It’s unavoidable. We have to talk about this. Why is this year’s Art Fair laid out like a video game level?
Unlike previous years, where traditional white wooden board ups created the gallery dividers and walls, this year’s event saw sponsorship from an industrial bamboo provider. Bamboo slats in vertical stripes allowed for curvy, undulating walls. Visually and in a vacuum, it was actully really cool and interesting.
While the layout made for an interesting discovery experience, it did create a number of issues. Here are some of the main ones that caught our ire:
1) Flat paintings don’t hang well on round walls.
2) It’s Confusing. While most art fairs and conventions are laid out in neat rows, Art Fair opted for a layout that swirled and curved like a dragon. One user on twitter asked, “why is Art Fair laid out like an Ikea?
3) Wayfinding becomes an extra burden. Sure, there were maps and way finding were on display. but they were confuing too, as they were posted upside down relative to the viewer, and did not have the quintessential “YOU ARE HERE” red dot.
Perhaps next time, the organizers can utilize the mandatory bracelet’s RFID or print a QR code on the bracelet that links to a map in the cloud. Most visitors did not actively use the RFID or know what it was for.
