The Scope Art Fair in the Hamptons
Several times during the weekend of the Scope Art Fair, I visited the booth that housed this emotionally sad painting by Francisco Guerreo. I literally had to ask myself why I was so attracted to this painting. Was it the quality of the work itself or was it the lovely, pleasant and knowledgeable art dealer who had brought this painting to Scope? Perhaps a little bit of both. Marcel Duchamp often sang to the art world sometime ago that context is a prevailing element in the preception of art. But that's another story entirely, although a valid point to our discussion.
My experience with that art dealer embodies my personal weekend at the Scope Art Fair and my discussions with her serve as a roadmap for anyone dealing with art and especially contemporary art. To appreciate any painting, there needs to be a willingness to engage with the art. One should never be afraid of asking questions to the dealer or even the artist if they are present.
At the Scope Fair, most of the dealers were open to answering questions about their artists and some of the artists were there to entertain questions also. One should never assume that they can "get" art without inquiry. As with any relationship or situation, true understanding is never fully reached without asking questions..
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