The Joburg Art Fair
by Cara Snyman
And so there WAS a second one! The Joburg Art Fair managed to silence many of its critics this year, delivering smoother operation, more critical content and steady growth despite the current economic downturn.
Economic realities were unavoidable for many galleries, as overall sales were undoubtedly slower than last year's pre-crisis buying frenzy. Playing it safe with smaller work, well-known names and conservative content seemed to be the successful strategy for the galleries that did manage to convert foot traffic into red dots. Not surprisingly, prints did particularly well. Though hedging one's bets does not translate into a particularly interesting fair, one cannot really fault this climate of pragmatism.
This year saw an increase in performance works and artist run spaces, notably Blank Projects and the Joubert Park Project space, which added a fringe (rather literally: both were placed on the access corridor outside of the main fair space). These spaces managed to add edginess and criticality to the slick commercialism of the fair, with performances such as Cesare Pietroiusti Money Watching at blank projects.
Though one could praise the sentiment of 'activating' other parts of the city, 'The Talks' last year were difficult to access and pricey, and as a result ill-attended. This year the programme took place within the Sandton convention centre and was free to all with a pass. A partnership with the Goethe-Institut ensured international speakers, and galleries filled up the rest of the programme with artists and curators giving talks on a range of subjects.
A new addition to the fair, the exhibition of Southern Guild Furniture was not a great success. While its very central placement could have made way for more serious visual art content, such as a curated show or fringe space, what was maybe more problematic was the inconsistent quality of the work on exhibit.
Arguably the greatest success was the increase of visitors this year - up to approximately ten thousand from last year's six thousand. In a country where we often complain of a lack of an art audience, this is no mean feat. Though the figure did not always translate into sales for the galleries, it is valuable in terms of public education and development of a new audience. Clever media partnerships, such as 702 blasting interviews and info straight from the fair, no doubt take much credit for increased foot traffic.
Another element that deserves mention is the rather plush and well-designed publication that accompanied the Art Fair: even if it was hampered by binding issues, it is an important document and will no doubt have an extended shelf life as a reflection of art in South Africa circa 2009.
Another new addition was the Puma Initiative, which brought Creative Africa Network (CAN) ambassadors to the fair and encouraged networking with this set of curators, artists and art administrators. Gallerists voiced their disappointment that there were not more international collectors brought to the Fair, apparently one of the expected outcomes of this type of initiative.
This year the Joburg Art Fair used strategic partnerships to extend their reach, and pocket; also managing to consolidate past successes, while addressing concerns raised by the art community last year. The fair was much better for it.
Opens: April 3
Closes: April 5
Joburg Art Fair
Sandton Convention Centre
Tel: (011)482 4459
Email: press@joburgartfair.co.za
www.joburgartfair.co.za
