What is an online viewing Room?

Full focus space

GAGOSIAN, DAVID ZWIRNER, ART BASEL they all offer VIEWING ROOMS ON THEIR PLATFORMS.

ONLINE VIEWING ROOM IN THE ART WORLD

For those of you who don't know what a viewing room means in the art world, it is usually a smaller separate private room in the gallery, where 1-3 art works from one artist are shown, in an intimate setting.

Here the potential buyer/collector can view the selected artworks without any distractions.

The online viewing room is a separate space where you have to register to get access, and in many cases you need to pay a so called entrance fee to view the art work.

An online viewing room is an exclusive look at the work of a given artist in a 3 dimensional setting, highlighting exclusive works.

An online viewing room is globally accessible allowing the art dealers and artists to showcase their work to a broader range of collectors and art lovers, achieving more reach than a physical exhibition.

What are the benefits of a gallery online viewing room?

• global reach and visibility
• you can extend an exhibition infinitely
• to promote and high light your exhibitions or an artist
• show an exhibition solely virtually

When I first started researching for my online art platform, the term online viewing room kept coming up.

The Big Bang situation happened when Gagosian sold an artwork from artist Albert Oeheln over their online viewing room for 6 million dollars!

It is of course easier to sell art from a well known artist in comparison to a young emerging one, but it's becoming increasingly popular.

David Zwirner was the first commercial gallery to launch an online viewing room.

Now the art market, that in general so shunned the web, has been forced to rethink their attitude due to Covid-19 lock downs and restrictions  and many have decided to follow suit.

Especially art fairs that were cancelled physically turned to online viewing rooms such as Frieze, Art Basel and Art Hong Kong.

Digital is becoming the new normal. Some galleries have been doing it for years, others began to implement it due to the Corona restrictions.

Since then transactions have been taking place virtually on art galleries and art fairs platforms.

These viewing rooms are not going to replace art fairs and exhibitions in the long run, at least not quite yet.

I say this because there are new movements happening, galleries are forming new alliances, joining together to support each other and organize gallery group shows online, similar to art fairs.

If they are successful online what goes to say they won't have the same kind of success physically once there are no more restrictions. Will they then still need the big art fairs to connect?

Viewing rooms are planned and curated similar to a physical gallery space presenting exhibitions 3 dimensionally.

For a viewing room to be successful the technical specifications need to be top notch.

Excellent high resolution images of the art work, with concentration on detail and presentation are of great importance.

It enables art dealers to make their artists and their work accessible across the world.

It also allows the gallery to extend an exhibition when it is physically over.

HOW CAN YOU PROFIT FROM THE USE OF AN ONLINE VIEWING ROOM?

1. More reach! You can make your exhibition, your artist, an artwork more accessible globally.
2. You can extend your exhibition virtually. Even when you are planning and showing your next exhibition, viewers can access your current exhibition and also view past shows.
3. Promote your exhibition online with more in-depth and captivating substance.
4. Share the artwork you are showing at an artfair virtually in your online viewing room to promote your booth to collectors and art lovers.
5. You can curate a solely online exhibition. This is great because its much less costly, can achieve more reach and during these restrictive times can give art dealers another space to show they're artists.
6. You can publish a viewing room as news with reviews, stories and in-depth details, on the artist, the work and your gallery.
7. A viewing room can help you to highlight and present artists throughout the year.
8. We recommend you find someone who can do it for you if you are not experienced. There are many platforms offering different packages that can give you more reach. We also offer such a package, all you have to do is send us your exhibition or artwork/s you want to showcase in a viewing room. We share on our social media platforms, on our website, and news letter starting from 49.90 €. For more information send us an email with your requirements and we will send you an offer at munchiesartclub@gmail.com
9. Viewing rooms and online exhibitions have reached a break through. They are not to be mistaken as something that will replace the classical and physical experience. View it as a bonus, an extra tool, enabling you to expand your reach infinitely.
10. Don't underestimate how powerful the web is. Don't underestimate the hard work that goes into being found in an ocean of data. If your name isn't up there with star galleries or famous art fairs, being found is a science in itself. We can support you, work together, and help you achieve visibility on the web.

Now you have to decide whether you are for or against selling art online.

Once you have answered that question for yourself, you can then decide to either jump on or jump off.

FRIEZE VIEWING ROOM | A PERFECT EXAMPLE

2020 Frieze London and Frieze Masters  introduced a hybrid format of online and offline activity, with Frieze Viewing Room taking place alongside an expanded programme of Frieze Week activity across London.

Together, Frieze Viewing Room and Frieze Week in London will form a significant moment in the city’s cultural calendar as well as an opportunity for cultural connections and conversations on an international level. Global lead partner Deutsche Bank supports Frieze fairs for the 17th consecutive year, continuing a shared commitment to artistic excellence.

Summery Frieze London Viewing Room:

• Featuring hybrid online-offline gallery presentations
• New viewing room features to include live chat and social media
• sharing

WORLD-LEADING GALLERIES | FRIEZE VIEWING ROOM LONDON

At Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2020 world-leading galleries participated, including international names such as Gagosian, Marian Goodman Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, Xavier Hufkens, Pace Gallery, Skarstedt, Sprüth Magers, Van de Wegheand. David Zwirner, and the 303 Gallery, A Gentil Carioca, Kavi Gupta, Jenkins Johnson Gallery, Jhaveri Contemporary, Karma, kurimanzutto, Mendes Wood DM, Almine Rechand Sikkema Jenkins & Co. With a strong representation of prominent London galleries such as Sadie Coles HQ, Pilar CorriasGallery, Thomas Dane, Stephen Friedman Gallery, Alison JacquesGallery, Victoria Miro, Maureen Paley, Richard Saltoun Galleryand White Cube, celebrating the city’s position as a global arts hub.