Art fairs and everyman

ONCE upon a time the joy of buying art was reserved for the very few. The really good stuff could be had only through elite galleries, yet even there wads of cash were not enough to make you a collector: you needed credentials just to get a peep. Fortunately for art and art lovers, today's scene is more democratic. In New York in March, $20 bought you a day at the Armory Show, a convention of 160-odd galleries from Tokyo to London to Polanco, Mexico. Make no mistake: top collectors get in while the booths are still being set up, and favoured clients get VIP tickets in advance. Meanwhile, $250 was the minimum benefit ticket for opening night. All the same, the art market no longer hides behind frosted gallery doors.