Portents of disaster often precede a dramatic tilt in the world’s axis. But for the lucky few amongst us, it has simply interrupted our plans for the year. The Armenia Art Fair and this Journal have had to combat a trilogy of unexpected and sudden events; COVID, the massive explosion in Beirut, which incapacitated its art world, and a territorial war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. One can be phlegmatic and recall numerous past times when far more dramatic incidents damaged our lives beyond repair, but Stoicism is a difficult philosophy to embrace.

We were determined to launch this new Journal, Art & the Market: Caucasus & Beyond, at the earliest possible time, and as soon as the immediate future appeared to be bright. This inaugural issue will be the first of many editions in which we explore the art world beyond the traditional Western centres. The art worlds of the future will inevitably be formed east and south of Europe and the United States. The world is changing fast and this Journal intends to record and understand these alterations by encapsulating the insights of local and international experts.

We will endeavour to introduce you, the reader, to new art markets and art eco-systems, fresh art and pictorial visions; in short, we will acquaint you with a new type of contemporary.