"Vernissage" (varnishing, from French) is a term used for the formal opening of an art exhibition. Guests may be served canapés and wine as they discuss with artists and others the works in the exhibition. If the vernissage is not open to the public, but only for invited guests, it it often called private view.
It is an event held in many art-loving parts of the world, and is always enjoyed by our ARTKABINETT community of independent collectors. Particularly at such important fairs as Art Basel.
This word comes, as so many of our English words do, courtesy of the French language. Vernissage literally means "varnishing," specifically of the final, finishing touches on a painting.
Long ago, the day before an exhibition was the time for artists to make sure works were ready for public viewing. This last-minute fussing often included a final layer of the best fixative available: actual varnish.
The term vernissage, in current usage, has almost nothing to do with "varnish," but everything to do with "the day before." Vernissage now refers to the private, pre-public, "invitation only" opening of a show. The guest list is largely comprised of those most likely to buy or write favorable reviews that may entice others to buy.
Vernissage attendees get first crack at purchasing key new pieces, and are more apt to enjoy champagne and crab puffs than red wine and cheese cubes. It sounds like a lovely evening, for those who make the cut.
At official exhibitions, such as the Royal Academy summer exhibition, artists, in the past, would give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them (J. M. W. Turner was known for making significant changes to works on varnishing day while his fellow academicians were simply varnishing).
The custom of patrons and the Èlite of visiting the academies during the varnishing day prior to the formal opening of the exhibition gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an art work or a series of art works with friends and sponsors. Nowadays, for commercial shows it is an opportunity to market the works on sale to buyers and critics.
There also is a comparable ceremonial ending of art exhibitions, called "finissage". Larger art exhibitions also may have such an event at half time of the exhibition -- "midissage".
Miami Beach
In the glitzy art world of Art Basel Miami Beach, Vernissage is the annual ritual of invite-only opening evening attended by roughly 1,000 guests hand-selected by the Basel board. Gallery owners, major art collectors and Basel VIPs are on site. For a ticket to the show, please consult your favorite art buyer or friend of a Basel friend -- or one of their friends. For the entire event one can mingle with gallery owners and major buyers or connect with local party promoters. Names to look out for include Marty Margulies, Mera and Donald Rubell, Craig Robins and Dennis and Debra Scholl.
Hong Kong
The third edition of the Hong Kong International Art Fair recently had its VIP vernissage for a teeming assortment of curious dealers, artists, and Chinese and international collectors alike, many of them drawn to the event by market forces that have shifted the Asian art world's focus to Hong Kong.
Tellingly, the throng was peppered by representatives of prominent Western galleries -- Gagosian and Pace, to name two that were sniffing out the potential to expand into the city. The fair's opening kicked off with a cocktail party for collectors, where guests included Richard Chang, a young Chinese collector who serves on Art HK's advisory board, and Diana Picasso.
Also present was collector Thomas Shao, who owns publishing company Modern Media Holdings, the Chinese company behind such magazines as Leap, the new bilingual Chinese/English art journal edited by Philip Tinari. Shao, who has been collecting for some 20 years, said at the party that he had already bought eight works at the fair ó including pieces by Damien Hirst, Sarah Morris, and Tracey Emin ó to be displayed in his office, his home, and his company's gallery space.
The atmosphere at the start of the fair was near-giddy with aspirations for the newly robust Hong Kong market. Beijing-based collector Yang Bin, another advisory board member and a specialist in Chinese art (but who also collects works by major Western artists like as Marc Quinn, Roxy Paine, Anselm Kiefer, and Jorg Immendorf), touted the event as already being on the same level as Art Basel, the premiere international fair.
Yerevan Armenia
Moving to another locale...in Yerevan, Armenia, Vernissage is the huge weekend market held behind Republic Square metro on Nalbandyan street every weekend, selling everything under the sun. This is your best place to get souvenirs, since the back half has many handicrafts including ceramics, carved wood, stone, lace, needlework, dolls, paintings, jewelry and other things such as carpets, books and t-shirts.
Prices are usually quite negotiable, so try and bargain if you think a price is too high. Some vendors just tell you their price though and won't really come down, so don't be surprised by this! There is a team of pickpockets that have operated here for a few years, so keep your wallet under close watch.
The front section of Vernissage, before you get to Hanrapetutyan Street where most of the stuff of interest to tourists is sold is just as unforgettable. People sell electronic bits, old razors, and tons of other very random items that can make for some fun photographs.
Kiev
In Kiev, a warm little French cafe is called Vernissage. The place has its own history, just like every venue or house on the storied Andriyivsky. Its owner is a French guy whose grandfather ran a similar cafe in France, and heís put in a lot of work to make the Kyiv incarnation look like its father cafe in Paris, bringing in furniture, paintings and other stuff from his native country.
As you enter the cafe, which is pretty small and consists only of one room and bar, your eye seizes on the elaborate interior: old but comfortable furniture, pictures on the walls (lots of pictures on the walls, in fact) and of course the cobblestone view from the window.
The atmosphere is great: French music pipes in from somewhere and fills all the space, the waiters are smiling and polite and you can hear French here and there, since, as you might expect, the place is quite popular among the French in Kiev. On the other hand, you can hear most any other European language, too, since a lot of foreigners come here. It is a popular lunch time spot for the workers of Podil.
The menu here, like at so many places in Kyiv, offers an interesting combination of cuisines: French and Thai. Everything looks good, and the choice of wine (again, as youíd expect) is first-rate: itís both in bottles and in barrels, and served in beautiful glass pots. They offer Thai soup with shrimp and coconut milk (71 hrv), enjoyed due to its soft creamy-coconut taste and delicately cooked shrimp (they get rubbery when theyíre overcooked).
Also on the menu, the Norwegian salad with salmon (68 hrv). Vernissage Cafe is really well-known for its meat dishes, particularly a steak served under a dressing of green Madagascar pepper and a white wine (126 hrv). The meat is always cooked as asked -- preferably bloody. You can try a duck fillet a la Japan (112 hrv), which is extremely soft and juicy. As a garnish go with theFrench fries, kidney beans under garlic dressing and ratatouille. Vernissage Cafe (30 Andriyivskiy Uzviz), tel: 425-2403
