Weaving through stalls at the Armory Show on Piers 90 and 94 on the West Side in Manhattan this March now seems a world away. On the verge of the pandemic, I had no idea how drastically the world around me was about to change. Although there were early signs of the pandemic’s presence, such as hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the fair, dealers, buyers, and gallerists continued on their way as big sales were made.
Not even a month later, upcoming fairs were canceled, auctions were postponed, and galleries and museums closed as the art world halted. Despite these restrictions, more viewers have been on gallery websites, museum sites with virtual tours, and even private gallery “online viewing rooms.”
But how will this transition to online resources change the art world?
I was fortunate to have grown up surrounded by art, through weekend visits to galleries and museums in New York City. Seeing the paint strokes up close and the size of the artwork in person was crucial to my experience. While many innovative gallery directors and entrepreneurs now rely on the internet to sell artwork online, I cannot imagine truly appreciating artwork without seeing it in person. In such an unprecedented time, many have turned to art as an outlet. I can only hope that other art lovers like myself will still value the essential experience of visiting museums and artworks in person, despite the rise in technology that has changed our interactions across industries.
- Margaret Rand
Source: The Guardian
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