03/15/2026
From My Point Of View (FMPOV) – Post #2 | HFAS18: MOMENTS IN FOCUS – Art For Technology Wrap-Up
February 20–22, 2026
By Richard E. Pelzer II
The past 30 days have been a blur.
From Nairobi, Kenya… to Harlem… to two stops in Brazil, life has moved fast, full of purpose, responsibility, and reflection.
As the Managing Partner & General Manager of the Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS), I often say I have two jobs. One is the visible work that everyone sees — producing an international art fair, building partnerships, creating platforms for artists, collectors, and communities.
The other job is quieter.
It is the internal work of asking yourself hard questions:
Why are you doing this?
Are you making an impact?
Are the spaces you are creating truly serving people?
After HFAS18 wrapped, I dragged myself onto a plane and headed to Brazil. I stopped first in Bahia, and then continued on to Rio de Janeiro. What I thought would simply be a vacation became something more important — a moment to pause, breathe, and reclaim my time.
Rio gave me the gift of stillness.
Clear air. Clear mind.
For the first time in months, I had space to sit with myself and reflect on what we built together.
Because when you step back, the reality becomes clear. HFAS18 was not just an event. It was a gathering of vision, creativity, and belief in what our communities can build when we work together.
More than 5,500 people walked through those doors. Artists from across the United States, the Caribbean, Africa, Central America, and South America shared their work. Collectors discovered new voices. Conversations were sparked across art, technology, medicine, and culture.
And in that moment, Harlem stood on the global stage.
I am still processing my purpose in this small but powerful space we call life.
But one thing I know for sure is this:
I am honored to be called a cultural producer.
To help create spaces.
To help build places of belonging.
To open doors where goodness, creativity, and opportunity can be seen and celebrated.
For that, I simply say thank you.
Thank you to every artist.
Every collector.
Every volunteer.
Every partner.
Every friend who believes in this vision.
