Since 2006, the contemporary art fair MARKET, whose next edition will take place from 12nd to 14th May, articulates and gives visibility to the market of the Nordic region: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. We spoke to Sara Berner Bengtson, managing director of the fair.

I

ALBERTO AGUILAR: We have the impression that the fair you lead, Market, has little to do with the approach of most fairs on an international scale. We would therefore like to begin this conversation by asking you... what is your idea of an art fair? What is the Market’s attractiveness as a brand?

SARA BERNER BENGTSSON: Sometimes we use the word “boutique fair” when we talk about Market Art Fair. We are not a mega-fair in a tent or large exhibition center. We are much smaller, proud of our regional context and very beautifully located in Liljevalchs Konsthall, built in 1916 as the first public gallery for contemporary art in Sweden. This unique setting dictates much of who we are and what makes us special. The building’s limitations mean we can’t expand to more than 40 or so galleries and we could never welcome tens of thousands visitors. Instead we focus on intimate solo presentations and to create meaningful meetings with our close network of collectors and industry professionals, who love the personal feeling of the fair.  

II

AA: Looking at the participating galleries, we are struck by the fact that, in a way, you are not interested in international developments in the gallery scene, nor you put the focus on the global art scene. Could it be said that the hallmark of the Market is the desire to concentrate exclusively on galleries and artists from the city, the country and the region? Is this a consequence of the idiosyncrasies of the Swedish art market? Tell us about the sector to which you belong, please. 

SBB: Market Art Fair was originally founded by galleries from the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland) and our mission is to support the Nordic art scene. The fair is only open to artists who are Nordic by origin, residency or their artistic theme. That said, there are a lot of Nordic artists that are well-established internationally (Superflex, Andreas Eriksson, Olafur Eliasson just to mention a few) and are represented by non-Nordic galleries. This year we have galleries from the UK, Germany and Switzerland presenting at the fair, apart from galleries from all the Nordic countries and we welcome many international guests. Several of our Nordic galleries also play important roles in the global art scene as Nordenhake from Sweden and i8 from Iceland. Market Art Fair should be the meeting and marketplace for everyone who has an interest in Nordic art regardless of where you come from. 

III

AA: Does the fair have a consolidated and loyal critical mass of collectors so that it does not need to attract the interest of collectors from other regions of the world: USA, UK, LATAM, for example? In your opinion, what are the expectations of the collectors who come to Market?

SBB: We are lucky to have a very strong and supportive collector base here in Sweden. They are both loyal to Swedish artists and galleries, while also curious about discovering artists from other countries. From my experience, this is not always the case in other regional markets, and something that makes us attractive to non-Swedish galleries. We work very closely with our visiting collectors and we try to have a personal relationship with all of them, although it gets harder as the number increases! We offer a lot of VIP activities as visits to the private homes of Swedish collectors and I know of many lasting friendships that have been formed during the fair. We mostly welcome collectors from the Nordic countries, Germany, France, US and UK but when we welcome someone from other countries our aim is to give them the best introduction to Stockholm and the Nordic art scene as possible.

IV

AA: What kind of relationships do you foster with third parties: both with the institutional fabric and the private initiative of the city, the country and the region? With which cultural institutions do you collaborate? What does Market teach us when it comes to conceiving and managing its strategic alliances?

SBB: We have a very close relationship with Stockholm’s art and culture institutions, among them Moderna Museet, Magasin III and Bonniers Konsthall. They open up for viewings and activities, participate in the fair and engage with our galleries. We also have great partnerships with companies such as SEB, BMW and BCG. Their support is crucial for us to grow and evolve. 

I must say though that the region and city is underestimating the potential the fair has in strengthening Stockholm’s cultural profile, and to introduce its citizens to contemporary art. We receive no support from the city or region, which I must say is surprising when I compare with fairs in other countries. 

Operating a fair is very much about nurturing good relationships, with everyone from top international galleries and large corporate sponsors to the garbage collectors and civil servants approving traffic permits . Everyone is as important in the ecosystem of the fair and ideally our different stakeholders also get an introduction to contemporary art through us. 

V

AA: Operating in a local level, is Market able to foster and scale the business growth of participating galleries? How does the fair help to position the city's and country's galleries on the world stage? What are the challenges you face as director?

SBB: I do hope so! I have a background at international galleries and I know how important fairs can be. A fair is often a large financial investment for a smaller gallery but also such an opportunity to reach out. This year we present for the first time Market Debut, a section for young galleries that never participated at Market Art Fair before, and gets to take part for a subsidized fee. We hope it will become a returning section and the initiative will provide a stepping stone for young galleries to get their first fair experience and hopefully move on to do more fairs. 

VI

AA: How would you characterise the cultural context of Stockholm: i.e. the way of thinking, feeling, creating? In what sense does Market contribute positively to the city's reputation? We would like you to reflect on these questions to conclude our conversation.

SBB: Having worked in larger cities such as London, I personally love the size of the Stockholm art scene. It's small enough to feel you belong and to have a personal connection with most galleries, collectors and artists, but large enough that there are always new initiatives popping up to surprise you. I believe Market Art Fair has an important role to play in shaping the cultural context. We are the largest meeting place for the Stockholm art scene and we should work to be inclusive and representative. Stockholm has an international reputation for being a creative city and a hub for the music and tech industry. We are not there yet when it comes to art, but hopefully well on our way! Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my favourite subject.

SARA BERNER BENGTSSON is the managing director of Market Art Fair. Studied art science and economics at Lund University, has a master's in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (London). Has worked at auction houses and galleries and was chairman of the Swedish Gallery Association.

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