Londontown 3: Fair Play

Written by S. Hargis

In the art filled offices of galleries across London carefully planned calendars are being restructured around the biggest phenomenon to hit the global art world in the past decade: The Art Fair.

Shrugging off the many scathing remarks from artists and critics alike, Art Fairs are growing rapidly in number, popularity and influence. They’re a powerful presence and they’re here to stay. So what does it tell us when galleries are crawling over each other and shelling out major bank to be shuffled into a cubicle? What does it say about modern day collectors?

These bombastic blockbuster affairs could easily be seen as the art worlds answer to our consumerist age of impatience. We live in a digital, global environment of instant satisfaction and goldfish attention spans. We want someone else to do the thinking and the legwork and present their findings. We want snapshots, headlines, summaries and shortcuts and this is exactly what an Art Fair does for us. Selected galleries present their selected artists in a ‘one stop shop’ of the ‘best of the best’. This approach seems appropriate for automobiles or appliances, but for works of art? Expressions of creative thinking that require reflection, understanding or personal connection? I’m a romantic I know, but I’m unconvinced.

Am I missing the positive elements? Heartless investment opportunists aside these mass for the masses events could be another sign of the contemporary art world coming out of the elitist realms of yesteryear and being brought into the mainstream. An opportunity for someone who might not usually engage to take a tour of what the current circuit offers.

Money and art have always made odd bedfellows. The sincerity, emotion, politics or social awareness required to appreciate or create artwork is something difficult to tie to business. Money is the main factor differentiating an Art Fair from something like a Biennale. An Art Fair is essentially a market; galleries purchase a stall at a pretty price and are in direct competition with each other selling their wares. By being selected to show in such an event you are also being given an esteemed position in the arts community, elevating your prestige in the market.

So I’m sceptical. But as a realist (or ‘sur-realist’ as my dear friend Alex insists) I’m not that bothered by the elitism, the commercialism or the shallowness inherent in the Art Fair function. These issues are more evident in a Fair, but they are nothing new. What concerns me is the viewing.

There you are in a maze of mall-like cubicles where slithers of collections clash together. Multitudes of shuffling, pointing fair goers crowd about, making stale the air with pretentious commentary. Artwork distracts your attention from every angle, competing for the eye of the beholder. The tired curators and artists talk their dry mouths dryer while occasionally resting in their two-per-booth fold out chairs. Bog help you if you want the comfort of a bathroom break or a 4 pound bottle of water. Queues are theme park epic. You WISH you were lining up to go on the rollercoaster, not the toilet. I become tired before I even begin to look at the work.

There are over 300 galleries and museums in London, most of which are out there every day offering free viewing to the public. If you make it here, do an art trail not an Art Fair. You’ll save $20 - $80 NZ on the ticket alone and you might actually have the breathing space to enjoy the view.

Top 5 things you wish you brought to the Art Fair:

5) Ear plugs.

4) A tank of oxygen.

3) A utility belt equip with water, whiskey and tubes of astronaut food.

2) A golf cart.

1) A fake moustache. (Ladies, you’ll be wanting to use the men’s room)