In a season defined by the softness talk at the top of the art market, the New York Fair just released the results of some stories. On Monday, the Independent reported that 75% of buyers at the 200th Century Fair held on September 4-7 in Casa Cipriani were newbies to the event.
This influx would seem to ignore the current narrative of the current fair fatigue among current collectors and suggest that at least independents have made progress in expanding their audience at least.
In a different report released in August, the independent said it expects a cautious environment, slower decision making and more selective buyers. In September, a dealer and armory performance at the 20th Century Fair told Artnews That atmosphere really worked. However, many dealers say slower speeds facilitate conversations that often lead to long-term relationships with new and potential customers.
Independent founder Elizabeth Dee told Artnews. “People are reevaluating the Canon of the 20th century, and in turn, where learning prices still have room for growth. Our mission is not only to curate performances people want to talk about, but to connect galleries with new collectors and institutions in a way that goes on over time.”
Despite the encouraging audience growth – especially at the fairs and dealers scrambling to find ways to attract millennials and Gen Z to the art market, that’s other benefits. The independent report said more pieces were sold this year, with a total of 100 pieces, while 87 pieces last year were the highest sales. Ilya Kabakov Colorful Noise #2 At Galerie Brigtte Schenk, the highest sales at the 2024 fair were 65%. In addition, nine of the 30 exhibitors at the fair reported that stalls were sold this year, while about six were around last year. (Galls participating in the fair shared their report sales campaign based on 20 of the independent 31 galleries. Last year, it was 23 galleries with 32 points.)
The institution is also active, with 18 out of 100 works sold in collections at the fair, and 3 out of 87 works sold last year. Other notable sales include the massive installation of Judy Pfaff La Calle, La Calle Vieja, Cristin Tierney’s Booth sells for $300,000, and geometric paintings by Raymond Jonson, one of the founders of the Overcoming Painting Group, sold for $100,000 at the Addison Rowe Gallery.
Hours after the fair closed to the public, organizers announced that the 2026 edition will be staged at Sotheby’s new flagship headquarters in the Breuer building, Manhattan landmark. The move marks the first formal collaboration between the Contemporary Art Fair and the Modern Auction House. The 20th century, independent 20th century was founded in 2022 and is known for reintroducing artists who were neglected in the last century. Breuer is home to Whitney, Met Breuer and Frick Madison, which will almost double its footprint to more than 50 exhibitors.
The result of independence is not the only good news in the recent art market. Last week, Sotheby’s announced that its collection of Pauline Karpidas reached $100 million, nearly doubled, and gained high estimates and gained white status. Like the fairness of the 20th century, this success emphasizes that even in a shaky market, collectors are willing to spend actively when selling the right materials.
In addition, several major cargo and trophy work have been announced, with auction blocks on Christie and Sotheby’s in November, and it has become easier to see a wider rebound this fall. Currently, the narrative of the Free Autumn Market looks increasingly distant, and is related to local facts.
