Buffalo Rising Online

Apr 25th 2008, 4:27pm By Sandra Williams Gordon

This article originally posted on April 22.


Buffalo's internationally renowned Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts (CEPA) Gallery is currently preparing for its ninth biennial photographic art auction, featuring vintage photography.

The live auction takes place on Saturday, April 26, at the historic Market Arcade Building in downtown Buffalo's Theatre District. In addition, those unable to attend this exciting event can still buy art, as absentee bidding is underway. Visit www.cepagallery.org to view lots and enter bids.

CEPA is a not-for-profit arts center founded in 1974 as a resource for photographic creation, education and presentation. Since its official inception, CEPA Gallery has always had a practicing artist as its executive director. That position is currently being filled by Lawrence Brose. Recently, CEPA Gallery has formed the nation's first true administrative and creative partnership in the arts with Just Buffalo Literary Center and Big Orbit Gallery.

For the past 18 years, the biennial auction has been a highlight of the CEPA Gallery. The event is the area's only professionally run, live art auction, and the Gallery's most important and worthwhile fundraiser. The auction usually brings in $80,000 and this year CEPA's goal is to raise $100,000 in order to provide the necessary funds that will allow CEPA to continue to mount challenging exhibits, increase opportunities for working artists and create unique educational programs for regional youth.

To date, over 75 artists from all over the world have generously donated their work for this auction, and the list continues to grow. Close to half of the artists represented in the auction are from Buffalo or nearby areas, emphasizing the strong arts community that exists here in Western New York.

Most of the remaining artists have some history with CEPA, have spent important portions of their artistic careers in Buffalo, or simply recognize CEPA Gallery as an important institution for the art of photography. For example, Cindy Sherman, famous for her conceptual self-portraits and recipient of a MacArthur Award in 1995, had her first show at CEPA, and donates her work. William Wegman, whose portraits of Weimaraners are held in permanent collections of museums around the world, has had work produced at CEPA and is always generous with his work.

With a growing interest among collectors in vintage photography, CEPA has recently been focusing in that area. Milton Rogovin has given a vintage print from the 1950's, and Ken Heyman has given four vintage prints from his work with Margaret Mead. Vintage works of Percy F. Murray and Kevin B. O'Callahan are also featured.

For the first time, the gallery is advertising in national magazines focused on photography and collectors. In this way, CEPA hopes to increase absentee bidding, invite more artists, attract new audiences and reach out to young collectors--as well as to those collectors and patrons who have always supported CEPA.

Honorary Chairs, Roberta and Michael Joseph, prominent art collectors and philanthropists, will host the auction. CEPA welcomes the return of auctioneer, Dale W. Stulz, Appraiser and Consultant in Fine Art Photographs. With over 30 years of experience in the field of fine art photography, including working as Founding Director of the Department of Photographs at Christie's International, Stulz's expertise and professionalism will guarantee that guests will be on the edge of their seats as the bidding takes place.

Gerald C. Mead, Jr. states, "From the point of view of a long time contributing artist and patron of the auction, I feel CEPA has established this event and refined it over the years to create the area's foremost art auction in terms of professional quality and thorough documentation. This is valuable to both the artist and the collector alike."

Admission: $50 per person (includes auction paddle, catalog, hors d'oeuvres and open bar.) The reception begins at 5:30PM, with the live auction to start promptly at 7PM. Contact CEPA Gallery for further information, to make advanced reservations, or to request absentee bid forms at 716.856.2717, or auction@cepagallery.com

The Auction Preview Exhibition continues to be on display in CEPA's Flux and Passageway Galleries until April 26. This exhibition is free of charge and open to the public. This is a unique opportunity to view artwork by artists often exhibited at international museums and fine art galleries.

The catalog is updated daily, so check back frequently to see what's new.

CEPA Gallery, 617 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
716.856.2717
http://www.cepagallery.org/auction/index.html

Image above by William Wegman