News
Going virtual: are traditional art fairs history?
VIP Art Fair, the first fair to mobilise the collective force of many of the world's leading galleries with the unlimited reach of the the Internet, will take place exclusively online in January 2011 at www.vipartfair.com. VIP Founding galleries include Sadie Coles, Xavier Hufkens, Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Worth, Anna Schwartz and White Cube.
The design of VIP allows art collectors to view artwork online in relation to other works and in relative scale to the human figure. Visitors can zoom in to examine details of a painting's surface, get multiple views of a three -dimensional work, and watch videos of a multi-media piece.
Another feature is the interactivity between dealer and collector. Each dealer has the ability to hold conversations with collectors via instant messaging and Skype. Dealers can also provide access to their back room inventory, sharing works in real time with clients in specially created private rooms on the client's computer screen.
The fair opens on Saturday 22 January 2011 at 8.00 a.m. EST and closes on Sunday 30 January at 7.59 a.m. EST. Browsing the Fair is free of charge but visitors must have a VIP ticket to access interactive capabilities.