The Art Fair Story

Overview

In just half a century of growth, the art fair industry has transformed the art market. Now, for the first time, art market journalist Melanie Gerlis tells the story of art fairs' rapid ascent and reflects on their uncertain future. From the first post-war European art fairs built on the imperial 19th-century model of the International Exhibitions, to the global art fairs of the 21st century and their new online manifestations, it's a tale of many twists and turns. The book brings to life the people, places, and philosophies that enabled art fairs to take root, examines the pivotal market periods when they flourished, and maps where they might go in a much-changed world.

Author Biography

Melanie Gerlis is the art-market columnist for the Financial Times and was previously Art Market Editor for The Art Newspaper. Her book Art as an Investment? A Survey of Comparative Assets was published by Lund Humphries in 2014.