The Well Fair

The Well Fair is the eponymous Chinese and English catalogue accompanying Elmgreen & Dragset’s first exhibition in China and largest in Asia to date. The duo transforms UCCA’s Great Hall into a fictional art fair by dividing the space into rectangular booths featuring a selection of over 80 works from the past twenty years. The publication completes the exhibition as an ersatz art fair catalogue. A collection of essays by scholars and fair directors addresses the cultural, sociological, psychological, and historical forces that have contributed to the development of art fairs, as well as their potential for the future. Contributors include art historian Christine Mehring, award-winning critic Stefan Kobel, cultural anthropologist Roberta Sassatelli, market psychologist George E. Newman, Frieze Co-Founder Matthew Slotover, and ARCOmadrid Director Carlos Urroz. The catalogue also features an introduction by UCCA Director Philip Tinari, an interview with the artists, and a WhatsApp conversation between Art Basel Director Marc Spiegler, Director Americas Noah Horowitz, and Director Asia Adeline Ooi.