Siren's first oopsie

Sorry for delay! Promise ill make up for it :)

The best quality in a person, in my opinion, is the ability to give grace (within reason, of course). And in this moment of weakness, I ask that of you, dear reader.

I promised an article a week—hell, I even promised more for future subscribers—but that pesky thing called life got in the way. Oh, and my 10-day trip to Asia.

I wasn’t planning on going to Art Basel Hong Kong this year, but the right opportunity came up, and I couldn’t resist. Asia holds a special place in my heart—and my stomach.

With the current state of the art market (and, well, the world), I thought it would be a good idea to gather more data, more exposure, and better understand this industry from the inside out. How is the art world faring in such a strange time? Did the fair feel normal?

I’m not sure I left with more clarity. If anything, I came back with more questions. From the art I was seeing to the conversations I was having, it felt like everyone had their pre-rehearsed responses ready to go. Then again, maybe I was walking in with my own preconceived notions about where the market stands and had a bit less optimism.

That said, I did get some intel—nothing I’ll divulge here—but it got me thinking about the different sectors of the art world and the idea of “staying in your lane.”

Recently, the art world was fed a rumor that Sotheby’s was buying Pace to create a new hybrid model of private sales, integrating two seemingly different business structures. I don’t think this is actually happening, but it raises a bigger question: Are we going to see more of these flexible, cross-sector businesses?

Since Covid (and even a bit before), we’ve seen the art world experiment with this—mega-galleries launching advisory branches, advisories representing artists and estates, and now, the rumor that auction houses are looking to acquire galleries to build out private sales.

For traditionalists, this feels radical. The roles of each sector have been clearly defined for so long, offering at least some clarity and trust in an otherwise opaque industry. But with the market in a downturn and buyers holding all the power, businesses are being forced to evolve—some creatively, others by borrowing from existing models.

Personally, I think the door is wide open. The art world is one of the few industries without a rulebook, so who’s to say you cant do it all? Maybe that’s just what I tell myself as I continue wearing multiple hats but it is what I truly believe. If you don’t change with the times, you will be left behind.

Comment below if you want a deeper dive into what the sectors role (galleries, auctions, consultants, etc) have historically been—I can get into the nitty-gritty.

I promise I’ll be back weekly, and I might even do a full Asia debrief separate from my upcoming column in Cultured Magazine (one of my many fun hats as their Editor at Large for the Arts).

Until next time. XX, SC