Melissa Loughnan On Her Ambitions For Melbourne Art Fair

Melbourne Art Fair’s newly appointed Fair Director has experienced both sides of the coin. From exhibiting in art fairs internationally with her former gallery Utopian Slumps, to private art consultancy with government and corporate clients, Melissa Loughnan brings with her a wealth of experience and credentials to the role.

Following on the success of the 2024 Fair, Melissa shares her insights on what we can expect from the now annual premier summer event, returning 20 – 23 February 2025.

How do you think your experience as a gallerist, art consultant and advisor with Utopian Slumps will influence Melbourne Art Fair and your creative ambitions for the show?

As incoming Fair Director, I hope to bring my understanding of art fairs from an exhibitor’s perspective to the role. Having participated in numerous Australian and international fairs, I have gained a good understanding of what it takes to stage a high calibre presentation that reflects the voice of the artist while appealing to collectors, institutions and broader audiences.

I will bring my curatorial lens to the programming of the fair and hope to engage the networks that I have developed in Australia and abroad over the last 20+ years that I have worked in the arts industry.

My most recent work has been outside the gallery sector as an art advisor to government and corporate bodies. I hope that my experience in communicating and propagating the arts outside of the industry will influence how the fair evolves over the coming years to gain a broader audience appeal.

Lauren Berkowitz and Starlie Geikie, exhibition view, 2014, Utopian Slumps (Naarm/Melbourne).

Knowing both local and international art scenes quite intimately, how do you feel an art fair contributes to, and helps to cultivate a city’s cultural scene?

An art fair provides a snapshot of the city’s cultural sector in one place. It allows the visitor to gain an understanding of what is coming out of the city’s local galleries in a national, and increasingly international, context. The art exhibited at an art fair should provide some insight into the issues, themes and production methods that artists are currently concerned with and reflect what is happening within and beyond the commercial sector.

With a focus on works of scale and significance, the Fair presents sectors which showcase installation, artistic experimentation, performance and moving image. Curatorially, what excites you about the potential these sectors can offer within the Fair model, and can you expand on your ambitions for their futures?

Melbourne Art Fair’s sectors enable visitor engagement with monumental, moving and performative artworks. These sectors not only allow our exhibiting galleries to showcase works of greater ambition than what is possible within their booths, but also engage curators, non-profit and institutional spaces to enable the presentation of impactful works. Our CONVERSATIONS program provides the opportunity for discourse, giving further insight into the context surrounding artistic production and the issues affecting artists today. The Fair’s sectors provide visitors a broad perspective of Melbourne’s art scene in the context of what is happening nationally and internationally. I have every intention to maintain the fair’s commitment to these sectors, and hope to implement more resources and dynamic programming, including for our youngest visitors.

1. VIDEO sector at Melbourne Art Fair 2024. Photo: Griffin Simm. 2. Victoria Lynn in conversation with premier artist Julie Rrap, Melbourne Art Fair 2024. Photo: Griffin Simm.

What might Melbourne Art Fair learn from other Fairs, local and international, to maintain and grow its appeal? How do you hope to further distinguish it as unique from other fairs in the region?

Having exhibited in, and visited, a number of fairs around the world, each fair has its own energy and unique qualities. I am sure that some of the best experiences that I have had of fairs will impact the programming at Melbourne Art Fair: from the lively parties and pop-ups in Miami; to the academic discourse and exchange in Berlin; to the conversation between contemporary art and old masters in London; and to a focus on the arts of the region in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

In terms of its uniqueness, I think that it is important for Melbourne Art Fair to maintain the sectors that enable artists’ broader participation and exchange. The fair should not shy away from the issues that are affecting artists today; it should encourage discourse, and truly be reflective of what is happening in our industry at this time. It is not just a place to find an artwork for your collection, it is a place to gain an understanding of the context in which the artworks are made, and for artists to have a voice.

Melbourne Art Fair 2024. Photo: Griffin Simm.

Melbourne Art Fair returns in the Victorian summer, 20 – 23 February 2025. Tickets on sale and galleries announced in October 2024.