How online art galleries and viewing rooms are changing the industry
- Leading gallerist David Zwirner says in terms of how art is consumed culturally, online viewing rooms will be ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with physical galleries
- Coronavirus has forced the art market to adapt to the virtual realm; Artsy reports a large rise this year in galleries’ interest in its e-commerce platform
Contemporary art gallery David Zwirner is the latest in Hong Kong to announce plans to reopen as the city’s art scene slowly emerges from under the coronavirus cloud.
The gallery in Hong Kong’s Central business district, which will reopen on May 5, will also launch a new online viewing room the same day. Called “Lixia” – the Chinese astronomical term marking the beginning of summer – the bilingual room will be available in both English and Chinese.
Zwirner says Asian clients have taken to online viewing rooms more so than others over the last three months.
“When we first went into lockdown was we saw most clients disappear, but our Asian clients have been with us through this entire moment,” he says.
He believes this is due to buyers in Asia being more familiar with e-commerce, and that they recognise the opportunity to buy works that might otherwise have been snapped up by European and American collectors, who are currently less active.