Kobel's Art Weekly

Kobels Art Weekly 28 2026

For art fairs the year is off to a rough start, as becomes clear right at the beginning of the first part of our three-part season review. The art market in Austria has suffered two heavy blows. The leading art fair Viennacontemporary will no longer take place, as I report in Artmagazine. The financial background and the position of the gallery association can be read in Olga Kronsteiner's article in Der Standard: "The end of the VC does not come as a surprise to the local gallery scene. Both the financial difficulties of the operating company and “the problematic financial management and chaotic company structure” have been “the subject of discussion for some time”, explains Martin Janda on behalf of the gallery association. However, its central concern remains that Vienna should have “a strong platform for galleries”, which in turn “must also meet the high standards with which galleries have been working intensively for years and which have made Vienna an internationally renowned location for contemporary art”." A summary report without a paywall can be found at Monopol. Just one day later, Salzburg loses its most renowned fair, reports Werner Remm in Artmagazine.

Andreas Platthaus finds a gauntlet thrown down to TEFAF at Brafa in Brussels for the FAZ on 24 January: "The expansion has a clear goal: to outdo Maastricht's competition (not only in the Benelux, but on a global scale). TEFAF will be held there in March, and the two universal art fairs are competing for the reputation of offering the most exclusive selection. TEFAF is more elaborate in terms of stand design and has more exhibitors, albeit in a smaller space. Brussels also scores points with its growth. And with its location: ‘For us, this is the best fair here,’ says Florian Kolhammer from Vienna, a specialist in Secession art, ‘nowhere else is the audience so international.’ Brussels is easier to reach than Maastricht, and there is also more money in the city itself. This can be seen in the local galleries represented at the fair as well as in their offerings, which are fed not least by Belgian collections." The dealer quoted at the opening of Tefaf does not seem to have paid much attention to the audience fighting over the oysters. I was in Brussels for the Tagesspiegel (paywall) and Artmagazine.

Following Viennacontemporary, the Spark Art Fair in Vienna is also taking a break. Even before the official press release, the owner has published his statement on the tabloid portal Heute. 

Two years after its takeover by the Frieze Group, Expo Chicago is shrinking back to its normal size. With just over 130, the number of exhibitors this year is almost a quarter smaller than last year, reports Maximilíano Durón at Artnews. In the summer of 2023, the entertainment and events group Endeavor, which owns Frieze, took over the fair together with the Armory Show and expanded the field of participants to over 170. The number of galleries is now back to the level it was before the takeover and still includes a dozen Korean galleries. Last year, there were 20 due to a cooperation with the South Korean gallery association.

Lisa-Marie Berndt from Art Genève reports business as usual for Monopol: "In addition to international heavyweights such as Hauser & Wirth, Pace, Mennour, Galerie Lelong and Eva Presenhuber, the Swiss scene has a strong presence. Galleries such as Fabienne Levy and Peter Kilchmann are almost playing on home turf here. New additions include Louis & Sack from Paris, Seventeen from London and Danysz with locations in Paris, Shanghai and London. Art Genève thus remains an interface between the French market, the Swiss collector scene and international exchange."

Daniel Cassady describes the launch of Art Basel Qatar in February at 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 will depend less on first-week sales than on whether galleries return and whether collectors come back with greater confidence next year. But for now, at least, Art Basel Doha appears to be doing what it set out to do." Ursula Scheer outlines the framework of the fair in the FAZ (paywall): "Art and cultural policy, driven by Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at the head of Qatar's museum organization, plays another key role. It is no coincidence that the emir's sister has been one of the most powerful players in the globalized art world for years: Under her aegis, institutions, collections, and networks are being created. This cultural ‘ecosystem’, as it is often referred to in official statements, is neither uncontrolled growth nor the result of a grassroots movement, but rather planned and designed like a baroque palace garden. Now the country's art trade is entering the premier league: with Art Basel.“ I was in Doha for Monopol, Artmagazine, and Deutschlandfunk (audio).

