At the VIP opening (5 May), everyone was busy talking about the impending Tefaf takeover. Willoughby Gerrish, of London’s Bowman Sculpture gallery, said Tefaf “can bring the quantity and quality of visitors and collectors to the already strong foundations laid by Spring Masters. It has the opportunity to become one of the top fair destinations.” The gallery sold Lapis Lazuli Girl (2006), by the gallery’s new artist Emily Young, with an asking price of $65,000, and Tony Cragg’s Fat Bronze Head (2002), with an asking price of $180,000.
It looks like Tefaf will be expanding exhibitor numbers, from the current 62 to between 80 and 100, by making use of the Armory’s mezzanine level.
“One challenge for Tefaf surely has to be the limited set-up time due to the high usage of the Armory. But if this can be overcome, the combination of the Tefaf brand, dealer expertise and the Armory’s location stands to make the fair a new art market hub for New York,” said Adrian Biddell, from the London and New York-based gallery Waterhouse & Dodd.
The first of Tefaf’s two annual fairs, Tefaf Fall will take place at the Armory on 21-26 October and will focus on art from antiquity through to the early 20th century. The Spring edition (4-9 May) will focus on Modern and contemporary art and design.
