The future of art fair after Covid-19: Where is art going?

The world of art is mysterious. It accumulates so many things and then depicts all those amassed diversifications through its various forms. But art needs a platform to showcase its mysteries, myths and beautification. But what if all art galleries are closed and art fairs postponed for an unseen period? Where does the future of art lie? Where should art lovers go to satisfy their quest to praise art?

The art industry is facing these questions amidst a situation where the world has squeezed in enclosed places due to Covid-19, and public places are closed. For art lovers, it simply means no more extravaganza of visiting art-drenching art galleries. It also means the popping days of art festivals are also a story of the past. In this situation, paintbrushes, creative minds of artists, and art galleries have turned into a question mark: When will our time come back – or will it ever?

When Covid-19 initially stuck the world, nobody knew things would end up in such a nothingness. All art freaks that were searching for an art fair of their taste across the globe on artfairmag.com never knew that all their research would go in vain because there will be no art fairs!

Now, when things seem to be coming back to normal (or are they?), the burning question is: What is the future of art in this post-pandemic period?

Last day of art came and went

Coronavirus was already becoming a global concern, but despite that, New York’s glitzy Armory Show, having a legacy of 26 years, opened, and it ran successfully. Buzz of heavy auctions, marvelous paintings, and the growth of contemporary art was a part of the art world for a few weeks. But that seemed like the last day of the art because, after that, galleries were closed down, auctions were postponed, and the wave of lockdown waved off independent art places. The Armory Show seemed like the last day of the art…

…but it came and went!

On 17^th June, Tai Kwun conducted an art fair, and it showed the last day of the art never came. But it also showed the beginning of another phase of art: distant, yet intact. The organisers arranged the whole fair like never before.

The galleries were arranged in a grid form, connected by each other through intersections. The work of different artists was not sprinkled in one room. It might seem like a new decentralised approach to art fairs to give every artist its due representation. But at the core of it: the possibility of fewer people gathering and human interaction was in play. And it dictated how the landscape of art might look like in the future.

Are virtual exhibitions becoming new normal?

After the intersected-galleries scene, we also see the rise of another post-pandemic art landscape: virtual exhibitions. Now different art fairs are taking place, but people don’t crowd galleries, the vine is not popped, and people sit behind their screens – at their home – and enjoy art (if they can!).

That’s what is happening now. But the question is: will it continue to be like this, or will the glittery days of jam-packed art fairs come back where cherishing art is a physical experience, not just a virtual one.

Well, only time will tell if this is temporary or continue to happen. But one thing we know for sure, our future normal will be far from what our past normal was.

The editorial unit