Art Exhibition Makes Debut in Berkshires, opting for Tranquility over Basel's Chaos
Hi there, let's dive into the story of Arrival Art Fair, a breath of fresh air in the art world circuit.
The spark for Arrival Art Fair ignited during a disheartening visit to a lifeless fair. Sarah Galender Meyer, Yng-Ru Chen, and Crystalle Lacouture decided they could create something vibrant and inviting, and chased their vision to the Berkshires—a beautiful, museum-dense corner of Massachusetts.
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Hear the inside scoop on Arrival courtesy of our exclusive interviews with the founders. This biannual, invite-only event takes place at Tourists, a popular North Adams hotel. The fair boasts an impressive roster of 36 exhibitors, curated through a nomination process driven by regional curators.
Arrival shakes up the traditional fair model, aiming to counter the overwhelming transactional nature that has come to define the fair circuit. Taking inspiration from Artfarm's hospitality venture by Hauser & Wirth, Arrival envisions a weekend escape, not just a marketplace. The Tourists hotel has been entirely claimed for the event, offering a diverse range of programming such as outdoor sculpture, museum talks, and an acquisition prize from the Williams College Museum of Art.
The funding model is unconventional, too, with booth fees supplemented by philanthropic support, ensuring the fair remains free for visitors. It's a new era for art events, where beauty, conversation, and experience take center stage.
In conversation with the creators of Arrival
ARTNews: Why start a new fair now?
Sarah Galender Meyer: Why not? We were frustrated with the conventional fair experience, which felt impersonal and uninspiring. So, we thought, "We can do better."
ARN: Any hints about the deflating fair we should know about?
Yng Ru Chen: No, we won't name names. [Laughs]
Lacouture: It would be unsightly, wouldn't it?
Galender Meyer: But seriously, we wanted a fresh approach without the sterile feeling of typical fairs. The Berkshires are a dreamy place in the summer, and it's rich in art. We saw an opportunity to create a fair that offers substance over flashiness.
Chen: And the Berkshires aren't overrun with art. Mass MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, Williams College—it's a region with a deep art history.
The journey behind Arrival
Lacouture: Building Arrival was a cooperative effort. As an adviser, gallery founder, and artist, the three of us brought different perspectives to the table. There wasn't a detailed five-year plan; it was more about following our instincts one step at a time.
Galender Meyer: There was a learning curve—social media, curatorial outreach, and so on. But we trusted each other, and that's been key to our success.
Chen: It was a collaborative process from start to finish, reminding us of the art world's communal roots.
The selection process for exhibitors
Chen: We assembled a group of curatorial ambassadors, including directors and curators from Mass MoCA, the Clark Art Institute, Storm King, and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, among others. Each nominated three to five galleries, and we invited exhibitors based on their suggestions.
Lacouture: A few galleries declined our invitation because of conflicts with Basel or concerns about a new fair. But many enthusiastically accepted, eager to be a part of something different. Exhibitors hail from all corners of the U.S., bringing a diverse range of perspectives.
Galender Meyer: We're also introducing artists who usually avoid the fair circuit, giving them a platform to showcase unique projects like Mel Chin's iconic vending machine commentary on consumer culture.
Arrival Art Fair is biannual and free for visitors thanks to philanthropic support from collectors. It's more than just a fair—it's an engaging, immersive experience that celebrates art, community, and the shared beauty of the Berkshires.
- Arrival Art Fair, a vibrant and inviting event, was born from the desire to revitalize the art world circuit, originating during a disappointing visit to a lifeless art fair.
- The founders, Sarah Galender Meyer, Yng-Ru Chen, and Crystalle Lacouture, chose the Berkshires, a museum-dense corner of Massachusetts, as the location for their groundbreaking fair.
- Held at Tourists, a popular North Adams hotel, Arrival Art Fair features a diverse range of programming such as outdoor sculpture, museum talks, and an acquisition prize from the Williams College Museum of Art.
- Unique in the art world circuit, Arrival aims to counter the overwhelming transactional nature that has come to define art fairs, imagining a weekend escape instead of just a marketplace.
- The funding model is unconventional, as booth fees are supplemented by philanthropic support, ensuring the fair remains free for visitors, reflecting a new era for art events that prioritize beauty, conversation, and experience over market transactions.
- Arrival Art Fair offers an exclusive roster of 36 exhibitors, meticulously curated through a nomination process driven by regional curators.
- The fair also provides a platform for artists who typically avoid the fair circuit, allowing them to showcase unique projects like Mel Chin's iconic vending machine commentary on consumer culture.
- Beyond being just an art fair, Arrival Art Fair embodies the shared beauty of the Berkshires, fostering a sense of community and immersing visitors in art, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, and travel experiences, creating a weekend escape where art joins other aspects of lifestyle.
