Object & Thing: New York's Free-Booth Design Fair Debuts During Frieze Week

A new design fair, Object & Thing, will launch in Brooklyn during Frieze New York in May 2019. Founded by Abby Bangser, former artistic director of Frieze Art Fairs for the Americas and Asia, the fair reinvents the art and design fair model by eliminating booth fees and charging only a commission on sales. The inaugural edition takes place May 3–5 at 99 Scott in Brooklyn, a 400-square-meter space previously used for art events and fashion shows. Thirty-two galleries will present over 200 objects in a single, uninterrupted exhibition without traditional stands, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $50,000. Participating galleries include Hauser & Wirth, Pace, and Blum & Poe. A second section, The Shop, features nine design boutiques selling home and decorative items under $100. Bangser stated she aimed to lower barriers for galleries of different sizes. The fair's commission-based model joins a growing trend of alternative fairs challenging high participation costs, such as Art Basel's sliding-scale fees and the cooperative fair Frame in Basel.