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Observer’s Guide to This Year’s Must-Visit November Art Fairs

Let us help you put together the perfect itinerary.

CryptoFortress

Oct 23, 2024 - 22:49

Observer’s Guide to This Year’s Must-Visit November Art Fairs

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People mill about in a crowded art fair - a shot of the crowd

This year’s November art fair calendar is relatively unbusy—relative because the downtime art world insiders used to enjoy has been largely eaten up by a global market that never sleeps. That said, November’s lineup of fairs is widely distributed, which means it’s likely that only the most hardcore collectors and art enthusiasts will try to visit more than a couple. Think of this month not as a break but as a welcome lull between New York’s Armory Week in September and Art Basel Miami Beach in December (along with its many, many, many Miami Basel satellite fairs).

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Whether you’re staying close to home to prepare for next month’s art fair extravaganza or hitting the road on an international odyssey of art, Observer’s global guide to the art fairs in November can help you put together the perfect itinerary.

ADAA The Art Show 2024

October 30 – November 2

In 2016, Observer correspondent Ryan Steadman posed a question in this attention-grabbing headline: Is the ADAA Secretly New York City’s Best Art Fair? His answer was that the Art Dealers Association of America’s annual fair, known simply as The Art Show, “clearly puts superior art ahead of style and glitz” even if it “is usually seen as a quiet, ‘insider’ affair.” Since 1989, the ADAA has mounted the fair at the historic Park Avenue Armory after reviewing booth proposals submitted by the organization’s 180-something member galleries. Pace Prints is bringing works by Chase Hall, Petzel is featuring Isabella Ducrot and Roberts Projects will showcase works by Suchitra Mattai. The 2024 edition introduces a new initiative titled “Spotlight On…” that will shine a light on the art scene in a city with a critical mass of ADAA members. This year, it’s Houston, and there will be a panel discussion led by prominent local art collectors and leaders of the city’s cultural institutions. As per usual, ADAA The Art Show is a philanthropic affair, and all admissions proceeds will go to Henry Street Settlement.

DEFINE SEOUL 2024

October 30 – November 3

Premium design and art fair DEFINE SEOUL is returning to S-Factory in Seongsu-dong. With Teo Yang at the helm as artistic director and host Art Busan Co. (the organizer of the premium Korean art fair, Art Busan), DEFINE SEOUL is mounting an ambitious event with a complex theme: “Understanding Simplicity – Attitude towards life in a Rational Era.” This year, Yang said in a statement that the fair, which aims to promote the artistic vitality of Korea, will “focus on the value of simplicity, symbolizing purpose and clear philosophy. We aim to create a space where we can understand the essence conveyed by objects created by artists and designers who work based on this value and contemplate a lifestyle that pursues simplicity.” Forty exhibitors will mount displays, and DEFINE SEOUL will host several public programs during the fair week, including Define Talk, which invites prominent people from the worlds of art and design to share insights.

ART X Lagos 2024

October 31 – November 3

Founded in 2016, ART X Lagos in Nigeria is the leading international art fair in West Africa. Now approaching its ninth edition, the fair’s theme for 2024 is “Promised Lands.” While that might feel incongruous given the tensions in the country (between the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups rages on and between Christians and Muslims), ART X Lagos is focusing on places, real or imagined, that offer hope. “‘It’s a theme that resonates deeply with our collective journey—reflecting on where we are and envisioning where we aspire to be,” said Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Founder of ART X Lagos, in a statement. “It was crucial for us to create a platform that not only anchors the African art movement but also drives meaningful conversations about the social, political, and cultural landscapes of our continent.” A selection of presentations by galleries from cities like Lagos, Harare, Accra and London will be bolstered by live performances, special exhibitions including “In Restless Cities: From Lagos to the World” by Andrew Dosunmu and insightful discussions. This year’s participating galleries include Afriart Gallery (Uganda), Alexis Gallery (Nigeria), Galerie MAM (Cameroon), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), Affinity Art Gallery (Nigeria), Kanbi Projects (UK), kó (Nigeria), Nike Art Gallery (Nigeria), ODA Art Gallery (Nigeria) and Tiwani Contemporary (UK). Concurrently, ART X Cinema will showcase a selection of thirteen films by African and diaspora filmmakers.

