SHAKEUP AT THE FAIR

Published: July 16, 2009
by Wendy Moonan

Just a week after London dealers announced plans to create Masterpiece Fair, a new show to replace the Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair, which closed last month after 75 editions, came news from a major competitor.

Clarion Events, organizer of the rival Olympia art and antiques fair, also held in June, has renamed it the London International Fine Art Fair at Olympia and partnered with the veteran American show managers David Lester and his wife, Lee Ann.

Mr. Lester said he planned to focus on collectors in Russia, India, China and the Middle East as well as decorators, art advisers, museum curators and collectors in the West.

“We plan to make the fair more international and do more promotion, including heavy electronic marketing,” he said. “We have strong relationships with dealers and can give the fair greater strength with corporate and art-community partners.”