VIRTUALLY DEPENDENT

Committed to its exhibitors during the pandemic, Dallas Art Fair clocks in some great sales during its first online presentation. VIRTUALLY DEPENDENT

BY TERRI PROVENCAL

he art market is categorically changing in these extraordinary times. “We are seeing a forced but creative shift to an online marketplace in an industry that has traditionally been anti-digital,” said Kelly Cornell following the Dallas Art Fair Online presentation in April. “Perhaps the most notable change is the dramatically increased visibility to the art market via price transparency.” As galleries and fairs alike transition to online viewing spaces, the information accompanying the artworks often includes the price these days.

The top-of-mind question is: do these online platforms work? For the Dallas Art Fair Online, the resounding answer is yes. Here is a highlight reel of sales from Dallas Art Fair Online: T

The big ticket sale came from James Barron Art selling Alice Neel’s Mimi, 1955. “We're very pleased to have placed an important Alice Neel painting with a private collector in the US, with an asking price of $700,000. I believe it proves to us and to other dealers that it is possible to make a major sale through a virtual format. As well, we met through email many new collectors who inquired about works. For us a fair is evaluated not only by what is sold, but by the collectors we meet. All in all, we are extremely happy with the fair. Still, nothing will supplant an in-person art fair, and we look forward to meeting new clients and reconnecting with those friends and collectors who attend the fair this October 1–4.” –James Barron and director Hascy Cross

Galleri Urbane sold work by a new artist added to their roster, Budapest-based József Csató’s Afternoon Berry Ritual.

There were creative approaches to the model as well. Dallas-based dealer Erin

Cluley built a virtual, to-scale model of her fair booth. This created an immersive experience and the opportunity to grasp the scale of the works, and it resulted in several successful sales. She also created a platform within her own site, aptly titled No Fair. Sales included: Nic Nicosia, bugs, 4-9.2019, 2019, for $28,000, and Anna Membrino, Summit, 2020, for $13,000.

The Hole physically built their booth within their gallery space in New York.

“The two-prong approach was intended to give the visual and physical experience of an art fair in tandem with the virtual platform. It is also a commentary on the current state of things” says Raymond

Bulman, director at The Hole. The platform worked: The Hole sold work by Jonathan Chapline, Aurel Schmidt, Koichi

Sato, Robert Moreland, Joakim Ojanen, Anders Oinonen, and Eric Shaw.

Alex Katz, Blue Umbrella, 2020, sold through William Campbell Contemporary Art for $20,000 “We felt that the Dallas Art Fair online was a terrific idea, though nothing quite measures up to being able to experience the artwork in person. Kelly, Brandon, and Sarah came up with the best solution possible under the circumstances, and other fairs are now following suit. The online version of the fair generated considerable interest for us, mostly from regional clients, yet the Alex Katz was sold to a client in Tel Aviv,” said Pam and Bill Campbell.

Galerie Frank Elbaz, Paris and Dallas, sold Sheila Hicks, No Right Turn, 2019, for $65,000. Frank Elbaz says, “With the help of John Runyon, we managed to sell No Right Turn, to a great Dallas collector. We also sold a work from Mungo Thomson’s TIME Mirrors series to an art collection in Monaco for $80,000.”

Luce Gallery from Torino sold Untitled (Kevin in Green), 2020 by Dominic Chambers, among other works. “The Dallas Art Fair online actually did great for us! We were very close to being sold out. As for Dominic Chambers, we sold both works we were showing—a large work on paper, priced $13,500, to a very good collector on the board of a Canadian museum, and the painting priced at $11,000 to a Californian collector we know very well, who has a very important collection.” –Nikola Cernetic–Nikola Cernetic

Otis Jones, Black Wash with Red Oxide and Black Circle, 2020, sold through Barry Whistler Gallery.

Carl Kostyál, a new gallery to the Dallas Art Fair roster, sold out their entire booth online, including works from Travis Fish, Canyon Castator, Basil Kincaid, Ben Spiers, Hein Koh, Peter Schuyff, Austin Lee, Petra Cortright, and Oli Epp.

Annabel Daou, citizen, 2020, sold from Conduit Gallery. “I sold the Annabel Daou piece to a very important collector in Dallas who has other of Daou's works in the collection. I am honored that the collector bought the piece, and I know that the person was very aware of what the sale meant to the artist and the gallery during this time.” –Nancy Whitenack