Art San Diego 2024

November 1-3

Art San Diego was founded in 2009 by curator Ann Berchtold, making it the area’s first contemporary art fair. Berchtold’s goal was to bring the city’s galleries, arts institutions and collectors together in one location to help create a more cohesive arts ecosystem. The fair was wildly successful, and after just five years, Redwood Media Group took over. Today, Art San Diego is the leading contemporary art fair in Southern California and the longest-running contemporary art and design fair in the region, attracting both local and international galleries. This year, more than ninety galleries and artists from California and around the world will mount displays in the San Diego Convention Center. Beyond the booths, Art San Diego’s programming includes the Art Labs special projects, art talks, the Spotlight Program, the Discoveries Collection, the [LOCAL TALENT] Program and the San Diego Art Prize. There’s also the San Diego Selects program, which awards prizes to five Best-in-Show artworks chosen by local arts insiders.

Art Collaboration Kyoto 2024

November 1-3

Art Collaboration Kyoto is a “culture forward” contemporary art fair focused on building relationships. In fact, there’s an entire section of the fair in which Japanese galleries share their booths with international galleries, putting art from different parts of the world in conversation. Tokyo’s Sho +1 will partner with New York’s Kasmin, Yoshiaki Inoue from Osaka will partner with L.A.’s Chris Sharp Gallery and Nichido Contemporary Art out of Tokyo will partner with Taipei’s Mindset Art Center, among others. The Kyoto Meetings section, meanwhile, highlights galleries with deep connections to the city. Beyond the fair, special exhibitions and public programs are held in Kyoto, including special exhibitions, panel discussions and even programming for kids. This year, several special exhibitions will take place at historical venues in Kyoto City, including projects by Lucas Arruda, Andreas Erikkson and Izumi Kato + Bosco Sodi.

Artissima 2024

November 1-3

Founded in 1994, Artissima at the Oval Lingotto in Turin is probably Italy’s most prominent contemporary art fair, and it has a well-deserved reputation for combining a robust commercial platform with experimentation and a focus on curators. The fair’s theme for 2024, The Era of Daydreaming, delves into daydreaming as a catalyst for spontaneous acts of creation; “In an era of incessant connections and limitless external stimuli, a fascinating rediscovery is taking place: the inestimable value of impromptu thinking and daydreaming,” curator Luigi Fassi, director of the fair, said in a statement. “Wakeful dreaming has immense creative potential, employed primarily by artists to break down the barriers of what is known and predictable, to blaze new trails in the exploration of our time.” 189 Italian and international galleries will bring work to Turin and mount booths in the fair’s four primary sections (Main, New Entries, Monologue/Dialogue and Art Spaces & Editions) and in three curated sections (Present Future, Back to the Future and Disegni, which spotlight emerging and rediscovered artists through monographic displays). This year’s fair will also feature a digital component, Artissima Voice Over.

Paris Photo 2024

November 7-10

The newly renovated Grand Palais, which proved such a magnificent venue for this year’s Art Basel Paris, will host Paris Photo, which is bringing 232 exhibitors (189 galleries and forty-three publishers from thirty-two countries) to Paris for its 27th edition. Highlights include a new curated sector, Voices; the expansion of Digital and Emergence sectors; a showcase of photographs highlighting the Lithuanian photography scene from the collections of the Bibliothèque National de France and the Centre Pompidou; and the return of antiquarian books. This year’s long roster of galleries includes RGR (Mexico City), Vermelho (São Paulo), Galerie Taka Ishii (Tokyo), Mariane Ibrahim (Paris, Chicago, Mexico City), Carlier Gebauer (Berlin, Madrid), Fraenkel (San Francisco), Stevenson (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Amsterdam), Yancey Richardson (New York), Howard Greenberg (New York) and Gagosian (USA, Europe, Asia). Voices in 2024 will be hosted by three curators: Azu Nwagbogu, founder of LagosPhoto Festival and recently curator of the Benin Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale; Sonia Voss, a curator of numerous exhibitions focused on the photographic scenes that emerged behind the Iron Curtain; and Elena Navarro, founder of FotoMéxico.

Affordable Art Fair Singapore 2024

November 7-10

Since its inception in 1999, Will Ramsay’s Affordable Art Fair has been democratizing the acquisition of art with its inclusive ethos, welcoming atmosphere and round-the-calendar/round-the-globe schedule. Perhaps surprisingly, Affordable Art Fair is Singapore’s longest-running international art fair, and it is now in its 15th year. Held in the F1 Pit Building, the fair will showcase work brought by more than eighty galleries from across the globe, from San Francisco to Seoul, with all artworks priced under S$15,000. One much-anticipated installation, “Moving Urban Landscape” by Yerin Shin, will explore human connections and urban spaces with unique mobile 3D pen artworks that move with the air, offering a delicate reflection on city life. The Arty-Licious Evening (which offers fairgoers extra p.m. hours to browse the booths) kicks off the supplementary programming, and there also will be art talks and art-jamming sessions.

