Kobel's Art Weekly Archive

Arco Madrid 2026; photo Stefan Kobel

Kobel's Art Weekly 11 2026

Sarah Belmont explores possible reasons for Arco's somewhat sluggish opening for Artnews: "Some mentioned a competing breakfast event that may have diverted VIP attention. Others speculated whether the current geopolitical climate had prevented the attendance of collectors from the Gulf. But Arco has always followed its own tempo, and by noon, the aisles were teeming with visitors. ‘We haven't sold ... read more

Four years of war in Ukraine; image via creativesforukraine.com

Kobel's Art Weekly 10 2026

It's all sunshine and roses, reports Maximilíano Durón from Frieze LA in Artnews: "From the beginning, the fair was packed with visitors. There's a slightly new layout this year, which helped make the fair feel less cramped. The fresh layout also created the sense that the fair was well-attended. Certainly, the energy was buzzing. The 95 exhibitors at the fair ... read more

Maze Art Gstaad 2026; photo Stefan Kobel

Kobel's Art Weekly 9 2026

I was the only member of the international press trip to Maze Art Gstaad. Since the format is quite exciting, here is a little more than the usual link to Artmagazine: "The timing couldn't be better. Nor could it be worse. The Rosey Long Weekend brings the alumni of what is probably the most prestigious (and most expensive) boarding school ... read more

Kobel's Art Weekly 8 2026

While Art Basel Qatar seems to be demanding a media break from most outlets, the fair itself is having a lasting impact. In a long essay for Republik.ch (free registration required) that is well worth reading, Jörg Heiser places Art Basel Qatar in a global political context: "It is a classic case of co-branding: the Art Basel brand has now ... read more

Qatar's image ambassador David Beckham and artmarket reporter Margaret Carrigan at Art Basel Qatar 2026; photo by Stefan Kobel

Kobel's Art Weekly 7 2026

Daniel Cassady describes the launch of Art Basel Qatar in Artnews as an attempt to establish an art market in a region using a top-down approach: "The main question is whether Art Basel and the Qataris can ‘reverse engineer’ an art market by introducing a major international fair before a dense commercial gallery infrastructure exists locally. Whether that strategy succeeds ... read more

Doha; photo Stefan Kobel

Kobel's Art Weekly 6 2026

Nifty Gateway is closing down. The well-known NFT platform is being pulled by its parent company Gemini, a crypto service provider owned by the Winklevoss brothers and based in Malta. Artists, collectors and ‘investors’ have until 23 April to transfer their assets to other platforms. Valentina di Liscia comments on ... read more