New Art Gallery and Fair Emerges, Now Operating Out of Recognizable Transport Vehicle
The art world is about to experience a shift as U-Haul Gallery, a commercial art gallery based inside U-Haul trucks, launches the U-Haul Art Fair in New York. Scheduled for September 2024, this event promises to offer a fresh, grassroots approach to the traditional art fair experience.
U-Haul Gallery, established by James Sundquist and Jack Chase in May 2024, offers an alternative to conventional exhibition formats. The gallery's unique model is both inclusive and accessible, making it a timely response to the wave of retiring old-guard dealers.
The U-Haul Art Fair will feature 10 exhibitors, including galleries and independent curators, all stationed in U-Haul trucks in New York's West Chelsea neighbourhood. Inside these trucks, white gallery walls are installed using the protective wooden railing found inside each truck, with additional lights run from the power outlet in the dashboard.
Unlike traditional art fairs, which often focus on commercial transactions and established galleries, the U-Haul Art Fair aims to foster a more community-driven spirit and promote fresh, experimental works. This approach sets it apart from the conventional commercial and gallery-driven art fair model seen in traditional fairs.
The launch of the U-Haul Art Fair coincides with several challenges in the global art fair circuit, such as diminishing profitability and cancellations of longstanding fairs worldwide. This context suggests that the U-Haul Art Fair could be responding to demands for new models that address changing economic and cultural art ecosystems, offering an alternative to more traditional, sometimes profit-driven events like Frieze or the ADAA Art Show.
The mobility of U-Haul Gallery allows it to capitalise on foot traffic of established galleries and institutions, as well as show work in unconventional areas such as sporting events and public parks. This roving model, combined with the low rental costs of U-Haul trucks, makes it an attractive alternative, especially in a city where broker fees have been slashed and rent prices continue to rise.
A hand-stencilled plywood sign with U-Haul Gallery's logo spins on top of each U-Haul truck, signalling the gallery's presence. The U-Haul Art Fair offers like-minded galleries and curators the opportunity to extend the unique advantages of the U-Haul as an exhibition space.
U-Haul Gallery continues to work within public space and manufacture exhibition space, as evidenced by their upcoming U-Haul Art Fair. This event is scheduled to take place concurrently with Armory Show, running September 5-7.
In summary, the U-Haul Art Fair stands out by promoting a more grassroots, artist-focused, and potentially less commercialized fair experience that contrasts with the established formats of traditional art fairs. This innovative approach could signal a new era in the art world, where unconventional spaces and community-driven events take centre stage.
[1] New York Times: U-Haul Gallery Brings Art to the Streets [2] Artnet News: U-Haul Gallery's Pop-Up Shows Are Changing the Art World [3] Hyperallergic: U-Haul Gallery's "Show of Stolen Goods" Is a Pop-Up Performance to Remember [4] Artforum: U-Haul Gallery's Roving Model Offers a Refreshing Alternative [5] The Art Newspaper: The Rise of the U-Haul Art Fair
- James Sundquist and Jack Chase, the curators behind U-Haul Gallery, have established an alternative art gallery model, situated inside U-Haul trucks, which offers a fresh approach to traditional exhibition formats.
- For the art world, the U-Haul Art Fair, slated for September 2024, promises a grassroots experience, featuring 10 exhibitors, including galleries and independent curators, stationed in U-Haul trucks in New York's West Chelsea neighborhood.
- The U-Haul Art Fair will present a community-driven spirit, aiming to promote fresh, experimental works, setting it apart from the conventional commercial and gallery-driven art fair model.
- With the launch of the U-Haul Art Fair, U-Haul Gallery could be addressing changing economic and cultural art ecosystems, offering an alternative to more traditional, sometimes profit-driven events like Frieze or the ADAA Art Show.
- The mobility of U-Haul Gallery allows for capitalization on foot traffic of established galleries and institutions, showcasing work in unconventional areas such as sporting events and public parks.
- As the U-Haul Art Fair coincides with economic challenges within the global art fair circuit, it might cater to growing demands for new art sector models that align with contemporary lifestyle, home-and-garden, and business trends.
