"Following the closures of influential galleries from Los Angeles and New York to London, and alarmingly low sales at auctions in the first half of the year, Art Basel Miami Beach earlier this month had the unpleasant burden of serving as a Rorschach test for how 2025 might transition into 2026. Depending on who you asked it either capped a three-month rebound, or it showed that everything below the top tier of the market remains stubbornly soft."
"The fair's new digital art section, Zero 10, featured a presentation of leading digital artists curated by Eli Scheinman, formerly of Yuga Labs. These presentations were heavily subsidised, compared to the fair's main sectors. Scheinman and the Art Basel Digital Council bypassed the typical selection committee process as well as the usual requirement that exhibiting artists be represented by galleries."
"Beeple is an irreverent, middle-aged white man who makes satirical digital images that have the narrative depth and conceptual gravitas of a Saturday morning cartoon. Of course, being irreverent is a powerful thing on the internet, where clout can be accrued through a vaguely self-deprecating, counter-cultural stance. In that regard, Beeple could even be construed as a master of the web."
Global art market faced closures of influential galleries in Los Angeles, New York and London and experienced alarmingly low auction sales in the year's first half. Art Basel Miami Beach served as a test of market direction, revealing either a short rebound or persistent softness below the top tier. The fair introduced Zero 10, a subsidised digital art section curated by Eli Scheinman that bypassed usual selection and gallery representation requirements. Many digital artists lack traditional gallerist support, relying instead on followers and social metrics. High-profile promotion favored controversial big-name digital artists whose market credentials were rapidly established by record sales.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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