From Beijing to Buenos Aires to New York, the MIA- Miami International Art Fair shocases prestigious galleries from over 15 countries. A major contribution of the Fair is its support of the Miami art scene. Unlike any other Miami art fair, over 25 local galleries are participating and partnerships have been formed with important Miami museums and emerging art organizations, such as the Miami Art Museum, the Lowe Art Museum, the Robert and Patricia Frost Museum, the Bass Museum, Auguari, The End/Spring Break; the Fair also features special student and alumni exhibitions from Miami-Dade College, FIU- Florida International University and the University of Miami Art School. In addition MIA will introduce appropriate technology for the 21st century art fair, including an interactive iphone app for fair attendees and a live blog broadcast by “What’s Up Miami”, produced byEclectic Network Miami.

MIA is designed with commissioned curatorial and performance projects. Miami Curator Gean Moreno presents “Improvising Architectures” an art proposal of installations with a coincident lecture and symposium series. The exhibition reflects on the meaning of proliferating precarious structures in our globalized world. Participating artists from Miami are Christy Gast, Adler Guerrier, Nicolas Lobo, Ernesto Oroza and Viking Funeral–alongside that of artists Graham Hudson of London, Felipe Arturo of Bogotá, and Heather Rowe and Carlos Sandoval de León, of New York.

Other highlights include a monumental 25 foot wide “Penetrable” by Jesús Rafael Soto (Ascaso Gallery), and other exhibitions and performances by artists such as Jona Cerwinske (Rudolf Budjha) an artist inspired by tattoo and street art who will convert the stark entrance walls of the Fair into his next masterpiece in a live performance, Artem Mirolevich (Kavachinna Contemporary) will present “Transformation” an art performance where he paints a live model, Rob Fischer (Charest-Weinberg Gallery) will present “Quarry”an installation inspired by the rural Midwest and made entirely of recycled materials, and Taro Hattori (Black Square Gallery) will be bringing an actual-size model of an historic military aircraft.

Special video performances will be lead by Miami natives Anthony Spinello Gallery and Dot Fifty One, as well as Salar Galeria de Arte from La Paz, Bolivia. Miami’s own Lucinda Linderman will present a one-of-a-kind fashion performance.

In addition MIA celebrates women artists in a special exhibition, “A Celebration of Woman Artists”, works by Lorna Marsh (South Africa), Maria Bonomi (Brazil), Hyung Joo Kim (Korea) and Claudia Hakim (Colombia). Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts Gallery was selected as the recipient of the 2011 “Arts of Distinction Award”. For over twenty years Diana Lowenstein has been considered a respected member of the international art scene, as well as making major contributions to the local Miami art community.

This year visitors to MIA will have a revolutionary new tool at their fingertips. They will be able to view art on their mobile devices like never before with the FREE MIA iPhone app powered by Collectrium. This app allows visitors to take a snapshot of any artwork exhibited at the fair and instantly receive extensive information on artist and piece, add their own notes, bookmark it for later, share with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email, they can even contact the gallery. The app’s features do not end there, users will further be able to view the entire Show catalogue on their smart phone, see a map of the Show and read all the programming and scheduling information about the fair.

This new technology makes the fair more interactive between visitors and exhibitors and enhances the onsite experience of fair attendees; while allowing them to enjoy and share their favorite aspects of the fair even after they leave.

MIA is organized by International Fine Art Exhibitions (IFAE) principals David and Lee Ann Lester, founders of Art Miami in the same Miami Beach venue in 1991, and directed by Associate Director Aldo Castillo.

For more information on special exhibitions and exhibitor lists, please visit the website at www.mia-artfair.com.

Photographs by Betty Alvarez copyright 2011