Artsy

The 20th century introduced unprecedented avenues in democratizing art through new forms of technology and public outreach. Inventions like the television helped Andy Warholpopularize art with a general audience, whereas movements like Dada pioneered the idea that anyone could make art from readymade materials in their home. 

Despite these populist developments, the traditional art market has severely lagged behind in the realms of accessibility and transparency despite technological and social change. For many novice collectors, the image of the exclusive antiquated art market—price list, pushback, and waitlists—makes buying in person seem inaccessible.

The internet, however, provides a much more welcoming space, democratizing the market through transparent sales and unbiased interactions between buyers and sellers. And while many galleries have long used the internet to sell, mostly through their own websites and to existing clientele, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated galleries’ use of a variety of online channels to engage with and sell to both new and established collectors.

Artsy spoke with Oly Durey, director of Jack Bell Gallery, based in London; Harry Dougall, director at Public Gallery, based in London; Natasha Woolliams, exhibition manager at Flowers, based in London and Hong Kong; Alexandre Roesler, director at Nara Roesler, based in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and New York; and Ana Paula de Haro, partner and director of OMR, based in Mexico City, about the online art market, its ability to make art accessible for collectors, and its overall benefits for clients and gallerists alike.