Artists and Critics Debate COVID-19's Impact on Contemporary Art Structures

Artist Liam Gillick and ArtReview critic J.J. Charlesworth examine how the pandemic has halted art fairs and biennials, accelerating pre-existing crises in the artworld. They argue that contemporary art as a period aligned with globalization since 1989 may be ending, with infrastructures like international networks, art fairs, and biennials facing collapse. The economic crisis in art markets and institutions parallels broader disruptions like tourism declines and the Basel watch fair cancellation. Gillick describes a double pyramid power structure in U.S. nonprofits, with workers at the base and trustees at the apex, which perpetuates inequality. Charlesworth notes that lockdowns and Black Lives Matter protests have intensified debates over race, diversity, and decolonization, exposing institutional fragility. Both suggest that lasting change requires new legal frameworks and organizational models, moving beyond temporary "turns" like the educational shift of the 1990s. Gillick speculates on a future where art becomes a historical style, with fairs evolving into sales conferences and biennials into academic conferences. The discussion references Documenta, the Venice Biennale, and art fairs in Basel and Cologne as key models that have proliferated globally over 30 years. Gillick's exhibition 'It should feel like unicorns are about to appear' runs at Alfonso Artiaco in Naples until 24 October.