Masterclass Part 2: Canada's top art experts offer their best tips for navigating an art fair

Travel’s opened up and many events that had switched to virtual have announced their return to onsite and in-person formats. For art collectors and those who just love looking at what the world’s most creative minds and skillful artisans can produce, this gradual return to normal likely also means it’s time to plan a visit to one or more art fairs. These much-anticipated markets bring together galleries and collectors from all over the world, to exhibit and sell work by leading and emerging artists. If you’ve been to an art fair, then you know how exciting they are in their ability to showcase larger-than-life creativity and personalities. They are also often vast in physical dimensions and dense in content. In other words, they can be downright overwhelming. At Art Toronto, an international art fair held in October at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, The Medical Post met with two well-respected experts in the art world, to ask them how to best navigate and make the most of an art fair. Here are the top tips from Kelly Juhasz, an art appraiser and advisor at Toronto-based Fine Art Appraisal + Services and Wil Kucey, a consultant at Canadian Fine Arts in Toronto. Research and plan Read through the program to see which galleries are coming and which artists they’re exhibiting. Then think about what kind of work you’re particularly interested in seeing. “Do you want to look at traditional art or modern? Are you interested in Canadian artists or in photography?” said Juhasz. “Thinking about this in advance will help you make the most of your visit. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to look at anything else, but rather focusing first on what interests you and then maybe wandering later.” Get to the fair early “The best pieces will be sold the first day,” said Juhasz. To avoid the disappointing red dot–which gallerists stick on work to indicate it’s been sold–she suggested going on opening day, preferably in the morning. Being an early bird can also help you avoid the late-day crowds, which tend to get especially thick when you’re attending prestigious events like Art Basel, the Armory Show, Frieze London or any of the TEFAFs. Read: Masterclass: 10 tips for collecting art from one of Canada's leading art advisors Even better: Get pre-show access Well-known collectors typically get invited to pre-show events, such as Art Basel’s super-posh vernissage. If you aren’t yet on the art world’s A-list, then you can always buy premium tickets, which usually give you unlimited access to the fair as well as invitations to events such as opening night galas and exclusive artist talks. Some fairs even throw in extras, like entry to local museums and galleries. Line up your insurance Kucey at Canadian Fine Arts in Toronto underlined an important rule in art collecting: once your payment goes through, the art is yours. This means that, even if the gallery continues to exhibit your purchased piece for the duration of the show, you officially and legally have custody of the work. This also means that, should something happen to the piece, you take the loss. “Make sure you arrange for insurance before taking ownership,” said Kucey. “If you think you’re going to end up buying something, talk to your insurance company before the show.” Consume in bite-sized pieces They don’t teach it in med school, but there is such as a thing as “fairtigue”–that lightheaded, hard-to-focus feeling you get after spending several consecutive hours wandering from display to display at an art fair. Juhasz’s advice: if you can, visit an art fair over two or three days. “Some people travel specifically to go to an art fair–the show is the destination,” she said. “So they spend a morning each day going to the show, which it makes it so much more pleasant, especially when it’s a big show.” Go with someone in the know If there’s someone in your circle who knows a lot about art and perhaps even has connections in the art world, buy a companion ticket and send out an invite for a day at an art fair. Or consider retaining the services of an art appraiser or consultant who can provide a deeper perspective into the works on display and make introductions to gallerists of interest. This expert is also likely to have connections with logistics companies that specialize in packing and shipping art. Look, talk and listen Silence is not a virtue when you’re at an art fair. Come ready to talk to gallerists and to any artists in attendance. Beyond delving into the meaning and merits of the work, ask about details such as the best way to display and light a particular painting, or how to clean a masterpiece constructed from hundreds of paper rosettes (answer: use a low-heat blow dryer to remove dust buildup). “And listen to conversations around you,” said Juhasz. “How are other people reacting to a piece? If there’s a collector nearby who already owns another piece by the same artist, what’s he saying about it?” Consider the global logistics If you’re going to an art fair in the city or country where you live, you might want to focus more on foreign galleries–you can always visit your local gallery outside of the show. If you’re looking to buy art from foreign galleries, making the purchase while they’re in town could save you some money on customs and taxes. But a word to the wise from Kucey: If you are abroad and looking to buy at an art show in another country, keep in mind that while tax treaties may save you from paying customs and duties on the art, you could still get a tax bill for the frame or even the shipping crate. Read: Learning to see: Portraits and patients

Masterclass Part 2: Canada's top art experts offer their best tips for navigating an art fair

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