Daniela Gregori identifies a welcome trend amid the confusion at Art Karlsruhe for Artmagazine: ”Art has been under new management for three years now, and this has had a very positive effect. Admittedly, there is still a sometimes motley excess, but the direction is being corrected toward less spectacle, and promoted formats such as re:discover for positions in ‘mature creative phases’ are good for the overall picture. They allow for discoveries that no longer need to prove themselves today because they have long since done so." Christiane Meixner from the Tagesspiegel (possibly paywall) is also impressed: “In addition, there are also stands at Art Karlsruhe where loud, sometimes simply (or poorly) decorative art is on display. But there are fewer of them than before, and with their decline, the quality of the fair is increasing, making it definitely worth a visit.” 

At least in the competition for international attention, Zona Maco is (not entirely through its own fault) losing out. Benjamin Sutton from The Art Newspaper, apparently the only international press representative to have made the trip, nevertheless finds a relaxed atmosphere.

Elisa Carollo in the Observer finds the India Fair, which takes place at the same time as the fair in Doha, more authentic: "In contrast, visiting India Art Fair is, first and foremost, an exercise in humility—acknowledging how much you don't yet know, offering a broad enough view of a vibrant scene and being willing to learn.“

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 in the world, the Institut Le Rosey, to Gstaad. It's hard to imagine a better audience for the small boutique fair Art Gstaad with its only around 40 exhibitors. On the other hand, this means fully booked hotels and exorbitant prices.“

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 brought an abundance of art with them. While many dealers opted for stands that show off a mix of artists in their programmes, some went with solo presentations. Painting and sculpture abound, as do textiles, but the most noticeable trend is an uptick in photography compared to past editions of the fair." 

Sarah Belmont explores possible reasons for Arco's somewhat sluggish opening in March 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 much yet, but I believe that in the coming days we'll reap the rewards,’ Chantal Crousel, founder of an eponymous Paris gallery, told ARTnews. "It's a slightly slower fair. There’s a great deal to see, and people really take their time looking. When they experience an initial spark, they tend to step back and verify it first.” Nicole Scheyerer discusses the close relationship with institutions at Parnass.

In a detailed essay for the Observer, Paco Barragán tells the story of the global art fair wars: "Where Art Basel has operated as a geopolitical architect—selecting, occupying and consolidating the world's most decisive cultural nodes—Frieze has expanded largely through replication, embedding itself in places where the ecosystem was already formed. The majority of fairs worldwide, from Europe to Asia and from Latin America to the Gulf, remain locked in regional circuits. They do not scale, they do not reorganise flows of capital or legitimacy, and they do not alter the global map. Only Art Basel does that; Frieze follows its contours rather than redrawing them. As of today, the truth about the global art fair wars is simple: Art Basel changes cities; Frieze joins them. The rest observe from the regional margins.‘ Absolutely worth reading!

TEFAF in Maastricht impresses Brian Boucher at Artnews: “Despite global unrest and an ever-escalating conflict in the Middle East, the dealers interviewed by ARTnews at their stands at the TEFAF art fair in Maastricht – insofar as they were willing to discuss their sales – appeared more than satisfied – even if, as one dealer noted, collectors from the Middle East may not have been able to travel there. [...] Jörn Günther, a rare book dealer from Basel who has been exhibiting at TEFAF for thirty years, said this year had been his best.” Ursula Scheer expresses hope for a generational shift in the FAZ (paywall): “Light, air and subtle correspondences between selected objects, on the other hand, are offered by the Roman antiquities dealer Alessandra Di Castro – a representative of a new generation who, with her gallery founded in 2009, nevertheless builds on a family tradition dating back to 1878. On the TEFAF Executive Committee, she belongs to the group of dealers tasked with steering the fair – founded 38 years ago and supported by a foundation – towards the future. There has been no continuity in leadership, and thus no clear strategic direction, for years: directors have come and gone in rapid succession, with five changes of personnel in four years. Following Dominique Savelkoul’s departure in December, members of the Executive Committee are now taking turns at the helm on a six-monthly basis; currently, it is Boris Vervoordt’s turn as President and Chairman.”

