Adrian MooreIntro to Public Humanities November 9, 2009The Print Fair International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) hosts an annual print fair in New York City where members of the association can present and sell their work, whichincludes prints from “old masters to contemporary.” This year the fair took place at thePark Avenue Armory opening Wednesday evening, November 5 and running throughSunday, November 8. I attended the fair on Saturday with several of the major themesfrom Sarah Thornton’s

Seven Days in the Art World

on my mind. A relative newbie tothe world of prints and the visual arts in general, I engaged some gallery representativesand print publishers, as well as organizers of the fair, in short conversations. I was particularly interested in how galleries are chosen to take part in the fair and how theychoose which works and artists to represent there, as well as how the art is priced. Itquickly became clear that these are some difficult subjects to talk about. There is noscience to these choices, rather a vague combination of aesthetic taste and business.

A gallery or print publisher must first become a member of IFPDA in order totake part in this fair. According to the IFDPA website, “election to membership requiresa high level of expertise, ethics and professional integrity.” As fair organizers explainedto me, the gallery must have been active for 3-5 years, as well as having publishedcatalogues or presented successful public exhibitions. The quality of art and artistsrepresented is also taken into account. The website states that there is a two-year waiting period for new members to take part in the fair, but organizers clarified that the economyhas had an effect and there was room this year for every gallery and publisher that wantedto participate. Though becoming an IFPDA member and showing at the fair certainlyhelps establish a gallery, it must already be a fairly influential gallery in order to beinducted into the association. This rather complicated, what I call (for lack of a better term right now), “cycle of validation” or of being established, while also establishingoneself, is seen in other ways throughout the fair. The gallery must represent well-knownartists, but to do so, it must have a good reputation, which comes from working withgood artists. And how are good artists defined?

These works were presented by the publisher/printer, not a gallery but an actual print shop where the dealer also chooses with which artists to invite to create pieces that will be printed on his press. Some are the same plate printed with different colors.

I found it particularly difficult to get gallerists to articulate how they choose theartists they represent and the work they bring to the fair. Like talking about art itself,which often invokes terms of mystification or enigma, the first gallery representative Iasked said it simply came from years in the field, building relationships and an aesthetic.

Many gallerists said they had very longstanding relationships with certain artists. Theydid not go into detail as to why they had chosen to work with those artists originally.Two international gallery representatives said they brought their best work, “as this is New York City after all.” Neither explained how they define “the best.” Some galleristsalso said they bring pieces for particular collectors, as well as “favorites” or the work their gallery is known for. Almost every gallery representative I asked said mostimportantly, they bring whatever new work they have. They acquired this new work fromartists they have been representing, some of whom they have contracts with so that all theartists’ new work will go to that gallery or publisher. One gallerist mentioned that he maylook into working with a new artist based on the recommendations of the artists withwhich he currently works. A print publisher said he looks to collaborate with artistswhose work makes a strong personal statement. Just as Jeff Poe described to Thornton agood dealer as having a “good eye” and a “good business sense,” here we see thecombination of both aesthetics and business, as gallerists choose to work with new artists by looking at who does well in the art market, who is respected by other artists and whosework they personally appreciate.

The space is designed with rows of gallery stalls and space for visitors to sit and contemplate the art.

The large open space of the Park Avenue Armory is divided into different stallsfor the galleries with chairs and comfortable spaces set up in the aisles where patrons cansit and take in the art or discuss what they might like to buy. Galleries purchase space atthe fair, costing between $10,000 and $25,000, and they are able to design their stall asthey wish. Some galleries build walls in such a way that they can hide extra prints behind