2

What did you learn from the pandemic and to what extant could you implement this?

Like many others, we expanded our digital strategy during the pandemic. This led us to launch the Online Viewing Room (OVR) as a sales platform that could connect galleries with collectors and a global audience while travel restrictions were in place. With the return of in-person events and as part of our efforts to continue to create more opportunities for access and discovery through digital innovation, the OVR’s have now evolved into a new platform—the Art Discovery Experience—available exclusively through the new Art Basel app. Our app also has AI functionality, allowing it to customize an event calendar or answer questions about the fair. But, more than anything, what we learned is that art needs to be experienced in person, it’s something we want to get together and talk about. This is why art fairs are still popular platforms and are just as well-attended as they were before the pandemic.

3

Galleries have to deal with selfimposed rules established more than 40 years ago: a set list of represented artists, a new show every 6 weeks, fixed opening times, dinnerevents, etc. What are you currently looking at as the most important issues in need of change and isn’t it time to re-think rigid application requirements?

We have been relaxing these rules for a few years now in order to avoid, for example, the exclusion of young galleries that follow a nomadic principle and we now also permit galleries without a fixed location to participate. It is important that a gallery regularly stages exhibitions and works to consistently build up and support artists.

4

In spite (or because) of the multitude of digital platforms that have flooded the market, in-person art viewing fortunately still remains compelling. Galleries are noticing pronounced changes in the behavior of their audience: less visitors and, at the same time, a growing demand for client exclusivity and fostering deeper relationships with them. What new concepts do you think could be interesting for galleries?

We conduct intensive surveys on the changing wishes of visitors and try to respond to them and support our galleries in the best possible way. For example, our visitors want merchandising, they want a better overview of events and of the programs where they can come together. So we launched the Art Basel Shop, for which artists design exclusive products, and our app uses AI to provide a better overview of the week’s events. Together with Parcours and the addition of the Hotel Merian last year, we created publicly accessible exhibitions in Basel, where people could experience art in urban spaces and meet up.

5

For smaller and mid-size galleries, participating in an art fair can be a huge financial risk. These galleries participate under the same conditions as the major galleries. Do you see this imbalance as problematic and could you discuss?

As a response to this imbalance, in 2019 Art Basel introduced a so-called ‘sliding scale’ pricing system in order to lighten the burden on young and smaller galleries and allow them to pay lower prices per square meter for small stands than for the larger stands in better positions. Our special sectors, such as Statements for young, up-and-coming artists, Premiere for works from the last five years, or Feature for curated historical exhibitions, are also cheaper than a gallery stand in the main Galleries sector.

2

What did you learn from the pandemic and to what extant could you implement this?

Artissima navigated the pandemic with a significant strengthening of its digital production, which has become a true legacy. This legacy has now transformed into a diverse range of digital content offerings, serving all the fair’s stakeholders: galleries, collectors, curators, and enthusiasts who visit the fair out of personal interest.

3

Galleries have to deal with selfimposed rules established more than 40 years ago: a set list of represented artists, a new show every 6 weeks, fixed opening times, dinnerevents, etc. What are you currently looking at as the most important issues in need of change and isn’t it time to re-think rigid application requirements?

Artissima chooses the participating galleries through a selection committee made up of seven gallerists from Europe and the Americas. What I ask of them is to focus primarily on the quality of the proposals and the projects presented, giving attention and potential opportunity to galleries that may not be widely known but stand out for the particular quality and care of their presented projects. In this sense, content takes precedence over the brand name. This has become a defining feature of Artissima: we strongly encourage participating galleries to pay the utmost curatorial attention to their booths, dedicating museum-quality detail to the proposals. This approach allows Artissima to offer galleries the guarantee that the fair prioritizes quality and the maturity of the proposals above all else. Not least, this method is highly appreciated by collectors, who place their trust in the fair and visit it year after year.

4

In spite (or because) of the multitude of digital platforms that have flooded the market, in-person art viewing fortunately still remains compelling. Galleries are noticing pronounced changes in the behavior of their audience: less visitors and, at the same time, a growing demand for client exclusivity and fostering deeper relationships with them. What new concepts do you think could be interesting for galleries?

This year, galleries have faced a global market in contraction. Added to this is the difficulty of reaching new collectors in their target regions. The trajectory of a young gallery is therefore immediately oriented towards seeking broader and more international distribution channels. In this sense, fairs serve as an important platform for the strategic expansion of a gallery’s projects. From my perspective as a fair director, I believe it is crucial to dedicate as much time as possible to listening to the galleries in order to understand their evolving needs. I think that for many younger-generation galleries, it is strategic to develop an intense and direct relationship with their clients, offering works by artists selected with care and foresight, while focusing on mature and significant content.

5

For smaller and mid-size galleries, participating in an art fair can be a huge financial risk. These galleries participate under the same conditions as the major galleries. Do you see this imbalance as problematic and could you discuss?

Artissima is organized into several different sections, which allows younger galleries, such as those participating for the first time (but not only), to access more affordable pricing compared to established galleries. It’s a tailored, highly detailed approach that we’ve been developing for many years, and it has become an integral part of the fair’s identity. This approach reflects Artissima’s core focus on the exclusivity of contemporary art and its commitment to supporting a new generation of gallerists.

