"Last year was a massive leap forward. This year is even more of an improvement."

The evening's goal at the 100,000-square-foot tent in Midtown: at least 4,000 guests, fair director Nick Korniloff said. Midway through the evening, he though he'd exceeded that number.

Gallerist Ramon Cernuda, who specializes in Cuban masters, had already sold three works. ''People are asking for discounts,'' and in some cases getting them, he said. Among his offerings: A Wifredo Lam painting listed at $1.2 million and a $100,000 casting by Cundo Bermudez that had come out of the foundery earlier in the day.

For the first time, Art Miami includes a video lounge, curated by staff from six international museums from Tel Aviv to Naples, Italy. The idea, said chief curator Asher Remy Toledo: bring museums to a commercial venue as a statement against the commercialism that now surrounds art. But for the gallery owners, at least, it was still a night for business.

Among works for sale: Gottfried Helnwein's photographs of Marilyn Mason at Barry Friedman gallery; Roy Lichtenstein's Water Lily at Galerie Terminus and an eye-catching photo of President-elect Barack Obama by Martin Scholler at Hasted Hunt Gallery.