Art fair goes digital. Art Basel introduces online viewing rooms
Since the coronavirus began to massively restrict public life, with cultural institutions remaining closed until further notice, art fairs such as Art Cologne being postponed, and Art Basel Hong Kong being cancelled, there has been rapidly growing demand for novel digital information formats. Art Basel, which is supposed to take place from 18 to 21 June 2020, has not yet been cancelled. Come what may with the corona crisis, the global trade fair for the most important international art market will be introducing online viewing rooms on 20 March, ahead of the event. According to spokespeople for the art fair, virtual space in the publicly accessible online exhibition is still very much uncharted territory for many of the 231 participating galleries. Each gallery will need to develop a fresh curatorial concept for its virtual appearance, the main advantage being that in virtual space, there are simply not the restrictions of the traditional white cube. The temporary virtual museum features a range of works, from superb paintings through to monumental outdoor sculptures.
