"Just as the choir of European fairs was about to sing a victory song for a successful round of fall events, a spike in COVID-19 cases throughout the region threatened Art Cologne, the season’s last major gathering. Despite the setback, the world’s oldest art fair was finally able to open its doors to the public on November 17th after being delayed for over two years due to the pandemic. After a very long and painful pause, Art Cologne’s 150 participating galleries and dealers from more than 20 countries were looking forward to returning.
Similar to many other art fairs around the world this past year, attendees at Art Cologne were predominantly local. The fair reported that around 90 percent of this year’s attendees have been German, mainly from the region North Rhine-Westphalia, though some gallerists have also observed the presence of collectors from Belgium, Switzerland, and the south of Germany. In such hard times, these details are important. The fact that collectors decided to travel from southern Germany to come to Art Cologne, despite a growing number of COVID-19 cases, is something very valuable.
Overall, the quality of work at Art Cologne this year is very high and, because the fair is rather small, the general experience is quite pleasant and relaxed, even with all of the first day bustle. Speaking to attendees and gallerists, a topic that has been the leitmotif of many of this year’s European fairs emerged once again: The traditional fair format, with hundreds of galleries amassed in a frenetic circus, perhaps no longer works and should be reconsidered. It’s evident that more and more people wish for more intimate events that allow for proper conversations and the ability to experience artworks calmly." "Lucia Longhi"
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