The Baer Faxt Podcast

Artist Trevor Paglen joins host Josh Baer at Art Basel Basel to talk about his curatorial vision for Zero 10 (co-curated with Eli Scheinman), Art Basel's initiative reframing what "digital art" actually means, and why the answer might surprise you. They dig into why most art made in the last 20 years is already digital art, what it was like for an artist to wear a curator's hat for the first time, and why Trevor approached the show like making his own work rather than proving a thesis. Plus: AI's inability to fail (and why that matters), the terrifying worldview of Mark Zuckerberg, why artists need a bigger role in the future of the art fair, and what the art world could learn from Jimi Hendrix.This episode of The Baer Faxt Live was recorded on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. This edition of The Baer Faxt Live is sponsored by Manuela New York by ArtFarm, a neighborhood restaurant and bar in the heart of SoHo, which celebrates the best of New York’s seasonal produce and has art at its heart. For more information, visit manuela-nyc.com.

Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz joins host Josh Baer on the opening day of Art Basel Basel to talk about how the organization is adapting its platform fair by fair—from the Basel Exclusive initiative (withholding marquee works from preview PDFs to re-energize opening day) to the evolution of Zero 10 and the push to better integrate digital art communities with the institutional art world. They also get into the return of high-value consignments to the fair floor, what the May sales data signals for collector confidence, the artist presence question, and why a "meet the artist" moment on the weekend might be the key to unlocking new collectors. Plus: Knicks in five.This episode of The Baer Faxt Live was recorded on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. This edition of The Baer Faxt Live is sponsored by Manuela New York by ArtFarm, a neighborhood restaurant and bar in the heart of SoHo, which celebrates the best of New York’s seasonal produce and has art at its heart. For more information, visit manuela-nyc.com.

David Schrader—the S in PDS (Pace Di Donna Schrader Galleries)—joins host Josh Baer on the opening day of Art Basel Basel, his first fair as an exhibitor after decades as a collector and head of private sales at Sotheby's. They cover what surprised him about being on the selling side, the "elephant in the room" of Basel vs. Paris, where the American collectors went, and why the 1–5 million range remains the market's sweet spot. Plus: pricing transparency, the cost reality of running a fair booth, the advisor economy, and why Schrader thinks the market bottomed last September, but has been moving in the right direction ever since.This episode of The Baer Faxt Live was recorded on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. This edition of The Baer Faxt Live is sponsored by Manuela New York by ArtFarm, a neighborhood restaurant and bar in the heart of SoHo, which celebrates the best of New York’s seasonal produce and has art at its heart. For more information, visit manuela-nyc.com.

Art advisor Erica Samuels joins Josh Baer on the floor at Art Basel for a candid conversation about how the best advisors actually work — from building client PDFs and curating "mini collections" to navigating conflicts when two clients want the same piece. They dig into the difference between buying with your eyes versus your ears, the debate over storytelling as a sales tool, fee structures (retainer vs. commission vs. combination), and the ethics of working only with sellers who control the picture. Plus: a spirited round of "top five living American artists," starter art, and why there's always more art — but maybe not always more great art.This episode of The Baer Faxt Live was recorded on Wednesday June 17th, 2026. This edition of The Baer Faxt Live is sponsored by Manuela New York by ArtFarm, a neighborhood restaurant and bar in the heart of SoHo which celebrates the best of New York’s seasonal produce and has art at its heart. For more information, visit manuela-nyc.com .

Love art, AND sport? Well, we have a doozy for you. The Baer Faxt Podcast is back with two icons: artist Jonas Wood and tennis legend John McEnroe, on the occasion of Jonas' exhibition of tennis paintings at Gagosian Beverly Hills. What do a painter and a tennis legend have in common? More than you'd think. Tune in to hear about paintings inspired by professional tennis courts, their shared experience of putting themselves on the line in front of an audience, and more. 
This episode, recorded on April 25th, 2026 at Gagosian Beverly Hills, is brought to you by Ursula - A Magazine of Contemporary Culture by Hauser & Wirth.

Host Josh Baer talks with Purat “Chang” Osathanugrah, a collector, business leader, educator, and founder of Dib Bangkok, Thailand's first major international art museum. Tune in to hear about Thailand's artistic landscape, the transformative role Dib plays within it, and what it takes to bring a multi-generational vision to life. First Dibs on Contemporary Art in Thailand is out now on all major podcast platforms and at www.thebaerfaxtpodcast.com. 
This episode, recorded on April 23rd 2026, is brought to you by Ursula - A Magazine of Contemporary Culture by Hauser & Wirth.

Host Josh Baer is joined by storied gallerist, Rachel Lehmann, co-founder of Lehmann Maupin, as the gallery celebrates its 30th year in business. Tune in to hear about her early days in Lausanne, a saucy Jeff Koons show, how the gallery has evolved and adapted in three decades, and what the future may hold. From Idyllic Switzerland and Beyond with Rachel Lehmann is out now on all major podcast platforms and at www.thebaerfaxtpodcast.com.
This episode, recorded on March 21st 2026, is brought to you by Ursula - A Magazine of Contemporary Culture by Hauser & Wirth.

Host Josh Baer is joined by preeminent contemporary Saudi Arabian artist, Ahmed Mater in Doha during the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar to discuss everything from artistic and cultural expression in the region, Mater’s return to painting, and more than one exciting new project. To the Stars with Ahmed Mater is out now on all good podcast platforms, or at thebaerfaxtpodcast.com. 
 
This episode, recorded on February 4th 2026, is brought to you by Ursula - A Magazine of Contemporary Culture by Hauser & Wirth.
 

On the occasion of the inaugural Art Basel Qatar, The Baer Faxt sat down with a bevy of guests with ties to the region including Qatar's own Saud Alkhater, a young collector. Alkhater tells us about the fateful exhihibition organized by Qatar Museums that inspired his collecting journey and what he thinks of the inaugural Art Basel Qatar.Other guests on The Baer Faxt Live from Doha include Mariët Westermann, Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation; Princess Alia Al-Senussi, PhD; and Jean-Paul Engelen, Director at Acquavella. Thank you to The Ned Doha for being our host. This conversation was recorded on the 4th of February, 2026.

On the occasion of the inaugural Art Basel Qatar, The Baer Faxt sat down with a bevy of guests with ties to the region including Jean-Paul (JP) Engelen, Director at Acquavella and former Americas president at Phillips auction house.Before spending a decade as Phillips' president for the Americas and worldwide co-head of modern and contemporary art, Engelen was the Director of Public Art and Exhibitions for Qatar Museums (previously Qatar Museum Authority), where he oversaw the installation of major public artworks by Richard Serra and Damien Hirst. Now working with Acquavella gallery, Engelen tells us about the gallery's booth of Jean-Michel Basquiat's and his experience in the region.Other guests on The Baer Faxt Live from Doha include Mariët Westermann, Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation; Princess Alia Al-Senussi, PhD; and Saud Alkhater, Qatari collector.This conversation was recorded on the 5th of February, 2026.