Inside SP-Arte.
Photo: Pangeia de dois/SP-Arte.
Art world denizens not at Dallas Art Fair (see Dallas Art Fair 2015 Is Very Social But Plenty of Art Still Gets Sold) flocked to Brazil for SP-Arte, a São Paulo-based fair that took place from April 9–12 (see Must-See Art Guide: Brazil)
The largest fair in South America enjoyed a visit from pop music icon Cher, in addition to serious art collectors like the Rubells, who gave a speech at the São Paulo Museum of Art.
Cher was in town to be honored at the amfAR Inspiration Gala, which took place on Friday night, but she apparently enjoyed exploring the fair and even fell in love with an artwork by Olga de Amaral at Galerie Agnès Monplaisir. The work was, unfortunately for Cher, already red-stickered.
Cher.
“Brazil is lovely,” she tweeted to her 2.53 million followers on Saturday afternoon. “Went to art show last nite & fell in love with MAGIC GOLDEN Art piece by 85 year old woman…IT WAS SOLD. HAD FUN ANYWAY.”
Cher, standing by an artwork by Olga de Amaral at Galerie Agnès Monplaisir.
Photo via Galerie Agnès Monplaisir.
A tipster told Page Six that the singer was also spotted eyeing a sculpture by Anish Kapoor at Lisson Gallery’s booth.
In 2006, Julien’s Auctions held a sale of the star’s personal items, which brought $3,536,940 to benefit the Cher Charitable Foundation. Items sold include a Bentley, a Hummer, and a vintage Ford, as well as fine jewelry and a variety of stage costumes. The sale also featured a handful of artworks, including Victor John Robertson’s Penelope and the Suitors, Ercole Procaccini the Younger’s The Holy Family Served by Angels, and a rare Lalique vase.
It’s not the first time one of amfAR’s notoriously star-studded fundraising galas has lured a Hollywood A-lister to an art fair. Gwyneth Paltrow was recently seen admiring the wares at Art Basel in Hong Kong, in town to host at an event for the AIDS research foundation (see Did Gwyneth Paltrow Bring Home a Basquiat From Art Basel in Hong Kong?).
Brazil’s continued art market boom is partially credited to the success of the fair (see Study Shows Brazilian Art Market’s Continued Boom, Samba of Sales at Opening of SP-Arte Fair), which was founded in 2005 and boasts blue-chip galleries like Gagosian, David Zwirner, Marian Goodman, and White Cube.