CAA News Today

The VIP Art Fair, the first-ever international contemporary art fair that takes place exclusively online, offers CAA members a complimentary VIP Pass for access to the event.

The fair, which starts tomorrow and continues through January 30, 2011, features hundreds of works of art for sale by 139 galleries from thirty countries. Galleries have constructed “booths,” set up to resemble those in a traditional brick-and-mortar fair, that are presented in an easy-to-navigate digital platform. The roster includes the fair’s founding members—among them James Cohan, David Zwirner, Hauser and Wirth, Gagosian, Sadie Coles, and White Cube—and other blue-chip dealers. Smaller galleries that represent emerging and midcareer artists, such as Winkleman, Johann König, and Lisa Cooley, have also been invited to participate. Some galleries will focus on the work of one artist.

The VIP Art Fair’s organizers invite visitors to contribute to the experience. Curators, critics, professors, artists, and other interested individuals can create virtual tours, both public and private, which they can then share with other fair attendees. Similar to making a playlist in iTunes, the tours allow participants to highlight their favorite works and provide a path with which to navigate the fair—essentially curating an exhibition of the art on sale during the event.

With the special VIP Pass, CAA members receive these benefits:

• Integrated chat and messaging system for live interaction with galleries
• Eligibility to view galleries’ private rooms
• Price ranges for each artwork
• Ability to search for artworks within certain price ranges

The VIP pass contains a unique code (U98B7DE) that you must enter when signing up. After completing the registration form, you will receive a confirmation notice sent to your email address. This communication includes a link that you must click in order to activate your VIP Art Fair account.