As Frieze New York opens the VIP sprint from 2007 has been replaced with the pre-sale, according to Charlotte Burns:

“There is no doubt that there is a ton more pre-selling than ever before,” says one major New York-based collector, who asked not to be named. “I am shocked by how many galleries have sent lists of their entire Frieze booth to what must be a whole bunch of their clients. I’ve had tens, if not hundreds, of emails.”

The increase in advance sales is driven by intense competition between galleries to attract collectors, and between collectors to buy works. Work that is fresh to the market is particularly in demand. […]

“When the market is as strong as it is now, it’s hard to find great material, because the second we have it, someone wants it,” says Thaddaeus Ropac (C41). He says that half of the works in his booth are on hold and that he expects to sell them within hours of the fair’s VIP opening. “Major collectors know that access is key to the market today; it is more important than buying power,” he says.

‘Access is key to the market today—it is more important than buying power’ (The Art Newspaper)