2

What did you learn from the pandemic and to what extant could you implement this?

Galleries initially thrived at the beginning of the pandemic, capturing the attention of collectors whose attention was not divided. Economic stimulus quickly created a very strong market for emerging galleries and artists. Art fairs, in contrast, were experiencing a very different reality. To adapt, fairs went into economic hibernation. As a woman business owner without private backing or city support, I am extremely fortunate that Independent survived this period. The downtime provided an opportunity to closely watch the art market and the galleries. There have actually been more lessons learned during the post-pandemic period (2022–2024) than at the height of the pandemic lockdowns (2020–2021). In 2022, inflation slowed down the economy, while collectors returned to the fastmoving lifestyles and time poverty that had become an increasing issue before the pandemic. Consequently it became harder for certain emerging and mid career galleries to project and rely on sales. I anticipate that the market climate will improve in 2025 because we have seen 2024 jettison the speculative collectors, interest rates came down and the stock market has performed very well, setting us up to chart a new cycle reset.

3

Galleries have to deal with selfimposed rules established more than 40 years ago: a set list of represented artists, a new show every 6 weeks, fixed opening times, dinnerevents, etc. What are you currently looking at as the most important issues in need of change and isn’t it time to re-think rigid application requirements?

In short, yes, but if you look historically, gallery practice at the top levels never followed a playbook of conformity. For 18 years (2000– 2018), I was a frustrated gallerist in New York, and for half of those years Independent was a part of my work. Rather than complain, I decided to motivate myself and others to do something that might offer new paths. We (with Matthew Higgs and Laura Mitterrand our founding Director) looked to the visionary galleries of the 80s and 90s and the fair platforms they created, e.g. the Unfair in Cologne, Gramercy Hotel (the precursor of the Armory Show), and thought we could collectively contribute our own generational thinking to this space. We took over the former Dia Center for the Arts and staged a show that had as much in common with biennials as art fairs. From day one, we eliminated the practice of applications. Independent is an invite-only show, where galleries participate through a nomination-based system that ensures a museum-caliber curatorial approach. We included spaces that had been traditionally marginalized, and introduced new artists from all generations. Sixteen years on, we feel we have made a unique contribution to the art-fair landscape.

4

In spite (or because) of the multitude of digital platforms that have flooded the market, in-person art viewing fortunately still remains compelling. Galleries are noticing pronounced changes in the behavior of their audience: less visitors and, at the same time, a growing demand for client exclusivity and fostering deeper relationships with them. What new concepts do you think could be interesting for galleries?

This is perhaps the most complex question: how is the public consuming exhibitions today? The answer is very dependent on specific audiences. For instance, top collectors of the 80s to now, comprising most private museums in the US and Europe, are more likely to trust in-person exhibitions, and do not buy very actively online. Top collectors in other regions, such as Asia, are younger and more remote to the traditional art centers of Europe and the US, and they are comfortable with a hybrid approach combining travel to in-person events with online research and purchases. Many art professionals consume culture online to supplement experiences in person due to time constraints. We read articles about shows we are unable to see and follow colleagues and what they see on their social media feed. My suggestion is that galleries could focus more in the new cycle on adaptation vs economics. First, define the core audience galleries would like to have and perhaps a secondary audience, then focus on the motivations of those collectors. What is their track record, what generation are they and where do they reside? This will tell galleries a great deal about how much and what kind of marketing to invest in. Second, they could focus on communicating the broader stories your gallery and artists represent rather than simply promoting new exhibitions. Third, galleries could consider whether the program serves these target audiences; if necessary, realign so that the program and the audience are in sync. Then with this in mind, they could define a strategic plan around the program and the collecting audience.

5

For smaller and mid-size galleries, participating in an art fair can be a huge financial risk. These galleries participate under the same conditions as the major galleries. Do you see this imbalance as problematic and could you discuss?

To be clear, running a gallery has always been a huge financial risk. Competing with now extraordinarily capitalized mega-galleries (with USD500m to 1bn in revenue and rosters of over 100 artists) is a herculean challenge. Against that backdrop, one’s marketing spend, of which an art fair is just a minor part, is an optional expense and thus a very minor part of the core business risk. Galleries are missing the point if they only focus on the economics of participating in an art fair. There are sometimes unrealistic expectations about success or failure based on x number of works and x number of sales. Fairs are like collecting: don’t buy if you cannot afford to lose the money you’re spending as the returns are never certain. Counter to the prevailing opinion about the imbalance between galleries, I have witnessed firsthand that fairs serve as democratic spaces to level the playing field and allow smaller galleries to compete for new clients and sales. There are no fair alternatives, no pun intended. Affordable access to fairs should be a priority for galleries, because fairs are a vital platform to showcase their curatorial programs and artists. More collectors will see shows at fairs than in the gallery, and that won’t change in the foreseeable future. Collectors are unfocused and have limited time. The value proposition that fairs can provide galleries seeking to build artists’ careers and attract new clients outweighs the costs. Fair organizers are now trying to resolve this issue on their own terms. Hopefully in this next chapter of the art market, we will see more progress. I am here to fight for it.