The art fair season has slowed down here on the west coast but this week the frenzy starts in NYC. Despite the freezing temperatures and feet of snow, everyone is headed east for a variety of art showcases in New York City. Because it is such a hectic week and there are so many fairs to choose from, Freeway Editions has chosen a few to focus on, here is our art fair break down for this week.
From the press releases:
The Armory Show
"The Armory Show, a leading international contemporary and modern art fair and one of the most important annual art events in New York, takes place every March on Piers 92 & 94 in central Manhattan. The Armory Show is devoted to showcasing the most important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. In its sixteen years the fair has become an international institution, combining a selection of the world's leading galleries with an exceptional program of arts events and exhibitions throughout New York during the celebrated Armory Arts Week."
VOLTA NY
"VOLTA NY is an invitational fair of solo-artist projects and is the American incarnation of the original VOLTA show, which was founded in Basel in 2005. VOLTA NY was conceived in 2008 as a focused, curated, boutique event that is a place for discovery. The exhibition showcases relevant contemporary art positions regardless of the artist’s or gallery’s age. By refocusing on artists through solo projects, VOLTA NY promotes a deep exploration of the work of its selected participants. These galleries must maintain deeply meaningful connections with their artists and follow them throughout their careers. In turn, invited galleries exhibit in an elegant venue, elevating their respective platforms for an experience mutually beneficial to fair visitors and the galleries alike.
In March 2015, VOLTA NY inaugurates its new home location at PIER 90 in the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. The landmark move positions it adjacent to Piers 92 and 94, the longtime platform for its sister fair, The Armory Show, and the focal point of March fair season. Moving to PIER 90 allows for synergy between both fairs and their collector bases while retaining VOLTA NY's distinct character and rigorous curation — the foundation for VOLTA's mission since its 2008 debut.
VOLTA NY is a platform for challenging, often complementary — and sometimes competing — ideas about contemporary art. Single-artist booths functioning more closely to proper exhibitions rather than traditional presentations proliferate the contemporary fair scene now. VOLTA NY has made solo projects its mandate and foundation from its inception in 2008, offering a prime opportunity to discover the practices of today's most salient artists while refocusing the art fair experience back to its most fundamental point: the art itself."
SCOPE NYC
"With over 65 art fairs spanning more than a decade, SCOPE is the largest and most global art fair in the world, celebrated as the premier showcase for international emerging contemporary art and multi-disciplinary creative programming. Renowned for its uncanny ability to forecast new visual trends that are embraced globally, SCOPE Art Shows in Miami Beach, Basel, New York, London and the Hamptons have garnered extensive critical acclaim, with sales of over $800 million and attendance of over 1,000,000 visitors."
PULSE NY
"Join us for PULSE New York from March 5-8, 2015 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, as we celebrate another year of great contemporary art. For more information including hours, directions and to purchase tickets, please see our Visitors page.
Since 2005, PULSE Contemporary Art Fair has been the premiere satellite fair for the discovery and acquisition of cutting-edge contemporary art. With annual editions in Miami Beach and New York City, the fair cultivates a supportive environment for its international community of galleries and provides a platform for their growth and expansion in the contemporary art market. From its inception, PULSE has presented thoughtfully-curated exhibitions and ever-evolving programming that reflect the fair’s commitment to making the visitor experience a dynamic one."
Doug Beube, Collapse, 1998, 12 x 68 x 3.75 inches, Courtesy of JHB Gallery
Art on Paper
"Art Market Productions is pleased to announce art on paper, an art fair from the producers of Miami Project, launching in March 2015 on Manhattan’s vibrant downtown waterfront. art on paper's exhibiting galleries will feature work by artists who look to paper as a major influence in their sculpture, drawing, painting, and photography. Working alongside Beneficiary Partner, Brooklyn Museum, and Presenting Sponsor, The Wall Street Journal, art on paper will bring the best in modern and contemporary art to downtown New York’s Pier 36."