By Hannah Tager
On the morning of Tuesday, May 21st, the arts and culture news outlet Observer hosted its inaugural event, the Business of Art Observed conference at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. During the conference, attendees heard from a wealth of experts ranging from gallerists and collectors to attorneys and brokers. The conference shed light upon a myriad of topics, and more lengthy discussions were devoted to regulation in the art market, technological advancements in the industry, and risk management of works. The speakers touched upon many themes, but keynote speaker Michael Findlay’s idea of the cyclical and weak messianic power of the art market was debated and discussed throughout.
“A lot of people think that everything has changed in the art market. But I don’t think the basic business model has changed very much. There is a precedent for a lot that is going on now.”
Michael Findlay
The opening remarks were given by Pauline Willis, director and CEO of The American Federation of the Arts. Willis urged listeners to “envision a world in which we don’t have to go to one of these major metropolitan areas to see the greatest works of arts,” a scenario which she works to actualize through the AFA’s mobile art exhibitions.
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