The Baer Faxt, a longtime e-mail newsletter for art-world insiders, has released the results of its annual readers’ poll, and this year’s winner in the arts writer category is artnet News columnist Kenny Schachter. Best known for his bold behind-the-scenes accounts of the auction season’s main events, as well as his colorful and action-packed narratives from the front lines of gallery openings and art fairs (including this year’s Art Basel—at which he was involved in a near-death accident), Schachter renders scenes from the highest reaches of the art world with humanizing social critique and self-satire.
This year, Schachter also penned a takedown of art dealing, predicted that that Art Basel in Miami Beach would lead to the demise of the art world, and attended the opening, in St. Moritz of Vito Schnabel’s new gallery.
In addition to writing for artnet News and other publications, Schachter is an art dealer and the founder of Rove Projects.
According to Josh Baer, the purveyor of the Baer Faxt, the poll is sent to all 2,000 recipients of the newsletter and the voting is done anonymously. Art worlders also vote on the best and worst exhibitions, gallery shows, and auction houses of the previous 12 months.
Congratulations to Schachter and the rest of this year’s winners, who are listed below.
2015 Baer Faxt Readers’ Poll Results:
Best Gallery Show, US: Calder at Dominique Lévy Gallery
Worst Gallery Show, US: Jeff Koons at Gagosian Gallery
Best Museum Show, US: Picasso at the Museum of Modern Art, New York
Worst Museum Show, US: Björk at the Museum of Modern Art, New York
Best Museum Show, Europe: Agnes Martin at Tate
Worst Museum Show, Europe: Barbara Hepworth at Tate
Best Arts Writer: Kenny Schachter
Best Arts Magazine: Artforum
Best Auction House: Christie’s 55 percent, Phillips 20 percent, Other 15 percent, Sotheby’s 10 percent