The Dallas Museum of Art has established a new art fund that (starting yesterday) allows the museum to buy work from galleries showing at the Dallas Art Fair (now in its eighth year). The fund is founded in collaboration with the Fair, and is called Dallas Art Fair Foundation Acquisition Program.
Some new DMA patrons contributed the $50K that allowed the museum to purchase works for its permanent collection; DMA representatives led by its contemporary curator Gavin Delahunty walked through the fair for hours yesterday selecting the nine works the DMA has aquired, and these works now sport placards that mark them as new DMA acquisitions. This is going to be an annual tradition.
Via the Dallas Morning News, the nine works are by four artists: Michelle Grabner (Green Gallery, Milwaukee); Nadia Kaabi-Linke (Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai); Merlin James (Kerlin Gallery, Dublin); and Lina Puerta (Geary Contemporary, New York). Congrats to the artists, the galleries, and the DMA.
(And this should keep exhibitors on their toes. Visiting galleries: Bring your best art to Dallas.)