Nate Freeman reveals the grand plans of the Murdochs – MCH major shareholder James and his wife Kathryn – in Vanity Fair: “‘BASEL PROJECT’ was a code name for what I can reveal is called the Futurific Institute. Sources I spoke to, who are close to the project, did not hide the ambition behind it. Set to launch in 2028, the festival will take place in Basel, Switzerland, a few months after the art fair, making the most of the Rhineland’s summer weather, to immediately compete with thought-leader gatherings in posh mountain towns: the Davos Festival, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, etc. [...] It’ll be a completely separate enterprise, with a different mission, from Art Basel, but the city’s art infrastructure will very much play a part.“

Beyond the usual success stories from the blue-chip galleries, which Tessa Solomon reports on from Art Basel Hong Kong for Artnews, the atmosphere seemed relatively subdued: “Elsewhere on the floor, Charmaine Chan, a director at Hong Kong’s Pearl Lam, struck a more measured note. Whilst reporting several five-figure deals by 5 p.m., she observed that the “decisive” buying typical of local collectors was noticeably absent. “It’s obvious that sales are slower than usual,” she said, speaking as a veteran of the Art Basel Hong Kong branch. “Usually, Hong Kong buyers are quite decisive. Three years ago, we had Mr. Doodle in the booth, and we sold out on the first day.” Vivienne Chow and Cathy Fan also noted a subdued atmosphere for Artnet (possibly paywall): “Despite packed aisles and some million-dollar deals, buyers are taking their time amid a cautious market and geopolitical unrest.”

Emil J. Sennewald visited an attractive Salon du Dessin in Paris for the Handelsblatt on 27 March: “The established ‘Salon du Dessin’, which had recently seemed somewhat lacklustre, presents itself in its 34th edition at the Palais Brongniart with 39 exhibitors, not only with its usual high quality but also with a new freshness – evident, for example, in new additions such as Demisch Danant from New York or Lowet de Wotrenge from Antwerp.”

Josie Thaddeus-Johns presents Art Cologne’s second attempt in Palma, Mallorca, in April on Artsy: “Enter Art Cologne Palma Mallorca 2026. Although the fair will certainly be attractive to Spanish collectors, its German roots are unmistakable. On the fair’s VIP day on 9 April, a gallery owner remarked that the audience was predominantly German, many of them owners of second homes on the island. This creates a focused audience with high expectations. High-priced works, including a €1.3 million ($1.53 million) piece by Anselm Kiefer at the stand of the Berlin- and Palma-based Kewenig Gallery, showed that the Art Cologne tradition was very much present. [...] In keeping with the venue, the galleries seemed to be targeting a more relaxed buyer than one who would visit the German Art Cologne. Some visitors wear linen suits, others turn up in flip-flops. Nevertheless, this does not appear to be a fair aimed at brand-new buyers, but rather at enthusiastic collectors in holiday mode.” In the Tagesspiegel, Christiane Meixner expresses her delight.

The displacement of Fiac by Art Basel is a boon for Art Paris, notes Sarah Moroz in the Observer: “The market in Paris has changed significantly in recent years,” reflected Garrett Landolt, director at Esther Schipper, at a stand one aisle away from Almine Rech. “Initially, it was quite a local market: Parisians bought from Parisian galleries. With the arrival of Art Basel, it has become so international in recent years. We’ve heard from some that Art Basel Paris has now become so prestigious that Art Paris is suddenly more accessible and perhaps more interesting because there are different price ranges. This attracts a wide variety of visitors.”“

The tenth edition of Art Düsseldorf has impressed the critics. Georg Imdahl writes in the FAZ (paywall): “Large stand, small formats is the principle adopted by Frankfurt-based gallery Bärbel Grässlin, which, like Esther Schipper from Berlin, is taking part in Art Düsseldorf for the first time. ‘We’ve been watching this for two years, and we like the line-up,’ says Schipper director Jonas Kriszeleit. Düsseldorf can certainly score points with these new additions, even if the atmosphere has been ‘more feverish’ in the past, as Grässlin notes, though Düsseldorf is ‘of course not Art Basel’. No objection, but the comparison is inevitable given the proximity in time; the programme is denser and more substantial than at the recently concluded Art Cologne Palma Mallorca.” Jens Bülskämper addresses the market situation evident in the offerings in Artmagazine.

