Art Fairs: Investment or Ego Trap?

1 day ago
8 min read

After several years of trying to sell my work through various channels, there came a moment when I thought: if I really want to be taken seriously as an artist, I have to exhibit at an art fair.

Not just once. But more often. Bigger. Better. More international.

Because that is how it works, isn't it?

You pay for an (expensive) spot, you show your work, many people can see it, people can buy it immediately, and before you know it, you move on to the next step. More visibility. More recognition. More sales.

The only thing you have to do is invest. That pays off later.

That was my expectation.

But somewhere along the way, I started to wonder:

Am I investing in my work... or in my ego?

The promise of visibility

I know from experience: art fairs have something magical about them. You get a sense of: this is where it’s happening.

People walking slowly past the stands displaying artworks. Conversations that arise spontaneously. That one look of recognition from someone who stops to look at your painting.

The idea that your work, among all those other works, is being seen.

And let’s be honest: that is exactly what we want as artists.

We don’t just want to create, but also to be seen.

An art fair seems like the perfect place:

There are many art lovers
The audience is often international
As an artist, you can have direct contact with people.
You can tell the story behind your work

It feels like an accelerator. As if you can achieve in a few days what would otherwise take months or years.

But that promise comes at a price. And that price is not just financial.

Art fair wall with five paintings by db Waterman — participating in the art fair 'The Other Art Fair', Saatchi, London

What you pay for art fairs

(and what you don't always see)

Most artists know that reserving a spot at art fairs is never cheap.:

The stand rental, for which you usually pay a considerable amount depending on the size. Sometimes even for just one square meter.
There are always additional costs for lighting, an electrical connection, and tables and chairs.
Then there are the packaging and transport costs. Either using your own transport or having artworks shipped.
Sometimes you also have to arrange accommodation.
To present your work exclusively and professionally, you also need to provide promotional material.

But besides the financial side, there is something else involved.

You also pay with:

Energy
Focus
Expectation
And sometimes… disappointment

Because you may have beautiful artworks that are appreciated by the visiting public. But no matter how good your work is, no matter how strong your story is, an art fair is no guarantee of sales.

As an artist, you are not standing there alone. You stand with your work among dozens, sometimes hundreds, of other artists. And they all want attention. Everyone wants to sell their paintings. Everyone hopes for that one moment when everything “fits.”

And that makes it a unique, but also confronting environment.

The thin line between ambition and validation

As an artist, it is perfectly fine to have ambition; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

In fact, I think you won't get anywhere without ambition. It is important that you have a goal with your artworks. You must dare to invest, not only in materials or visibility, but also in yourself. In time. In choices. In continuing to develop your own visual language.

Ambition is the reason you keep searching, keep refining, keep going when something doesn't feel quite right. It ensures that you show your work to the world, even if it sometimes feels vulnerable.

But somewhere along the way, that ambition can shift.

Often almost unnoticed.

From: “I want my artworks to be seen by the right people”

To: “I want to prove that my work is good and matters.”

This seems like a small change, but a great deal changes due to this shift.

The first comes from an inner drive, independent of what others think: you want to create, share, and touch people with your images. The second stems from a need for validation: to be seen, to be acknowledged, to be appreciated.

Especially if you start comparing yourself to other artists who might actually sell their work.

But as soon as your work becomes a means to prove something, your focus shifts.

You are no longer concerned with what you want to create, but primarily with what people will think of it.

For reactions. For sales. For visible appreciation.

You start doubting choices that initially felt obvious more often. Adjusting what you create just a little faster, because you know what “works.”

And that is the insidious danger.

Ambition is not wrong, but validation for the work you create can be addictive. A sale gives a kick. Provides a lot of validation.

It is sometimes difficult to stay true to your own process. Unconsciously, you may start creating based on expectations.

The ego trap does not lie in wanting to succeed.

The ego trap lies in the moment you try to create paintings that you think will be appreciated. When you make art for the sake of appreciation. And perhaps the most important realization is this:

ambition that comes from within creates space.

Ambition that becomes dependent on validation creates pressure.

girl in black dress and het shadow jumping against weathered concrete wal in soft yellow and light blue tones — FREE! Mixed media on linen canvas, 120 x 120 x 4 cm

When do art fairs become an ego trap?

