audacious, but ambitious. The exhibit was heavy in Ak 47 rifles represented in AK beaded tapestries and wire beaded AK rifle sculptures galore. Since San Francisco is so fervently anti-gun, I thought politically it could go over like a lead balloon in the community? The exhibit wasn't just militaria themed objects, there were beaded animal skulls and bones to round things out. You can read more about the artist "Ralph Ziman" and the exhibit Here which was presented by the Rendon Gallery in Los Angeles. The project embodies the contrast of a legacy of oppression in South Africa with the rainbow of culture within this artistry. By the end of the show I had changed my opinion 180 degrees. The armored 11 ton military vehicle with 95% beadwork covering, was quite amazing, especially since it contained 70 million glass beads! The Casper Exhibit Cont. Joe Loux- San Francisco Joe Loux- San Francisco continued Mark Johnson Asian Art- Los Angeles Mark Johnson Asian. Mark's figural rice container was very cool! Difficult lighting conditions. Howard Nowes (Art for Eternity) and Sebastian Fernandez (Fernandez Leventhal Gallery). Difficult lighting conditions and a poor photographer. James Stephenson African Art- New York. One of my favorite dealers and a true connoisseur. James Stephenson African Art (photos above) Erik Farrow Fine Art Gallery- A nice shield wall Erik Farrow Fine Art Gallery Erik Farrow and Joshua Dimondstein (right). Not the most flattering photo but surely a keeper. Splendors of the World- Hawaii. I like the way Jerry Bock mounted his Fijian Totokia Clubs! Splendors of the World- Hawaii. Opening Night. Thomas Murray, Crystal and a staffer (far right) Thomas Murray Asiatica Ethnographica Thomas Murray Bryan Reeves Tribal Gathering London Michael Hamson with wall display of Vanuatu War Clubs Michael Hamson wall display of Polynesian Fijian Clubs Meanwhile back at Tribalmania Gallery in Half Moon BayInterior Tribalmania Gallery. Michael Auliso with Carlo Bella (Rt) from Pace Primitive Gallery in New York Interior Tribalmania Gallery. Amused by my license plate, Carlo grabbed it off the wall for this photo. Joshua Dimondstein Propably the greatest thing about the show is running into fabulous old friends. That's Morris Abram (MB Abram Galleries) and his lady doing some shopping. Marc Assayag Tribal Art (Tookalook) debuting his new book on Yam masks "The Stars Are Eyes" Vicki Shiba's booth. She is posing with collector/ dealer Michael Campbell as I recall. Vicki Shiba Asian & Tribal Art. Vicki told me she was pleasantly surprised with sales, however, she was the only exhibitor I heard such positive feedback from. ![]() The show has morphed dramatically from years ago and is constantly changing. I would say the current composition of art roughly breaks down to 30% tribal, 30% Native American with the balance divided between, Asian Art, Pre-Columbian, Textiles, Jewelry and Contemporary Native crafts. Well, I might be being "generous" saying a third of the show is now Tribal Art? Chinalai Tribal Antiques. They have been exhibiting at the show for a long time. Brian Nault Tribal Art- Oklahoma. Pende Figure with good movement and scale. Everyone should know that Brian is a skilled craftsman and an excellent stand/ base maker. Peter Boyd- Seattle. Always high quality select African Art. Peter Boyd- Seattle. Yombe or Kongo figure. Lecture SeriesThis year the series kicked off with expert Anthony Meyer from Paris speaking. His lecture was titled "Tribal Art: Past Present & Future". Lecture series in the back of the show. Thomas Murry discussing his new book "Rarities Himalayas to Hawaii". Thomas Murray at the podium with a packed house. By the way..... A special shout out to Marcus Raccanello Tribal Art. Sorry I didn't get to say hi and swing by your booth, but here is a website plug: https://www.raccanellotribalart.com/ Trotta-Bono. When I spoke to Ted he had a smile on his face and told me he and Ana had moved to Santa Fe Ne Mexico. I was thrilled for them. I bet they won't miss the high taxes in New York? This massive Northwest Coast Feast Ladle was amazing! Trotta Bono Continued Native American Art |
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