SPARK Art Fair Vienna debuted with an innovative new format in June 2021, offering an exciting way for collectors, museums and institutions to discover works from both challenger and established artists with an international scope. At the fair all booths are equal and invite the audience with an open form. In a first for art fairs, SPARK exclusively featured solo presentations by galleries and artists. The concept of the fair has been recognized as a response to a changing art market:
„A Buzzy New Art Fair Has Taken Vienna by Storm” – artnet news
„The Most Exciting Art Fair in Recent Years” – Monopol Magazin
„A Model for the Post-Pandemic Generation of Art Fairs” – Kurier
„Vienna's New Art Fair Spark Has the Potential to Become an Important Address for European Galleries.“ – Der Tagesspiegel
Building on the foundations laid by the inaugural fair, SPARK is set to develop a production ecosystem, with artists creating works specifically to debut at the fair and providing international collectors with a unique opportunity to access primary positions.
SPARK 2021 consisted of 71 solo presentations and three curated sections. The curated sections were led by three renowned curators: „Utopia: Post-War“ by Sabine Breitwieser, „Perspectives“ by Tevž Logar, and „Interface – Contemporary New Media and Digital Art“ by Marlies Wirth.
SPARK 2022 will be held at the historic Marx Halle in central Vienna with a comprehensive offer of peripheral experiences.