The moment you become dependent on an art fair and what happens there for your self-worth, an art fair becomes an ego trap.

If you start thinking:

If I sell well, then my work is good and I am on the right track
If my paintings don't sell, then it's my work's fault
If I don't get selected, I am not “good enough” yet

But an art fair does not work this way;

An artwork can touch someone deeply… yet still not be bought.
An artwork can be overlooked… and later land in exactly the right place.
Sometimes people need more time to buy an artwork.
And sometimes your work simply does not fit the context of that specific fair.

It says absolutely nothing about the quality of the work you create.

But in that setting, during such an art fair, it can feel that way.

The reality behind the scenes and why you are there

Of course, visitors do not see what happens behind the scenes.

The uncertainty artists can feel about their work, the fear that their investment will not be recouped.

The doubt about whether they made the right choice by participating in an art fair. The tension about whether they can convey their story well to the viewer.

There are often quiet moments during an art fair. Then it is unclear why there are no or fewer visitors.

Or people walk past without looking, or take a fleeting look and walk on.

That is all part of it. And if you are not careful, you start to take it personally. Even though it often has absolutely nothing to do with you and your work.

That is why I ask myself the question beforehand: "Why do I want to exhibit at this art fair?"

The answer feels good to me if I want to share my work with a new audience, if I can talk about my work.

But as soon as I think; "What can it get me financially, am I afraid of missing out, do I want to prove myself?", then I know something isn't right. That is the pitfall of participating in art fairs.

Three monochrome boys chasing each other along the beach in blue, black, light grey and sienna tones — THE CHASE, Mixed Media painting on canvas, 100 x 70 x 2 cm

Investing in your work, your visibility, and where you present it

There is a difference between investing in your work and investing in how you are perceived. In practice, these two things often overlap.

Investing in your work

Taking time for development

Experimenting with materials and techniques

Daring to make mistakes and learning from them

Continuously improving your own visual language

Remaining consistent, even without direct confirmation

Investing in quality (materials, finishing, presentation)

Development via, for example, a photography or Photoshop course

Creating a website / webshop

Wanting to be visible

Being present on platforms and art fairs

Sharing your work via social media

Responding to what “works” or is expected

Networking with galleries, collectors, and other artists

Participating in exhibitions and open calls

Actively promoting yourself and your work

Both aspects are part of being an artist. But as soon as the 'desire to be visible' takes over, something changes. Then you no longer make choices based solely on the work itself, but also on how it is received. And that is precisely where you can slowly drift away from your way of working.

I notice this in my own choices as well. I have said yes to things that didn't feel right in hindsight. Because they seemed like opportunities, because it made sense, because I wanted to prove myself. But I have said no just as often. Not because something was inherently bad, but because I could ask myself the question: Why do you want this?

You and your work as an artist. That is the foundation. Not the fair, not the sales, not the recognition. The answer to the question of whether an art fair is an investment or an ego trap?

It can be both. It does not depend on the fair, but on your attitude towards it.

Do you see it as an opportunity to share your paintings, to connect with potential buyers, to grow? Then it is an investment. Do you need it to validate yourself or measure your value? Then the pitfall lies close at hand.

The Value of a Studio Visit

For me, it is becoming increasingly important to reflect on where my work and the story that goes with it are best appreciated.

That is not always an art fair or a gallery.

But precisely in my own studio / gallery

With direct contact with an art lover.

When someone consciously makes the choice to buy art and takes the time to look, ask questions, and understand the story behind the work.

That is why I strongly believe in buying directly from the artist.

In a studio visit, where you do not experience original art and unique artworks fleetingly, but in complete tranquility. Where you see the layers of mixed media art up close: the texture, the material, the process. That is a different experience than an art fair. More personal. More direct. More honest.

For me, that is often where the most valuable connection takes place. In my studio, where someone walks in without distractions, where there is room for conversation, and where an artwork truly resonates. Sometimes something new even emerges there; a commissioned artwork resulting from a conversation that you won't find at an art fair. In this way, buying art becomes more than a quick decision. It becomes a conscious choice for a work, a story, and a maker.