Updated Art Fairs Calendar for November 2020

With the Coronavirus pandemic gaining new ground, the governments of certain countries have introduced tighter health protection measures, including measures limiting the possibilities for travel and social and/or business gatherings. As November approaches, it is clear that the art world is more than ever adopting online solutions rather than physical meetings, and this applies equally to art fairs.

Between October and November, the number of cancelled fairs and biennials will rise from 30% to 40% and the number of exclusively online events will be up from 2.5% to 15%. The more complicated the health situation, the more online solutions are being adopted, and this applies to the world’s most prestigious art fair, TEFAF, about which we will say a few words before looking at the new calendar for November.

The number of cancelled fairs and biennials has risen from 30% to 40% and the number of exclusively online events is up from 2.5% to 15%.

The autumn edition of TEFAF, which should have been held in New York, will ultimately be a giant online marketplace with a selection of works spanning 7,000 years of history, selected by 300 of the world’s most renowned experts. The discovery of this “online” TEFAF will take place from 1 to 4 November 2020, with two preview days on 30 and 31 October.

TEFAF’s organisers have clearly been studying the question of how best to present artworks – including those from antiquity – in an online context. In the end, they decided to invite each exhibitor to present a work that represents their particular know-how. The result is a kind of selection within the selection… and it effectively constitutes a virtual “salon” of exceptional quality.
With physical meetings not possible due of the health crisis, the problem for this type of event is how to set up the necessary technical infrastructure to allow the essential exchanges of information that normally accompany any purchase. The works will therefore be heavily contextualized, accompanied by texts and videos explaining the specific choice of each exhibitor. There will also be an interactive section that will allow collectors and exhibitors to interact directly with each other.

In any set-up allowing the remote discovery of an artwork or an object, it is clear that a “one click” method of contacting the vendors(s) in person (and immediately) is an essential requirement. But it remains to be seen whether the dealers will be able to effectively handle the online responses, or whether they will be overwhelmed by inquiries.

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https://www.artprice.com/events/