South Fork Galleries Are Miami-Bound

The first week in December is when some 1,200 art galleries and thousands of collectors, curators, critics, and celebrities descend on southern Florida for Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Miami, and more than 15 satellite art fairs. Artists are thick in the mix as well, despite John Baldessari’s famous assertion that an artist going to an art fair is like a kid walking in on his parents having sex — you know it happens, but you never want to see it.

South Fork galleries making the pilgrimage this year are Mark Borghi Fine Art of Bridgehampton (Art Miami), Eric Firestone of East Hampton (Untitled, Art, Miami Beach), Todd Merrill Studio of Southampton (Design Miami), Lawrence Fine Art of East Hampton (Scope Miami), Chase Edwards Contemporary of Bridgehampton (Red Dot), and, from East Hampton, Halsey Mckay, Harper’s Books, and Rental Gallery, all participants in NADA Miami Beach.

While Rental Gallery opened in East Hampton in June, it first launched in Los Angeles in 2004 and three years later in Manhattan. Joel Mesler, the gallery’s proprietor as well as an artist, is no stranger to Miami. “The first year I did Miami was 2007, but this is the first time I’m showing my own work there. In fact, I think it’s the first time a dealer has ever shown his own artwork at NADA. In terms of expectations, hopefully I do what I’ve done for my artists in the past. It has always been quite fruitful and beneficial for me.”

“It’ll be exciting to see if anybody likes it. The funniest thing is that sort of cringe-worthy question you always get on the last day of a fair, when people ask if you’re the artist. I’ll actually be able to say yes this year.” The Rental booth will also be showing ceramics by Sarah Aibel, Mr. Mesler’s wife.