2018 Year in Review
As we launch head first into 2019 with stARTup LA just around the corner and plans for more new fairs underway, we can't help but feel incredibly grateful for the artists who've trusted in our mission and the art lovers and supporters at all levels who’ve contributed to the opportunities, partnerships, and successes we all enjoyed in 2018.
2018 was a huge period of growth and discovery. Here are just a few of the many high points we relished this past year…
New vibes in Venice beach
Moving stARTup Los Angeles to The Kinney Venice Beach for the first stARTup event of 2018 made magical memories for everyone from the 67 exhibiting artists to the thousands of attendees, performance artists, and panelists who stepped into this colorful urban oasis.
Mikey Kelly wowed the crowd with a floor-to-ceiling installation of hand-painted painted lines on cardboard panels while Guta Galli mesmerized visitors with a durational performance “51 pounds” wearing a monumental red yarn entity that carries the memories, hair, blood, and sweat of 31 different women, and featured Artist Parker Day celebrated her freaky art paradise photo series ICONS with her festive friends and art world followers.
It’s not too late to make plans for stARTup Los Angeles 2019 at The Kinney this February 15 - 17th. Join us!
new services for art lovers
Art Advisor and Curator Josefin Lundahl took the helm of stARTup’s new Art Advisory services to offer companies, interior designers, and private individuals access to our highly vetted roster of artists for art sales and special commissions, rental programs, and unique exhibition events.
We hope you caught the beautiful exhibitions we curated at Isaia International, a Neapolitan Menswear firm, Jeff King & Company fine home builders, and the San Francisco Design Center’s Loggia Showroom.
Save the Date: Our latest show, a large scale abstract exhibition, at Hilton’s Parc 55 Hotel in downtown San Francisco opens this February 7th from 5 - 8pm. Join our mailing list for more details.
reaching new heights in san francisco
Record applications, exhibitors, attendance, and sales overwhelmed us at the fourth edition of stARTup SF at the Hotel Del Sol. 80+ independent artists, took over every inch of the Del Sol’s rooms and courtyard with all manner of mediums creating a festive mood of exploration and discovery.
Hunter Franks' interactive booth, How to Start a Revolution, sparked conversations about how simple it could be to change the world, while The Factronauts, aka Peter Foucault and Chris Treggiari, brought unique flair and special equipment to analyze data around them to trying to make sense of today’s politically divided nation.
At one end of the fair, Sara Zielinski’s room was draped in sheets of silk-screened body parts with wearable art and objects that explored the experience of being female and the pain we feel in our bodies. As Camila Magrane focused on Virtual Reality, Interactive Electronics and mixed media as a means of human expression rather than utilitarian function.
a new fair: smallworks
If you've been to stARTup you know it's BIG. It's an immersive weekend in a hotel setting with art exhibitions in every room and installations, performances, music, and food filling the courtyards.
In September we challenged our own notion of size and launched stARTup Small Works, a warehouse style art fair, pared down to tabletops and small-scale artworks by artists from Los Angeles to London.
The scale and intimacy of Small Works enchanted audiences with an outdoor lounge by Urban Farmgirls, food truck fare, spirit tasting by Raff Distillery, and 40 tables of original art; treasures that fit into most budgets and any home.
Needless to say, Small Works launch was a BIG success!
New Key Partnerships
Working with Artfinder for most of 2018 has been a privilege for stARTup. Founded in 2011 and based in London, Artfinder connects people to over 10,000 artists to art buyers in 108 countries.
Artists who are chosen by our Selection Committees to exhibit at stARTup Art Fairs are also accepted on the Artfinder platform gaining access to a worldwide audience all year long.
Sign up on Artfinder, and start shopping now.
Loggia Showroom in the San Francisco Design Center approached us to direct their art program allowing us to mount rotating exhibitions with past and present stARTup Artists throughout the year. Visit this beautiful showroom now to see our current exhibition highlighted by an incredible high-end selection of furnishings and rugs.
We’re excited about our most recent partnership, a year-long sponsorship with Cameron Hughes, wine négociants whose wines will be offered exclusively at stARTup fairs throughout 2019. We’ve tasted their wines- you’re going to love them!
As Promised
Our stARTup mascot, George the Cat, is thrilled about all the exciting developments in 2018… He’s looking forward to a productive 2019…
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