Sofie Scheerlinck of Independent 20th Century

By Heather Young, VP of Client Services, Cadogan Tate

This year’s edition of Independent 20th Century takes place from September 24 to 27. Since it’s premiere in 2022, Independent 20th Century has become highly regarded as a platform for 20th century artists from a variety of movements, styles and geographies. We were thrilled to spend some time with Sofie Scheerlinck, Chief Operating Officer of Independent Art Fair, to discuss their alignment with Sotheby’s, the influence of the Breuer building, and what art collectors are looking for in 2026.

Heather Young: The announcement that Independent 20th Century 2026 Edition would be hosted at the Breuer was a groundbreaking moment. How did this extraordinary alignment of a commercial art fair with an auction house come to pass?

Sofie Scheerlinck: It was really all about the venue. After incubating Independent 20th Century at the historic Battery Maritime building downtown for 4 years, we were ready for a larger space. But we knew that part of our success was due to our location: this gorgeous Beaux-Arts building that people wanted to spend time in. We simply could not settle for a less spectacular space. The Breuer was the top of the list, and we were lucky that Sotheby’s was as open-minded and excited about the opportunity as we were.

HY: How has the architecture and legacy of the Breuer building influenced the way you have thought about the fair and the experience you want to create for visitors?

SS: Independent has always been a consciously scaled, highly curated experience –- an antidote to the overwhelm and visual noise associated with large scale art events. The Breuer’s legacy as the previous home to the Whitney, Met, and Frick – three iconic New York institutions that need no introduction – brings this curatorial rigor into focus. The building was designed specifically to enjoy and learn about art. This is core to Independent’s mission, as well as that of our galleries, and we hope visitors can feel that in the building during our show.

“The Breuer was designed specifically to enjoy and learn about art. This is core to Independent’s mission, as well as that of our galleries, and we hope visitors can feel that in the building during our show.” – Sofie Scheerlinck

HY: What are you seeing in the current generation of collectors? Are there particular periods, geographies or artistic histories that audiences are becoming more curious about, and has that shift influenced the conversations taking place around this year’s edition?

SS: 20th Century art is having such a moment. There are the canonical artists – household names that are always a joy to see in person – alongside lesser-known artists that may have been excluded based on race, gender, or the fashions and whims of their time. There is so much to discover, especially when you can be at a fair with work from the 1920s next to work from the 90s. The new generation of collectors starting out can be a bit more cost conscious, and they are pleasantly surprised to see approachable prices for even recent historical work vs some of the contemporary work on offer now.

“Building art shows is all about making it look effortless, though there are many things that can – and do – go wrong all the time. The goal is to look like swans gliding through the water, though beneath the surface our feet pedaling like mad.” – Sofie Scheerlinck

HY: In your role as Chief Operating Officer, what unique challenges are presented with this new location? What creative strategies from your other roles in the art market have you leveraged in your tenure with Independent?

SS: Building art shows is all about making it look effortless, though there are many things that can – and do – go wrong all the time. The goal is to look like swans gliding through the water, though beneath the surface our feet pedaling like mad. Anyone who has operated at the Breuer agrees that moving artwork in from the street has always been a challenge. Having a good logistics partner like Cadogan Tate to help solve any problems that arise is truly key.

To purchase tickets to Independent 20th Century at a special 20% discount click HERE and use discount code: cadogantate20.

To enquire and learn more about Cadogan Tate’s art fair services, click HERE.

*Images courtesy of Independent