Fresh Paint 2 / 2009

Fresh Paint 2 was held in Tel Aviv in March 2009 and was an unprecedented success, with 36,000 visitors in 5 days. The large crowd took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of work by both established and promising artists, purchase original works of art, participate in a variety of activities, and show their interest and support for Israeli art. 17 contemporary art galleries and about 50 independent artists took part in the fair.

Shira Zelwer, winner of the Most Promising Artist award in 2008, exhibited her installation "Reserved" – a solo show curated by Ellen Ginton, head curator of Israeli art for the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The Secret Postcard project sold some 900 postcards, raising 160,000 NIS for scholarships for artistically outstanding youth. An additional 60,000 NIS were raised for funding an annual art therapy program in children's homes around the country, and 10,000 NIS were collected for "Na Lagaat" (Please Touch) Center's activities through the Special Edition Project.

The Igal Ahouvi Art Collection awarded 2009's Most Promising Artist Award to Dror Daum, and Aviv Naveh's photograph 'Sinai' was the winner of Sotheby's Under the Hammer award, which was initiated that year. It was included in the annual auction of Israeli art at Sotheby's New York and was very successfully sold.

The fair also featured commissioned works and special projects by Anisa Ashkar, Porat Solomon, Itamar Shimshoni, Keren Yeala-Golan and leading graffiti artists.

Open to the public throughout the fair was a program of lectures and discussions with curators and artists, as well as children's workshops in collaboration with The Tel Aviv Museum of Art.