My Word — September 2026

Summer is officially over, and both Parcours des Mondes in Paris and the Santa Fe Indian Market are behind us. Each left some interesting questions about where the traditional art market is headed, and we have attempted to address several of them in this issue.

Also new this month is “War Stories from the Road,” a collection of memorable—and sometimes improbable—things that have happened during my more than 50 years in the art world. Some are about objects, some about people, and some about situations I could never have anticipated. I hope many of them make you smile, because I certainly had fun living them.

This issue also returns to something that made an impression on me many years ago. While preparing for a shoot at the Menil Collection in Houston, I became interested in Dominique de Menil and her philosophy of presenting art. One detail particularly stayed with me: the museum’s labels were deliberately unobtrusive, encouraging visitors to look at the art first rather than immediately searching for an explanation.

It was a simple idea, but a powerful one: look first, read later. Engage with the object before being told what to think about it. I have finally gotten around to writing about why that idea still matters.

You will begin to see more changes in ArtTrak and the newsletter as some of the things we have been working on take shape. The goal remains the same: to make this a lively, useful and occasionally provocative place to talk about art, the market, and the people and experiences that make this field so fascinating.

As always, we appreciate your feedback—and hope you enjoy the September issue.