Melanie Gerlis
Melanie Gerlis is the art market editor-at-large at The Art Newspaper and author of Art as an Investment
Leadership shuffles show auction houses and mega-galleries rethinking the trade
In a stubbornly stagnant market, the big players are searching for new ideas that will bring sustained growth
Tefaf’s new Focus stands aim to be more than just another ‘special’ section
Made up of ten main fair exhibitors doing double duty, the section offers the space to experiment.
Third time may be the charm for India’s budding art trade
Although the sceptics say we have been here before, there are ample reasons to believe India's art economy has entered a new era
Phillips auction gives James Rosenquist estate the best of both worlds
Pop artist’s paintings have seven-figure prices, but his prints are available for just a few hundred dollars at New York sale
Why galleries can’t quit fairs despite higher costs and lower returns
Research reveals that fairs are not as lucrative for galleries as they once were—but what is the alternative?
How Gagosian's east London Christo show proved the power of the pop-up exhibition
Who says something eye-catching and short-term can’t also be serious?
Auction houses use lucrative tools to prop up the art market—could they become victims of their own success?
Shielding art prices from organic market conditions doesn't always pay off
'Forget the Brexit blues: for art, London is still where it’s at'
There are plenty of encouraging dynamics in the city this summer
'The baby boomer wealth transfer is upon us—but how long will demand last for their post-war taste?'
Boomers may do well to sell their acquisitions sooner rather than later, as tastes in art are changing
Art market wobble: what happens if banks go bust?
Plus, hip hop in Baltimore and Juan de Pareja, the artist enslaved by Velázquez
'Are Old Masters having a renaissance? Leaner times breathe new life into a tired market'
Collectors tend towards safety in times of trouble—and current uncertainty is causing a shift in buying habits
'Wealthy collectors should put more money into art schools than auctions to keep the industry alive'
In stark comparison to recent staggering auction-house results, educators are struggling to maintain funding, says our columnist Melanie Gerlis
'Hopes for a slower, more local art trade dashed by a turbocharged market year'
The global art world sprang back to life with a vengeance in 2022
'The downside to art world altruism that no one talks about'
Charity sales, while undoubtedly a positive, tend to skew valuable auction data upwards and muddy an already opaque market
'Will the new UK government support the art market?'
The UK’s new culture secretary—the seventh in six years—has a lot on her plate, so whether the art market gets much of her attention remains to be seen
'How dare YOU?': we speak to Just Stop Oil, the eco activists who threw soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers
Plus, Art Basel's inaugural Paris+ fair and an enigmatic Frank Bowling painting
'Will Christie’s strike gold with its first private fund for tech ventures?'
Crypto might have crashed, but online-only sales and other digital channels are allowing auction houses to deepen their business beyond the thin market for blue-chip art
'Recession is likely—and the art market is not immune'
It might take a little longer in our world for the bad news to feed through, but feed through it will
'Why the sudden deregulation of New York's auction houses could lead to a more transparent art market—and a more opaque one too'
With old codes now dispensed of, my hope is to lobby for new oversights that could enforce stricter and clearer rules
'In a guaranteed market, buyers and sellers crave the unpredictable'
The recent London auctions suggested a market of extremes, with some seeking the safety of guarantees and others speculating on works by young stars on the rise
Has the art market recovered? A deep dive into the Art Basel/UBS report
Plus, an exhibition about wartime hideouts in Poland and Ukraine, and Mondrian’s final work Victory Boogie Woogie
'Will new code of conduct make collectors more ethical?'
A new code aims to introduce more transparency to the business of buying
'How canny auction houses and advisory firms are turning a generation of Amazon shoppers into art collectors'
The middle market, traditionally the art world’s unloved child, offers treats galore
'Art is now accepted as a financial asset, but it is still a questionable investment'
It is now normal to consider art a bankable asset—for the very wealthy at least—but the art market is too volatile and risky for most investors
Art fairs: how did they begin and where are they going?
Plus, Caribbean-British art at Tate Britain and Marco Brambilla's VR work at Pérez Art Museum in Miami
'Artists wield the power now: why Simone Leigh's departure from Hauser & Wirth (to join Matthew Marks) is indicative of a broader trend'
As the whole art world starts to question traditional norms, the artist said she was "still figuring out what I want from a primary gallery relationship"—time will tell if she has now worked it out
Book extract | The highs and lows of art fairs
In this extract from her new book, The Art Fair Story: A Rollercoaster Ride, Melanie Gerlis examines the trajectory of these art world events, from the post-war European model to the global behemoths of the 21st century
'An art market half-term report: Fairs get an A-plus for enthusiasm while auction houses receive a B for initiative (but a D for digital art)'
The commercial art world came back with a vengeance in September, but issues around sustainability and volatile prices still abound
Is Paris really taking London’s art crown?
Plus, Marlene Dumas at the Musée d'Orsay and Christian Boltanksi remembered
'Women in the arts are winning the battle for equal employment—but they haven’t yet won the war'
The latest UBS Art Basel report finds that top jobs are finally going to women—even at the mega galleries