Viewing in virtual: the VIP online art fair

If there is one event preoccupying the international art world this week it is the VIP (Viewing in Private) International Contemporary Art Fair - the world's entirely online art fair - which launched this weekend (until 30 January). If the event succeeds, it could change change the nature of art fairs forever. 

Billed as 'the nearest to the prestigious Frieze or Art Basel fairs you can get without actually going there' (Colin Gleadel at The Telegraph), the idea is the brainchild of New York dealer James Cohan who has brought together almost 140 galleries - including some of the biggest names in the industry, such as David Zwirner, White Cube and Hauser & Wirth - exhibiting almost 2,000 works of art. 

Online entry to the event is free to browsers; buyers wanting to know more details, such as pricing, and to talk direct with the gallery, pay $20 for a VIP pass. The fair is set up in a traditional format, with galleries browseable via a grid map which arranges them into four groups, from the upmarket premier group to a focus group for single-artist presentations. Works can also be searched via artist or keyword, and each piece has a dedicated space which includes scaling information (relevant to a person) as well as usual details such as date and medium.

Follow the link to The Art Newspaper TV for the verdict on the Fair from dealers and critics