Covid-19 was the big disruptor, giving opportunities for new ventures. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy in 2023, as many trying to get back to business in the commercial art world face added pressure while global inflation swells and recession looms.
The first test comes in mid-January for five-times-postponed fair (Jan 12–15), which joins the Singapore Art Week’s lineup alongside (Jan 6–15) and myriad exhibitions around the city-state. Run by Magnus Renfrew and The Art Assembly group with Sandy Angus and Tim Etchells, Art SG looks to be the large-scale art fair that sticks in Singapore and takes a bite out of Hong Kong’s marketshare. (Mar 23–25) will attempt its comeback at roughly 70-percent of its pre-pandemic size—though whether enough collectors will fly into the city after years of pandemic precautions remains to be seen. If the former free-market bastion’s economy remains hobbled, (May 12–14), another Art Assembly venture, will look to claim more of the Chinese SAR’s marketshare, as Taiwan is moving faster in its reopening. The Art Assembly crew will also debut a new fair in July dubbed (Jul 7–9), bringing together approximately 80 domestic and international galleries. Japan is the new destination with November’s aiming for international flair, while Art Basel-backed spotlights galleries on the ground.
