Venus Over Manhattan, all images by Art Observed
Over the last several years, the Independent Art Fair has built a name for itself as a dynamic and focused exhibition project, culling together small selections of exhibitors that emphasize curation and focus over the sprawling aisles of mega fairs and blue-chip magnets. This year, the fair has returns its 20th Century offering for the run of The Armory Show further uptown. The show, focusing in on historically-resonant works, makes for a striking new offering during Armory Week, and a fitting continuation of the fair’s well-established focus.
Norman Zammit at Karma
Installed at the Battery Maritime Building at Cipriani South Street, this year’s edition makes the most of its selective focus. Independent 20th Century focuses in particular on artists who made a significant contribution to art history between the years 1900 and 2000, yet who were uncelebrated in their day. These artists are now being championed by a generation of gallerists who are reassessing the canon to make it more inclusive and representative of our times. It’s perhaps one of the first fairs to emphasize a changing and fluid canon, and makes space for new ideas and new works in a market environment that seems enthusiastic for such a concept.
Myrtle Williams at Salon 94
Ed Bayard at James Fuentes
There were plenty of intriguing highlights this year, from a series of Bob Colacello-curated Andy Warhol pieces on view at Vito Schnabel, on through to a series of commanding and animated sculptures by Myrtle Williams on at Salon 94, each booth offering a unique and focused look at a narrower curatorial prompt than many nearby fairs. At James Fuentes, the gallery was presenting a series of striking works by Ed Baynard, while nearby, Fridman Galllery had put together a spare but impactful booth of work by Dingda McCannon.
Dingda McCannon at Fridman Gallery
Andy Warhol at Vito Schnabel
Jean Miotte at Almine Rech
All told, this latest edition of the fair made for a striking investigation and exploration of the 20th Century, turning over new stones and exploring new vantage points as on moved from booth to booth.
The show closes September 10th.
– D. Creahan
Read more:
Independent 20th Century [Exhibition Site]
