Art fairs start again: will we be able to travel to see them?
The Calendar of the Main Events of 2021
Galleries Exhibitions
From March 2020 onwards it was practically “game over” for the great international art events. Without insurance coverage for coronavirus-related cancellations, many companies have suffered large losses; it is therefore not surprising that at the beginning of 2021 the organizers are still reluctant to commit, at least until the summer.“ Based on almost all current forecasts, we can expect [mass] vaccination by the middle of the year; then we will begin to see a return of international travel, reflects Marc Spiegler, global director of Art Basel. But we will not immediately rediscover the world of art as we knew it ».
Several January veterans bowed to the virus and canceled physical events, such as ArteFiera in Bologna, The Winter Show in New York, which took place online from January 19 to 31, and Brafa in Brussels, which experienced the Brafa in the Galleries (January 27-31).
Openings in the East
Leading the way in this 2021 was Art Dubai, which was held from 29 March to 3 April: to involve the galleries, the fair requested the rental of the stand at the end of the fair only in case of sales. In Turkey, Contemporary Istanbul has been postponed by one week, which will take place from 6 to 9 May.
Art Events in Italy?
MiArt edition number 25 and the Milanese Art Week give an unprecedented appointment at the end of the summer, from 17 to 19 September. Artissima, which split in recent months in the frenetic Unplugged-Stasis version and in the cross-media platform Xyz, has recently announced the dates of the 28th edition from 5 to 7 November. Having skipped the 2020 appointment, which took place online, Art Dubai, has set that of 2021 from 15 to 17 October. The autumn dates of FlashBack have not yet been announced. Great expectations also for the return of the trade fairs in the capital, where the new dates of the first edition of “Roma Arte in Nuvola” were officially announced in the spaces of the Nuvola di Fuksas at Eur, from 17 to 21 November 2021.
Tefaf Goes on Sure
In 2020 Tefaf Maastricht had closed early after an exhibitor tested positive for Covid-19. This year, after several postponements, it is scheduled from 11 to 19 September (preview 9 and 10). At the time of writing, the fourth Tefaf New York Spring at the Park Avenue Armory is scheduled for May 6-10. Also at the Armory Show in New York last March, various participants reportedly contracted the virus. In any case, the 2021 date change to 9-12 September and the transfer from Piers 90 and 94 to the more central Javits Center in Hudson Yards had already been decided.
Summer Rush
Art Basel Hong Kong played ahead by sliding from March to May 21-23, close to Frieze New York (May 5-9), which for the first time since 2012 leaves Randall’s Island for The Shed, in Manhattan. Shed from June to September (from 23 to 26, with previews on 21 and 22) Art Basel.
Frieze Cancels Los Angeles but Confirms London
Frieze London, whose fall edition was skipped, will be held from 13 to 17 October. 30 years of «Frieze Magazine» will be celebrated with a three-day digital festival.
Biennials and Triennials
- Deserto X 2021 – Various venues, Coachella Valley, California, United States, 12 March-16 May
- 13th Gwangju Biennial – Various venues, Gwangju, South Korea, 1 April-9 May
- 11th Liverpool Biennial – Various locations, Liverpool, United Kingdom, March 20-June 6
- 17th International Architecture Exhibition of Venice – Giardini and Arsenale, Venice, May 22-November 21
- London Design Biennale – Somerset House, London, United Kingdom, June 1-27
- International of Glasgow – Various venues, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 11-27 June
- Helsinki Biennial – Vallisaari, Helsinki, Finland, 12 June-26 September
- Manchester International Festival – Various venues, Manchester, United Kingdom, 1-18 July
- 34th Sao Paulo Biennial – Pavilion Ciccino Matarazzo, San Paolo, Brazil, 4 September-5 December
- 17th Istanbul Biennial – Various venues, Istanbul, Turkey, 11 September-14 November
- Chicago Architecture Biennale – Various locations, Chicago, United States, opening September
- Prospect. 5 – Various locations, New Orleans, United States, 23 October-23 January 2022
- New Museum Triennial – New Museum, New York, United States, 27 October-23 January
- 5th Kochi-Muziris Biennial – Various venues, Kochi, India, 1 November-28 February 2022
- 10th Asia Pacific Triennial – Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia, 4 December-25 April 2022