A theme that emerged from Armory Week in New York is that the calendar of art fairs is jam-packed. But a new fair on has a distinct approach and a fresh payment model. Opening in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood in May, Object & Thing is an art-meets-design fair where editioned objects will be sold next to sculptures, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $50,000. There’s a component called The Shop, with items that are below $100 dollars, including books and foodstuffs. It’s in a space with no booths or partitions and the items for sale are also available for purchase on an e-commerce site.
Most intriguingly, there’s no booth fee to cripple galleries, many of which are already saddled with the price of admission to Frieze New York, which runs concurrent to Object & Thing on Randall’s Island. Instead, the galleries pay a commission on what actually sells.
On Thursday, Object & Thing revealed the 32 galleries that will be paying such commissions. Many are among the world’s heavyweights, including Pace Gallery and Hauser & Wirth, alongside outfits such as London’s Herald Street, L.A.’s David Kordansky Gallery, and Mendes Wood DM, which has outposts in São Paulo, Brussels, and New York. Other local favorites include David Lewis, Bridget Donahue, and Clearing, which has a space just up the street in Bushwick.
Object & Thing, which was founded by Frieze veteran Abby Bangser, opens on May 3rd at 99 Scott.
