Looking Back: The Armory Arts Week 2017

Yayoi Kusama, GUIDEPOST TO THE NEW WORLD, 2016 via Victoria Miro London

As every art lover knows the arrival of March marks the official start to New York City’s Art Season. The Armory Arts Week as the nickname suggest, is a week devoted to promoting the excitement of the Art World. Filled with art fairs, art related events, and late night after parties. Think of this week as a version of NYFW for Art Lovers.

Yayoi Kusama, THE COSMOS (AABE), 2008 via Victoria Miro London

Like every year the Armory Arts Week transformed the city into an art hub where international artists, galleries, and art aficionados united together in the pursuit of art appreciation and celebration. Scroll along while I showcase the memorable works and moments from my visit to the Armory Show and Volta New York.

Yayoi Kusama, THE COSMOS (AABE), 2008 via Victoria Miro London

The Armory Show has been the leader of this wondrous week since its founding in 1994. This year the 23-year-old fair hosted 200 galleries representing 30 countries from around the world. The 250,000 square feet exhibition site known as Piers 92 and 94 served as the perfect site for this massive and ever-growing art fair.

Bosco Sodi via GALERÍA HILARIO GALGUERA/ Wearing FINALE hands up tee

Bosco Sodi via GALERÍA HILARIO GALGUERA

Studio Drift, Drifter, 2017, part of Pace Gallery’s technology driven “Future\Pace” vision.

Rico Gatson via Ronald Feldman Fine Arts

Close-up of Nick Cave, Hustle Coat via the Jack Shainman Gallery

Life imitating Art with Nick Caves Hustle Coats via the Jack Shainman Gallery

Gehard Demetz, Dirt on My Shoulders, 2016 via the Jack Shainman Gallery

Getulio Alviani (front) & Enrico Castellani (back) via Mazzoleni

Getulio Alviani via Mazzoleni

Ni Youyu via Arario Gallery

VOLTA NY, the American embodiment of the original Basel VOLTA show, “A rigorously curated, boutique event — along the lines of a sequence of intense studio visits versus a traditional trade show environment.” and the Armory Show’s younger sister fair celebrated 10 years of solo focus. The fair focuses on showcasing solo international artist exhibitions in an approachable solo-booth display.

Susan Mikula via the George Lawson Gallery

Tony Barnes via the Yellow Peril Gallery

Naomi Kubo in conversation in front of her work

İrfan Önürmen “Pendulum” via the C24 Gallery

Sandra Muss via OCP

“Sandra Muss’s new series Permutations revives 19th Century industrial doors that are marked by decades of factory life.”

Sandra Muss via OCP

Mohau Modisakeng via What If The World gallery

In addition to the Armory Show and Volta NY, I visited other art fairs during the Armory Arts Week. Art on Paper, a three-year old newcomer to the New York City art scene is a fair ideal for new collectors who are keen to discover emerging artists. NADA (The New Art Dealers Alliance) is a non-profit arts organization who focuses on promoting, and supporting the cultivation of emerging creators. The SPRING/BREAK Art Show is one of my favorite fairs for several reasons. I appreciate the focus given to the artist in similar way as Volta NY. The artists tend to be young, hip, radical, and super talented creators who are not shy about pushing it till it gets weird. They are raw, genuine and relevant to our generation. A must see next year.