Miart in Milan, founded 30 years ago, has a significantly longer tradition, which Karen Krüger describes for the FAZ (paywall): “Miart dispenses with the classic concept of linear organisation. It spans three floors with 160 galleries from 24 countries, many of which are presenting solo exhibitions. ‘The reduction from last year’s 179 galleries was a conscious decision to improve quality,’ says fair director Nicola Ricciardi.” Arun Kakar provides an assessment of the fair and its location for Artsy.

Since 1968 (initially as a biennial, and annually since 1997), Art Brussels has established itself as a contemporary art fair with its ups and downs. This year, it has been significantly scaled back. Nicole Büsing and Heiko Klaas express their delight in the Tagesspiegel: “[Discovery] features just as many exhibitors as last year. The main Prime section, by contrast, has suffered a significant blow, with the number of participants falling from 108 to 83. As a result, all the galleries are now clustered in Hall 5. Fair director Nele Verhaeren has taken the crisis-induced exodus as an opportunity to redesign the vacated spaces in Hall 6 with a different concept: In the newly created Horizons section, seven galleries are now exhibiting monumental works. […] Even though Art Brussels appears somewhat smaller and more manageable in this (crisis) year, there is likely no need to worry about the fair’s future.”

The gushing reports on art fairs are often hard to take, especially when the coverage comes almost exclusively from US media. You really have to read between the lines to get a sense of what is actually going on. The New York fair week demonstrates this once again. “It’s a celebration,” reads the headline of the report on Frieze written by Brian Boucher and Daniel Cassady for Artnews. Tessa Solomon of Artnews found Independent to be the most enjoyable fair.Valentina di Liscia has researched the participation costs for the New York art fairs for Hyperallergic. Surprisingly, Frieze is more expensive than TEFAF for the large stands.

Dubai-based Rebecca Anne Proctor visited Art Dubai for Artnet (possibly paywall): “Dubai is weathering a significant economic shock due to the conflict, shifting from rapid growth to a phase of vulnerability and risk management. But the mood was upbeat on the opening day of the fair, with many guests complimenting its more intimate feel, noting it felt like a pre-Covid version of the event, before visitors started arriving en masse to the Gulf megapolis.”

The June Art Fair in Basel was cancelled on Sunday, one day before it was due to begin, without any explanation.

In his report in WeLT on Art Basel, which he says “got off to a flying start”, Marcus Woeller peppers his piece with art market anecdotes: “Above all, however, it is the selling prices at Art Basel that are truly exclusive. The asking price of 35 million dollars, for instance, with which the Hauser & Wirth gallery announced the sale of a Picasso painting (‘The Painter and his Model in a Landscape’, 1963) on the first preview day, is likely to set a new record. The Swiss gallery claims to have sold a total of 35 works at the start of the fair. ‘The first day of Art Basel 2026 was a resounding success – stronger than ever before,’ announced the company’s president, Iwan Wirth.” Scott Reyburn pours a little cold water on the situation in the New York Times (paywall): “The problem, however, is that the focus is the other way round for many market players, particularly from the United States. The allure of Art Basel’s ultra-chic fair in Paris in October prompted several US-based exhibitors to pull out of this year’s Swiss fair. There were conspicuously fewer Americans browsing the stands, too. “The main American collectors are holding off until October,” said Wendy Goldsmith, an art adviser based in Palm Beach, Florida. “Paris has a better selection of hotels, restaurants and shops than Basel, so if they’re going to make a choice, it will now be Paris.”“