Brian Gibb over at the Dallas MetBlog announced the formation of CADD (Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas) this week…

I have been holding off on announcing this for sometime, but now that things are set in stone it is time to shed some light on what has been happening over the last few months.

13 of Dallas’ premier art galleries have banded together to form CADD (Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas).

Below is an official statement from the organization…

CADD was formed for the purpose of promoting the advancement of contemporary art in the Dallas cultural community.

CADD includes the city’s foremoest contemporary visual art galleries. Members are committed to the highest standards of contemporary art exhibition, while recognizing the importance of integrity and responsibility in working with artists, collectors, museum professionals and educators. In the coming months, in support of the Dallas visual art community.

Membership to CADD is by annual invitaion. To qualify, a gallery must demonstrate professionalism, possess good standing among colleagues, and contribute to the cultural life of Dallas.

The list of invitees include:
and/or gallery
Art Prostitute Gallery
Conduit Gallery
Craighead-Green Gallery
Dunn and Brown Contemporary
Goss Gallery
Holly Johnson Gallery
Pan American Projects
Gerald Peters Gallery
Road Agent
Valley House Gallery
Marty Walker Gallery
Barry Whistler Gallery

The Fine Line is a lover and supporter of local and regional art galleries and artists, but I can’t help but take note of one glaring gallery and supporter missing from this list. Why no Kettle Art on this list? Frank Campagna is “committed to the highest standards of contemporary art exhibition, while recognizing the importance of integrity and responsibility in working with artists, collectors, museum professionals and educators.” Not to mention his gallery is a stone’s-throw from co-founders over at the Art Prostitute. I certainly hope to see Kettle Art on this growing list in the future.

Meantime – CADD will hold an inaugural art fair May 19-20, 2007 from 10:30am to 6:30pm at 333 First Avenue in Dallas.

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Speaking of the greatness that is Kettle Art…

Saturday, February 10th
7 – 10 PM
Tangible Transience
recent work by Ansen Seale

“Seale works with a camera of his own invention, creating images that challenge the viewer’s sense of visual orientation even as they appeal to our sense of abstraction. The classic photograph paradox occurs; we know that at some level the camera is capturing something tangible, real and recognizable but we also know that our perception of it is manipulated at different levels. Seale exploits this relationship, giving us a recognizable subject to latch onto, then subverting that recognition by juxtaposing it with things we can’t readily accomodate. The figure/ground relationship is somehow flattened; shapes and shadows are distorted in intentional ways, and objects are simultaneously compressed and extended.”

-Diana Roberts, Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas

Note interested parties are welcome to attend a short talk by Ansen
about his work prior to the opening @ 6:30 this Saturday!