Doing a rough calculation on the back of a glassine envelope, this Miami Herald story tells us that it costs James Danziger approximately $40,000 to attend ArtBasel Miami Beach:
Peering over the walls of a tiny mock-up of a display booth, James Danziger points to images the size of postage stamps that stand-in for the art he’s planning on taking to Art Basel Miami Beach.
One wall will be dominated by a grid of Andy Warhol photographs; another will be dedicated to celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz and feature a portrait of Whoopi Goldberg in a tub of milk; and then there’s a picture of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. […]
“It’s hard for small booths to attract attention,” said Danziger, whose gallery in the Chelsea district of New York City will be making its first trip to the Miami fair. So he’s counting on unique images and compelling stories — such as the historical tie-in of the Ali photograph — to help him stand out in the crowd. “If you want people to walk into the booth you have to have something eye-catching.”
With all of its glitzy parties, wild sculptures and deep-pocketed collectors, it’s easy to forget that Art Basel Miami Beach is really a trade fair. And its participants — about 250 gallery owners and dealers — are investing tens of thousands of dollars in hopes of drumming up business.
After shipping costs, hotel rooms, artists’ commissions and the $35,000 booth fee, Danziger estimates he will have to sell about $150,000 to break even.
Art Basel a Boon for S. Florida Art Scene (Miami Herald)