ANNOUNCING THE INAUGURAL ZERO ART FAIR
ANNOUNCING THE INAUGURAL ZERO ART FAIR
ARTISTS MATCHING COLLECTORS WITH FREE ARTWORKS
IN NEW MARKET PARADIGM
365 W Pond Lily Rd, Elizaville, NY
July 19 – 21, 2024, 11am – 6pm
New York, NY – May 15, 2024 –The notion of art as a fine commodity is founded upon a myth of scarcity that stands in stark contrast to the vast inventory of unsold work in the world. On the contrary, art is sold to an incredibly small number of individuals while the majority of art sits in studios and storage. This dynamic creates an exceptional financial burden for artists and deprives worthy art of being seen.
Zero Art Fair is an experimental way to reclaim available works and place them in people’s homes for free. Conceived by artists Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida, Zero Art Fair is an ongoing project that will serve as an alternative model to the existing art market – where artists can clear space in their studios without letting go of their works’ potential value.
In a joint statement, Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida shared, “Through our collaborative work on past projects like #Class and #Rank, we’ve learned that art needs to make friends in a wider circle and that there is a dire need in the art market system for experimentation.”
Zero Art Fair will transform fairgoers into collectors by “selling” artworks under contract. Originally developed for William Powhida by NYU Professor Amy Whitaker and artist Alfred Steiner, the contract includes a 5-year vesting period before ownership is automatically transferred to the new owner. During that time, the contract grants the artist the right to sell the work, or borrow the work for exhibition. After ownership is transferred, the contract grants the artist 50% of the sale price if the work is later sold, and a 10% royalty in perpetuity on subsequent resales. Provenance will be posted online.
Zero Art Fair is guided by an advisory committee consisting of Franklin Boyd (attorney); Manon Slome (Co-Founder of No Longer Empty); Jessica Hargreaves (Co-Founder and Director of Mother-in-Law’s); Micaela Martegani (Executive Director and Chief Curator, More Art); Magda Sawon (Founder and Director of Postmasters Gallery); Alfred Steiner (attorney and artist); Adam Simon (artist and Founder of Fine Art Adoption Network); Amy Whitaker (NYU Professor); Edward Winkleman (author and private dealer); and Lauren Wittels (Partner at Luhring Augustine Gallery). Artworks shown in the fair will be chosen by a curatorial committee of artists and arts professionals from an open call running through May 17th: writer and curator Laura Raicovich; independent art critic and curator Seph Rodney, PhD.; Magda Sawon; Manon Slome; and the artist-co-founders of Zero Art Fair, Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida. Artists are encouraged to apply with up to five works through a no-fee application.
The inaugural edition of Zero Art Fair will be held in Elizaville, NY on July 19th – 21st, 2024, coinciding with Upstate Art Weekend. Artworks shown in the fair will be 48” by 48” at the largest to ensure ease of transportation. Participating artists will be selected by the curatorial committee through an open call and will have the opportunity to exhibit up to five artworks.
More information about Zero Art Fair is available at their website, www.zeroartfair.com. Zero Art Fair is sponsored by Netvvrk and the FLAG Art Foundation.
Dates: Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21, 2024
Hours: The Fair will be open each day from 11am – 6pm.
Location: 365 W Pond Lily Rd, Elizaville, NY, 12523.
Admission: Free of Charge
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Media Contacts:
For interviews, background and images, please contact:
Katrina Stewart
Blue Medium, Inc.
