“As COVID happened, the world shifted pretty quickly,” explained David Schrader, global head of private sales at Sotheby’s. “We immediately started thinking about how to get our works out into the world and spoke to a number of other galleries, including Pace and Acquavella, about opening spaces collaboratively down there. The idea was to have four or five galleries in close proximity where people could spend a few hours or a whole day.”
With leases extending well beyond the lifespan of the typical art fair booth, this prolonged gallery and auction house presence means additional support for the region’s already thriving cultural community. “Just to hear the reaction from our clients has solidified our belief that this was the right thing to do at this moment,” said Kreps. “If Art Basel Miami happens next year and this pop-up proves to be successful, we might just make it part of our business model moving forward.”She added, “There’s already such a great cultural presence in South Florida; I think the galleries moving down there for these pop-ups is only going to enhance what’s already there. We’re viewing this holistically; it’s not just about collectors but also about curatorial opportunities.”