Georgina Adam explores the selection process for ArtBasel, the world’s most prestigious Contemporary art fair. We give you some of the choice bits:
- A few years ago another dealer complained: “My gallery was rejected for Basel, yet my artists are all over the fair.”
- During the fair itself, the “rehang” which takes place as pieces are sold will also be carefully scrutinised to ensure that it is up to the opening display. The committee goes around the whole fair every day at 8am: a mediocre rehang has sunk galleries in the past.
- “Being a selector is terrible for relationships between dealers. If someone is rejected, there is the question, ‘who spoke out against me?’ It can get very personal.”
Fair Selection Panels: Behind the Scenes (Financial Times)