The Baer Faxt Podcast: Art and Media with Michael Ringier

For this month’s episode, we met up in Basel with Michael Ringier, Chairman of the Board at Ringier—one of the largest and oldest media companies in Europe—and a prominent art collector in his own right. We spoke about the evolving media landscape as Ringier has grown from printed newspapers (remember those?) to a growing digital empire; the impact of the AI boom on media and the arts; and Ringier’s art collecting journey, as he explains how lessons learned from building his collection extend to how he operates his business today.

In this episode, we were privileged to join acclaimed visual artist Shirin Neshat in her Brooklyn studio. Tune in as Neshat, in conversation with The Baer Faxt CEO Josh Baer, shares her experiences as an artist-in-exile from her early days in New York City to her globe-spanning multimodal practice today; her thoughts on how the art market has evolved and changed alongside her work; and, the process of putting together her newest retrospective show at The Parrish Art Museum, Born of Fire.   This episode is sponsored by Arthur Analytics. Visit arthuranalytics.com to learn more.

In this episode, host Josh Baer speaks with Madeleine Grynsztejn, director of the MCA Chicago. In part one of the conversation, Baer and Grynsztejn discuss the past, present, and future of the MCA, Grynsztejn’s experience becoming a museum director after years as a curator, and how the MCA is pursuing its mission to be a “hyperlocal museum with global reach.” Then, tune in as Grynsztejn and Baer tackle Chicago’s vibrant art scene and how the MCA integrates local culture into its programming, including through a new expansion into performance art; and, how the MCA is holding its principles firm in response to challenges facing public institutions and museums.

In this episode, host Josh Baer speaks with ATHR Gallery and ATHR Foundation co-founder Mohammed Hafiz. In part one of the conversation, Baer and Hafiz engage with core questions related to the art of Saudi Arabia, tackling both its local and international contexts, and the differences between western, eastern, and middle eastern approaches to the market.   Then, tune in as Hafiz discusses Saudi Arabia’s unique approach to public-private collaboration and the gallery system; and, how art fairs have served as a unique gateway to Europe and beyond. Plus, his hopes to expand the reach of ATHR globally, and the most important strategies—both from the “playbook” and outside of it—for galleries and the artists they represent to engage new buyers.

Join us for the final part of our special three-part episode of Baer With Me as The Baer Faxt celebrates its 30th anniversary! Hosted by Luyang Jiang, listen as Josh Baer tackles the issues facing the art market today, alongside candid answers to art world questions from our listeners, readers, followers, and staff.   In this installment, tune in as Josh shares how The Baer Faxt Podcast came to be, his most memorable moments from the auction house sales floor, his “Mount Rushmore” of art dealers, and other expert insights into the art world from Baer’s more than 60 years in the business.   This concludes our special three-part series, Baer With Me: The Baer Faxt Turns Thirty. All three parts are available now at thebaerfaxtpodcast.com and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Join us for Part Two of a special three-part episode of Baer With Me as The Baer Faxt celebrates its 30th anniversary! Hosted by Luyang Jiang, listen as Josh Baer tackles the issues facing the art market today, alongside candid answers to art world questions from our listeners, readers, followers, and friends.   In this installment, tune in as Josh shares his take on the dilemma facing working artists of today, what success actually means for gallerists, and other expert insights into the art world from Baer’s more than 60 years in the business.   Keep an eye on our channels for part three, coming soon!

In this episode, guest Adam Sender continues his discussion with host Josh Baer, sharing stories from his years as one of the world’s foremost collectors, the factors that led to his decision to sell a large portion of his collection, and how he feels about the art world of today from the outside looking in.    Plus, tune in to hear Sender and Baer discuss the evolution of today’s hyper-globalized art world, how a great collection could be built with one single work, and how Sender’s feeling as we enter the next half of the 2020’s.   This is Part Two of a special two-part episode of The Baer Faxt Podcast. Part 1 is available now on all platforms and thebaerfaxtpodcast.com.

Join us for a special three-part episode of Baer With Me as The Baer Faxt celebrates its 30th anniversary! Hosted by The Baer Faxt President Luyang Jiang, tune in to hear Josh Baer recount memories and insights from the last three decades, alongside candid answers to burning art world questions from our listeners, readers, followers, and team.   In this installment, listen as Baer explains how The Baer Faxt began, what it’s like to be at the helm of a thirty year old institution, and other lessons learned from 64 years immersed in the art world.   Keep an eye on our channels for parts two and three, coming soon.

In this episode, the renowned collector Adam Sender invited us into his Miami home for a conversation with our host Josh Baer. In this special two-part episode, Sender charts his course from his middle class roots on Long Island, to being one of the most prominent collectors in the world, to his decision to sell a vast majority of his collection publicly at auction. Adam also shares with us the lessons he learned from developing one of the most robust collections in the world during the financial instability of the early 2000s, how his approach to collecting changed as he matured, and the relationships that helped him succeed. Look out for Part Two of this conversation in 2025.  

In this episode, our host Josh Baer speaks with guest Barbara Castelli, President of the legendary Castelli Gallery for the past twenty five years. In part one of the conversation, Castelli discusses her origins with the gallery, the importance of her late husband Leo Castelli’s legacy, and how Barbara’s sharp vision—alongside the trust of her artists and buyers—has carried and shaped the gallery into the present day.   Then, tune in as Castelli shares lessons learned from twenty five years at Castelli Gallery, how she navigates the idiosyncratic nature of conceptual art, and what makes a work truly “important” when it hits the market.   In part three of the conversation, Baer and Castelli dive deep into how the gallery model has changed in the 2020s, the re-evaluation of the Western art canon, and the finicky nature of “taste” when it comes to collecting art.