If anything could bring me out of my lazy summer hiatus, it's definitely THIS. An online art fair. An ONLINE ART FAIR. The first time I heard mention of this VIP Art Fair, faint, hazy memories of something similar began rumbling in my brain. Ahhhhh Yes! This long lost gem. I remember stumbling onto ArtReview's "Art Fair" months back (possibly years back?), and it seems to have gone nowhere since then.
It seems that the online art fair seeks to provide collectors with access (at the cost of a ticket price)--this might be handy if, say, you've been looking to buy a Bill Viola video but haven't had the time to visit NYC and stop by James Cohan Gallery to view it. I suppose having an online art fair would allow you to do this. But isn't a private (online) viewing room the same thing? And at no cost?? You contact the gallery and they give you some password to sign into the inventory section of their website?? It certainly seems like a cheaper option (for everyone--both collector and gallery). Is this still too difficult? Are collectors afraid to contact the galleries directly? Maybe the $100 ticket is worth it because, eh, you might get to speak with David Zwirner over the phone.
I'm not sure that this is entirely groundbreaking. My biggest question: Does this even qualify as an art fair? It sounds more like the collectors are showing off back room inventory. More often than not I think of serious art fairs as showcasing a purposefully curated selection of work, if not an entire booth devoted to a single artist's project.
Is this going to be the Gilt.com of the art world? If so, I'd love to know what the return policy is going to be.
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