Compared With The Art Fair

Art fairs are currently related to the exposure of art to the world in general. More often than not, the fairs are monetary benefits to artists, but is more for the rich to spend their millions on diverse art. Both Don Thompson and Sarah Thornton reflect on these issues of art fairs that target art dealers, and collectors. The emphasis for each is on the selling and buying of art. In many ways, the art has taken a secondary place to the planning, and setting up of the art fairs, and the moneys spent here.

Thompson speaks of the way in which things have changed for art. In the first instance, the dealers have started using the fairs as they were undercut by the large private dealings of Sotheby and Christie’s (Thompson, 2014, 233). Even

Methodically, they emphasized the differences between the ways in which the various game players approach fairs. One of these is the fact that the fair has more to do with the preparation of the fair than with the art. As Thompson states: “The parties get much more media publicity than the art.” This quote sums up exactly what the art fairs have come to mean in recent times. (Thompson, 2014, 234). It is for this reason one might agree with Thornton that the fairs have turned in to publication hubs for many organizations and artists. An example is the large fairs such as the Art Basel that hosts a number of booths, museum installations, stands, and galleries. Each of these booths, museum installations, stands, and galleries have there own method of selling their works. (Thornton, 2008, n. p. ). The main reason for the fairs is also seen in the fact that more works could be displayed at a given time. As Thompson states: “A single dealer might with some difficulty assemble three Gerhard Richter paintings to show a client. Dealers at Miami Basel or Frieze may collectively offer 12 (Thompson, 2014, 238). Both authors agree that there are several ways of payment when purchasing at a fair. Some compile a list of interesting buyers before deciding to place the art “work in a most prestigious home” (Thornton, 2008, n. p.). What happens with the Miami Basel, for example, is that the buyers are also certain that they are getting a good deal as there is a committee of “seven dealers, curators, and academics that would choose the best works to be presented (Thompson, 2014,