Collectors can take a chance on a unique piece at the Superfine! Art Fair (Photo by James Miile)

By DCist contributor Sandra Salathe

There’s a big problem in the art world, according to Alex Mitow and James Miille. The founders of the art festival Superfine! The Fair, arriving in D.C this month, say the field of artists and art collectors is lacking when it comes to the inclusion of women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community.

“With art being a liberal concept, you would think the art world would mirror that idea,” Miille says. “However, when you step back and analyze the majority of buyers and gallery owners, you begin to realize the gap.”

This is where Superfine! comes in. First launched in Miami three years ago and later expanding to Los Angeles, New York, and now D.C., Mitow and Miille created the company with the vision of making art more accessible and inclusive for art lovers. They collect a wide range of pieces from up-and-coming artists to sell at more affordable prices than bigger galleries. Pieces are priced from $100 up, and 75 percent of the items cost less than $5,000.

“We’re allowing people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to such a concentrated gathering of contemporary art the ability to walk into Superfine! and discover great art they love,” Mitow says.

When Superfine! sets up at Union Market’s Dock 5 later this month, art aficionados can check out the work of more than 300 artists, including the feminist-leaning paintings of Helen Robinson, the alien portraitures of pop surrealist Bruce McGowan, and fiber works from Sarah Magida, to name a few. More than 60 percent of the artists in the fair’s solo program hail from the D.C. area, including climate change-focused mixed media artist Noel Kassewitz, painter and musician Rogelio Maxwell, and multimedia artist Sarah Jamison.

Mitow and Miille have also partnered with several groups to bring non-gallery events to D.C., including a screening of short films curated by the Florida-based LGBTQ film festival OUTshine.

“By partnering with OUTshine, we’re able to connect with an LGBTQ audience in a very personal way, through a medium that isn’t necessarily as imposing as an art fair, but still within an art fair context,” Miille says. “As denizens of a changing world ourselves, we’re passionate about many things beyond art that impact our daily lives and that informs our choice in partners.”

The fest also includes events for knowledge-sharing in the art community, including a panel with women in the industry, a discussion on networking for artists, and a talk with developers about building communities with local art.

“That’s really what Superfine! is about: ushering in a new generation of collectors and building a sustainable art economy that works for both artists and art lovers,” Mitow says.

Superfine! The Fair runs at Union Market’s Dock 5 October 31-November 4.Two-day passes $12-$15, other events $20-$55