The Intersect Aspen art fair (formerly known as Art Aspen) is going all out for its first online edition, with 110 galleries from 28 countries participating this year. That’s more than three times the number of galleries that participated in the fair last year.

What’s behind this new enthusiasm? Becca Hoffman, Intersect Aspen’s new director, attributes much of the growth to the fair’s boutique nature and its strong ties to Aspen’s affluent and culturally engaged community.

There’s a lot to look out for while clicking through. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect. 

Global and Local Galleries 

Kristoffer Ardena, Ghost Painting (Cracked Category): Portrait of Bebe (2020). Courtesy of 856G.

The fair’s online platform has tangible benefits for certain far-flung galleries—namely, there are no constraints when it comes to fair logistics. 

“I think our robust growth shows the intrinsic interest in regional fairs from a global perspective,” Hoffman said.

Of the international galleries participating, Hoffman points to 856G, one of only two galleries located in the Cebu province in the Philippines. (The gallery is currently planning an art center and residency program in its hometown.) Another favorite is Gallery 1957 from Accra, which focuses on contemporary artists from Ghana. 

But local Aspen galleries will be coming online too, which Hoffman believes is essential to the mission and success of Intersect.

“The Aspen community truly supports the arts on the whole. I believe that any citywide cultural event that brings together the influencers and the institutions in the city matters,” she said.

Among the local participating Aspen galleries are Marianne Boesky Gallery, Casterline Goodman Gallery, Galerie Maximillian, and Skye Gallery. 

Curator and Art Advisor Picks 

Emily Noelle Lambert, September (2020). Courtesy of Denny Dimin Gallery.

Since collectors aren’t able to tour the fair with art advisors on hand, Intersect Aspen is bringing that experience to the masses.

The fair has invited seven advisors and curators—Karen Boyer, Victoria Burns, Elizabeth Fiore, Tyler Blackwell, Laurie Ann Farrell, Scott Indrisek, Alan Klein—to make their picks of notable works in the show. 

Each advisor comes with specific tastes and preferences. Together, their selections encompass emerging artists and well-known names. And occasionally, advisors have picked the same work, which itself is insightful. 

A Five-Day Curated Focus by Paul Laster 

Alex Anderson, Poissoned (2019). Courtesy of the artist.

The fair has launched a new charity initiative titled “Five Artists, Five Mediums, Five Days—A Curated Selection for One Thing.”

The premise itself is quite simple.

Each day of the fair, art critic Paul Laster will focus on one work he has selected, with every day dedicated to a different medium (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and film).

Artists featured will include Ramiro Gomez (PPOW, New York); Ilana Harris-Babou (Hesse Flatow, New York); Alex Anderson (Gavlak, Los Angeles and Palm Beach); Nicola Tyson (Petzel, New York); and Hassan Hajjaj (Yossi Milo, New York).

Each day of the fair, Laster’s selections will be offered via silent auction, with proceeds going to benefit local non-profits and cultural partners.

Intersect Aspen is online from Wednesday, July 22, to Sunday, July 26.