Aspen’s annual art week has a newcomer: the inaugural Aspen Art Fair. Opening today, the boutique event will take over the renowned Hotel Jerome through August 2.
The fair is the brainchild of art-world veterans Becca Hoffman, who previously oversaw Intersect Art and Design, and Bob Chase, the founder of local gallery Hexton. More than 30 international dealers including Perrotin, Southern Guild, and Patron will display their wares at the Jerome’s stylish, newly Michelin Key-awarded spaces.
The fair aims to think outside the traditional art fair booth with programming that includes exclusive home tours, artist residencies, outdoor excursions, and partnerships with the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Aspen Music Festival and School, among others.
Organizers are also eschewing short-term engagement by establishing a year-round presence. From commissioning public murals by Aspen-based artists to hosting film screenings at local theaters, the fair is positioning itself as a cultural anchor for Aspen’s full-time residents, ensuring that they remain stakeholders in their town’s artistic future.
“It’s time for something new, something different,” says Hoffman, “something more bespoke and tailor-made for the local and regional community with a voice and footprint in the broader global arts and culture landscape.”
