Edek Bartz - Taking a museum Director by the hand. (en) - a podcast by CastYourArt.com

Edek Bartz - Taking a museum Director by the hand.

By mid-January, the London Art Fair kicks off the international art fair season. At year end, offerings such as Art Basel Miami or alternatively, the Contemporary Art Fair in Istanbul are up for grabs to art dealers, buyers, and onlookers. The business of fine art is conducted at these fairs. Depending on which art information site that one consults, anywhere from 30 up to 100 art fairs pave the way of artistic-financial exchange between London and Miami each year. In view of the vast range of fairs to choose from, it has become increasingly important in the last few years for fair directors to develop a comprehensive profile of their event.

According to Bartz, his task is to recognize and bring together opportunities that represent particular geographical, financial, artistic, and institutional circumstances. For three years, the artistic director of Vienna Fair has developed a prominent profile among the international art events. The fair’s program is characterized by contemporary art with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. It features a variety of renowned galleries and it has opened doors into the international art market for young and lesser-known galleries from the eastern member states of the European Union.

Edek Bartz himself has an Eastern European background. Born in a Russian internment camp in Quaraghandy, the fourth largest city of Kazakhstan, he spent his childhood in Poland. In 1958, on the way to “emigrating” to Israel, his mother made a “stop” in Vienna, where her family had lived, and ended her journey there. Bartz soon made a name for himself within and beyond the city as a gifted manager in the music and art worlds. He himself was a musician, acted as a manager for the Austrian pop icon, Falco, and founded and managed festivals. Today, he curates exhibitions and teaches at the University of Applied Art in Vienna.

The combination of his knowledge of art and his understanding of the organizational and commercial sides of art events was his most important qualification for his position as artistic director of Vienna Fair, says Bartz. Sales are a very important aspect of Vienna Fair, but a successful art fair must also be an entertaining platform for analyzing artistic directions, identifying where new centers develop, discussing curatorial strategies, and, in particular, building up good contacts. Those who are seeking the opportunity for discussions with gallery owners, artists, and curators, considering purchasing an artwork, or just looking for some interaction and exchange, should check out Vienna Fair, which runs from May 6-10, which will also feature a number of internationally curated exhibitions in galleries and art spaces around Vienna, as well as various events and parties sponsored by the fair. (wh/jn)

CastYourArt will also be represented at Vienna Fair in the media section. Feel free to stop by, we look forward to your visit!
(wh/jn)

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