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Curina and the Changing Gallery Landscape
By Katy Diamond Hamer
As many of you who stopped by, or participated in Curina’s NADA New York Booth already know, art fairs are back in person. This was the first official NADA New York since 2019. They did have a small iteration in August 2021 at NADA Foreland, in Hudson, NY, but with only a few galleries participating. The Frieze Art Fair opened this week and is back at The Shed, a fraction of what it had grown to be in the seemingly ever-expanding tent on Randall’s Island. Yet, the topic of discussion has once again become online viewing rooms (OVRs). This, as the art world has reopened and large-scale events such as the Venice Biennial are back for public viewing. The value that OVRs brought to the art market is irreplaceable. While the models are evolving, my favorite component of OVRs is the transparency. In most galleries, prices are not visible to the public. They are kept hidden away and only revealed to serious collectors, meaning those who are actually considering acquiring work, not just curious. When the first OVR appeared in 2020, I was shocked and delighted to see the prices of artworks listed in a very accessible way. At that moment, speculation went out the window and it was possible to see the range that artworks from blue chip and mid-tier galleries were priced at. As suspected, many of the artists who I’d been following for years were selling way into the six-figures. This type of marketplace transparency suits the online model, because there is no need to make phone calls, or inquire about prices; it’s literally there in black and while.
This is something I love about Curina. Prices of artworks are incredibly broad. It’s possible to find an enticing work listed under $200 or a larger piece, such as “Encrypted” by Robin Kang, listed at $12,000 with a rental/buy-over-time option of $348/month. This makes artwork accessible, whether you are furnishing a new home, updating your office, or just want to live with more color. At first, this level of transparency can be unnerving—the art world is not used to it! We are used to slinking into the gallery, coyly looking at the work while not making eye contact with others present, and then slipping out. Collectors either work with advisors who are skilled at discussing and negotiating numbers, or they themselves are good at navigating a price and making sure a discount is included. With Curina, as with online viewing rooms, there is no need for coyness, no need for subtleties, no need for avoiding eye contact. It’s just you and your screen, whether that is a laptop, phone, or desktop computer.
What does it mean for prices to be visible? Is it a turn-off? Maybe to some, but for others it allows for an immediacy like no other—can I afford this artwork? The answer is a simple, yes or no, with the occasional, I want it so badly that I will put it on my credit card. Living with art is like nothing else. It can reflect your mood, or change your mood. It might be something that catches your eye and invites you into a moment of contemplation even if brief. Other artwork may hold sentimental value, while others fall into the background, easily ignored. Every one of these modalities works. For myself, I love living with art. I have some of my own artwork (yes, I’ve been a painter) on my walls, as well as artwork by friends, and small works that I’ve purchased from a few galleries. These pieces, mostly painting and a few wall sculptures, are installed salon-style and bring me so much joy and comfort. While some people prefer simple white walls and perhaps a pop of color by way of a modernist sculpture on a coffee table, my space is filled with art and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
WORKS FROM NADA
This week Curina attended Volta NY and Frieze NY. Volta also usually corresponds with Art Basel in Switzerland, while Frieze originated in London before migrating to New York, and now also Los Angeles. They all cater to different customers, audiences with similar but different needs. In addition to the in-person component, all of these fairs have online viewing rooms. Having the work available online makes it local, global. In a similar way, Curina brings artists who may not have galleries out of their studios, into a virtual space where the studio visit can be from the comfort of your home. The digital marketplace has changed the way we all interact with commerce, and it should. While there is something to be said about an in-person interaction —a hug, handshake, nod, high-five—the convenience of having things delivered right to your doorstep cannot be overlooked.
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Perhaps the story is that the new gallery is one that doesn’t require a collector to leave their home, but provides the option to try something out, try something on, and see how it fits. Before walking outside with those shoes, make sure you want to keep them, because once they are worn they can’t be returned. That is, unless you are using Rent-the-Runway. Similarly, Curina’s model is one that allows for a try on of sorts. There is the moment where you look into the mirror, twirl a few times, wonder, “does this color look good on me?”
Screenshot from Frieze Art Fair Viewing Room, 2022
Screenshot from Frieze Art Fair Viewing Room, 2022
Through all the digital sales possibilities, the most successful is the one that helps you live with art. No matter what the modality is, the goal is to foster relationships between artists and collectors, galleries and artists, galleries and collectors, and continue to make life more colorful.
WORKS FROM NADA
