Freshpaint 3 - Fresh Paint Past Fairs

Fresh Paint 1 took place in Tel Aviv in March 2008.
Fresh Paint 2 was held in March 2009.

Fresh Paint's Mission: To bolster the Israeli art scene by providing local and international exposure for the next generation of Israeli artists, to endorse young, promising artists and to introduce the public at large to contemporary Israeli art.

Main Objectives: To present Israeli artmaking to a wider audience, to promote and support young artists, and to offer a rich selection of quality, original artworks for purchase at affordable prices.

Fresh Paint, while modeled after professional art fairs around the world, is unique in its role as a launch pad for the careers of promising, unrepresented artists. The Independent Artists’ Greenhouse section of Fresh Paint showcases the works of such artists, all of whom are carefully chosen by a professional selection panel. The exhibition of their works alongside established contemporary art galleries enables these artists to introduce themselves to curators, gallery owners, collectors and the public at large, while selling their work and enjoying the fruits of their labor and talent.

Fresh Paint 2 took place in Tel Aviv in March 2009 and enjoyed unprecedented success, with 36,000 visitors in 5 days. Visitors to the fair enjoyed the works of over 100 artists, bought original artworks, participated in a range of activities and demonstrated their interest in, and support for, Israeli art. 17 contemporary art gallery and 68 independent artists participated in the Fair.

Four challenging and individual artworks were commissioned and executed within the framework of Fresh Paint 2’s special projects. These included a performance/installation by Anisa Ashkar, curated by Edna Moshenson with the support of Outset Contemporary Art Fund, a video installation by Porat Salomon curated by Sarit Shapira and video works by artists Itamar Shimshoni and Keren Yeala-Golan.
The Igal Ahouvi Art Collection awarded the Most Promising Artist Award to Dror Daum, who will present a solo exhibition of new works at Fresh Paint 3. A solo exhibition of works by Shira Zelwer, who won the Most Promising Artist Award at Fresh Paint 1, was featured at Fresh Paint 2. The exhibition ‘Reserved’ was curated by Ellen Ginton, Curator of Israeli art, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Aviv Naveh's photograph Sinai was chosen by Sotheby's to be included in its annual auction of Israeli art in New York in December 2009, where it was very successfully sold.

A number of successful community projects and fund-raising activities took place in Fresh Paint 2, to benefit a number of nonprofit organizations. The Secret Postcard project sold about 900 postcards for a sum total of 160,000 NIS. These funds were used to provide scholarships for youth from underprivileged backgrounds, who excel in the arts, for studies at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s Education Center program. Approximately 60,000 NIS were raised by the Curator’s Choice project for the NGO Yeladim - Fair Chance for Children, for funding the yearly activity of art therapy for children in children’s homes. The Special Edition project raised NIS 10,000 to support the activities of the Nalaga'at Deaf-Blind Theater Company.

The general public was invited to participate in various lectures and meetings with artists, as well as an art workshop for children organized in collaboration with the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Fresh Paint 1 took place in Tel Aviv in March 2008. The fair garnered much interest and was visited by over 14,000 people in four days. Sixteen contemporary art galleries and 68 independent artists participated in the fair.
The Igal Ahouvi Art Collection awarded the Most Promising Artist Award to Shira Zelwer.

Special projects were commissioned by young artists Efrat Kedem and Orly Sever.

A number of successful community projects took place within the framework of Fresh Paint 1: the Secret Postcard project sold about 900 postcards for a sum total of 160,000 NIS. These funds were used to provide scholarships for youth from underprivileged backgrounds, who excel in the arts, for studies at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s Education Center program. Approximately 100,000 NIS were raised by the Curator’s Choice project for the NGO Yeladim - Fair Chance for Children, for funding the yearly activity of art therapy for children in children’s homes. 40,000 NIS were donated as acquisition funds to various Israeli museums.