Colin Gleadell passes judgment on the VIP Art Fair which he calculates as having 940 2,225 different works from 836 1928 artists. The fair has firepower because it brings together the best galleries for the price of a few magazine ads:
So will it work? The thought that you can survey art from the comfort of an armchair is appealing, but it is still best seen in the flesh. More traditional collectors are unlikely to buy online unless they know an artists’ work extremely well. The fair will also lack the electricity of social interaction (and I don’t just mean the parties) that takes place at real art fairs between artists, curators, dealers and collectors.But most dealers say the VIP fair will be more about expanding their contacts and establishing the groundwork for future sales. As London dealer, Alison Jacques says: “It has the potential for us to reach clients in Asia and elsewhere that we might not normally be able to reach.”
If this happens, more VIP fairs will happen later this year. And even if it doesn’t, this fair is likely to trigger changes in the way real fairs manage their internet presence.
VIP Art Fair: Welcome to the Virtual Art Fair (Telegraph)