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Posted On: October 29th 2026, 06:35 pm
What do art fairs actually tell us about the market right now?
This October, London and Paris showed two very different pictures. Frieze felt more cautious: collectors were there, but they looked longer before buying. Art Basel Paris brought serious money and fast sales — and then closed before the weekend because of planned protests.
At a fair, I don’t only look at what is beautiful. I watch who stops, who asks, who comes back, what gets reserved — and which works people still remember after they leave.
Because fairs show very clearly what the market is ready to pay attention to — and what it’s already tired of.
What did you notice at the fairs this year?
Sources: Frieze, ARTnews, The Art Newspaper, Artnet · October 2026
This October, London and Paris showed two very different pictures. Frieze felt more cautious: collectors were there, but they looked longer before buying. Art Basel Paris brought serious money and fast sales — and then closed before the weekend because of planned protests.
At a fair, I don’t only look at what is beautiful. I watch who stops, who asks, who comes back, what gets reserved — and which works people still remember after they leave.
Because fairs show very clearly what the market is ready to pay attention to — and what it’s already tired of.
What did you notice at the fairs this year?
Sources: Frieze, ARTnews, The Art Newspaper, Artnet · October 2026
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