Affordable Art Fair Hamburg 2024

November 7-10

Running concurrently with Affordable Art Fair Singapore is Affordable Art Fair Hamburg, yet another showcase of work brought by local, national and international galleries with pieces priced between €100 and €10,000. Visitors will enjoy opportunities to meet the artists and gallerists, learn the stories behind the works and join free public guided tours each day at 3 p.m. Those seeking a more curated experience can join themed tours on November 8; Hannah Weber-Heidenfels will lead a tour on Emerging Artists, and fair director Oliver Lähndorf will take fairgoers on a tour of artworks priced at under 500€, spotlighting the fair’s most affordable masterpieces. Tomislav Topic’s colorful installation, which first wowed audiences at the Berlin edition of the fair earlier this year, will be on display again here. The Emerging Artists exhibition, initiated by Oliver Lähndorf in 2012 to share work by artists without gallery representation, is also back, and this year’s featured artist is Darko Caramello Nikolic with “Archetypes of Concrete Art.”

ART COLOGNE 2024

November 7-10

ART COLOGNE bills itself as both the first art fair in the world and the “most important industry meeting point for galleries and institutions in Germany.” It was founded by gallerists Hein Stünke and Rudolf Zwirner way back in 1967 (then called Kunstmarkt Köln) to introduce young German artists to an international audience. In 2023, the fair attracted around 45,000 visitors there to see work brought by 170 exhibitors from around the world. This latest edition of Art Cologne will include over 175 galleries from twenty-four countries. Notable participants include international heavyweights like Karsten Greve, Thaddaeus Ropac and Sprüth Magers, alongside rising stars in the NEUMARKT sector, such as Gathering from London, Wil Aballe Art Projects from Vancouver and F2 Galería from Madrid. This year, there will be a strong showing from Turkish galleries, including Galeri Nev Istanbul, Zilberman and Dirimart.

Salon Art + Design 2024

November 7-11

Salon Art + Design is returning to the Park Avenue Armory in New York City for its 13th edition, now under the leadership of executive director Nicky Dessources, who succeeded Jill Bokor. When asked what we can expect from this edition, Dessources, who most recently spent ten years at Sanford L. Smith + Associates, told Observer that there will be “several exciting new elements, including innovative designs from new exhibitors, some exciting returning galleries, special design installations and a variety of engaging programs that we will announce soon.” This fair is rightly lauded for both its vibe and the highly curated boutique selection of fine art, designer furniture and fine glass and ceramics that is anything but fussy. This year’s roster of galleries includes first-timers such as Galerie Anne Jacquemin Sablon, Bossa and Ippodo, alongside returning participants like Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts and NILUFAR. The fair will additionally introduce its inaugural Design & Art Advisory Council composed of leading interior designers and art advisors such as Andre Mellone, Allan Schwartzman, Kim Heirston, Julie Hillman, John and Christine Gachot, Sara Story and others.

Umbrella Art Fair 2024

November 15-17

The 2024 edition of Umbrella Art Fair (“a declaration of artistic independence, a rebellion against the mundane and a celebration of the daring”) will bring over 100 local and international artists, curators and creators to D.C.’s Union Market District for an energetic three-day event. Spanning 17,000 square feet across multiple venues, this fair offers a rich mix of local and international gallery booths, exhibitions, panel discussions, workshops and live performances. Umbrella Art Fair is refreshingly commission-free, ensuring that 100 percent of sales benefit participating artists and curators, many of whom are women and artists of color. In partnership with CulturalDC, the fair will present “Torrents: New Links to Black Futures,” an exploration of Black future-building through visual art, technology, music and performance. Notable contributors will include acclaimed Kelly Towles, Nia Keturah and Rose Jaffe. Although admission is free, tickets are required.

FAB Paris 2024

November 22-27

The third edition of this art and antiques fair will take place at the newly restored Grand Palais, where 100 internationally renowned art and antique dealers covering twenty disciplines that span millennia will mount displays of antiquities to contemporary works. Visitors can expect to see masterpieces by renowned artists such as Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Auguste Rodin, Renoir and Picasso shown alongside exceptional pieces like an Ancient Egyptian head once owned by Coco Chanel and furniture that adorned Versailles’ royal salons. This young fair is known for its “fabulous ephemeral museum” atmosphere that presents a rich art historical narrative and for attracting global dealers like Bruno Sugères (a noted specialist in 19th-century decorative arts) and renowned Parisian galleries like Steinitz and Léage.

Even more November art fairs in 2024

As always, what’s above doesn’t represent the totality of the November art fair calendar in 2024—there are always plenty of smaller, lesser-known and niche art fairs happening around the world. Here’s a quick roundup of several more fall art fairs you might want to check out this month.