David Zwirner booth at the Armory, showing Yan Pei-Ming, John McCracken, and Rachel Khedoori.

New York Armory Week 2009 is in full swing, with attendance higher than expected moving into the weekend.  Despite the absence of several blue chip galleries – including Matthew Marks and Lehmann Maupin – the gallerists’ collective mood seems hesitant but optimistic.  177 contemporary galleries are exhibiting in the Armory’s 11th year, along with the addition of a Modern wing at Pier 92 selling more established, less edgy work.

The Armory Show 2009 and the Armory Modern
Piers 92 and 94
12th Avenue at 54th Street
March 4-8, 2009

Armory Opening Party at MoMA.

RELATED LINKS
Sales still down, but spirits are buoyant [Art Newspaper]
On the Piers, Testing the Waters in a Down Art Market [New York Times]
Has the Recession Sparked a New Renaissance? [Guardian UK]
On the Scene at the Armory Preview Party [Style File Blog]
MoMA’s Armory Show Opening Benefit Party [Patrick McMullan]
Armory MoMA After Party [Guest of a Guest]
Now Dealing | The Armory Show [TheMoment]
Window-shoppers Descend on Armory Art Show [NYMag]
What’s Selling (or Not) at the New York Armory Show [NYMag]
‘Creepy’ Bernie Madoff Watercolor Fails to Sell at Armory Show [NYMag]
Dealers Sold on Armory Modern, Collectors Less So [ArtInfo]
The Herd Is Out, but Holding Back [ArtInfo]

more stories and photos after the jump…

Armory: I8 Gallery from Reykjavik presents Olafur Eliasson’s Color Spectrum Series.

Several heavy-hitters have leveraged their past success at the fair by presenting solo shows (Hans Jospehsohn sculpture at Hauser & Wirth, Kenny Scharf at Paul Kasmin).  The tailored approach may pay off, as rumor has it that Hauser & Wirth sold seven of Jospephsohn’s smaller works, as well as two editions of his looming, unpolished brass pieces.  Jack Shainman Gallery makes an impressive showing as well, with the sale of several “sound suits” by musician Nick Cave, as well as reserves on all three wall installations by El Anatsui (pictured below).

Fair goers are media are abuzz over artist Christine Hill‘s “apothecary counter” in Ronald Feldman’s booth (photos below).   For $40, visitors can spill their woes and ailments, and Hill will prescribe a little something from various tins of murky provenance.  Perhaps the most timely piece on show is Yan Pei-Ming’s black-and-white watercolor portrait of fallen investor Bernie Madoff.  Perhasp not too surprisingly however, the painting presently has no takers.

Armory: One of three installations by El Anatsui at Jack Shainman Gallery.

Armory: Yen Pei-Ming’s infamous portrait of Bernie Madoff at David Zwirner Gallery.

Wednesday evening, March 4, was the Armory Vernissage and opening benefit party at MoMA. The Art Newspaper reports attendance at the opening as 5,500, and we can attest that the crowd at MoMA seemed just as abundant.  Those attending the fete were treated to a DJ set by Justin Miller and a live performance by hipper-than-thou performance art band Gang Gang Dance.  MoMA also opened the second floor of its new Martin Kippenberger retrospective, a teaser to many who have read its lavish critical praise.

Armory Opening Party at MoMA with DJ Justin Miller.  By Jeffrey Donenfeld via Guest of a Guest.

Martin Kippenberger installation in the second floor atrium of MoMA.

Armory Opening Party at MoMA, Gang Gang Dance performs.  Via Style File Blog.

Armory: Kenny Scharf at Paul Kasmin booth.

Armory: Doug Aitken “Vulnerable” at 303 Gallery.

Armory: 303 Gallery booth at the Armory, also showing Jeppe Hein and Rodney Graham.

Armory Modern: “Taffy Forest (2007) by Will Cotton at Galerie Daniel Templon.

Armory: Cheim & Reed booth, including “Echo I” by Louise Bourgeois.

Armory: Jenny Holzer works on paper at Cheim & Reed.

Armory Modern: Dan Flavin at Galerie Thomas.

Armory Modern: Louise Nevelson’s “Light Zag IV” (1957) at Galerie Thomas.

Armory: Solo show of Hans Josephsohn sculpture at Hauser & Wirth.

Armory: Detail of Hans Josephsohn work at Hauser & Wirth.

Armory: Javier Peres Projects booth with installation by Agathe Snow.

Armory: Dan Colen’s “To Be Titled” (2008) at Javier Peres Projects.

Armory: Adam McEwen’s “Pay 1/2 Price” at Nicole Klagsbrun Gallery.

Armory: Tara Donovan sculpture at PaceWildenstein.

Armory: Kiki Smith’s “Garden Snake” at PaceWildenstein.

Armory: Mickalene Thomas “Something You Can Feel” at Rhona Hoffman Gallery.

Armory: Mickalene Thomas, “Something You Can Feel” detail.

Armory Modern: Lee Krasner paintings at Robert Miller Gallery.

Armory: Yoshimoto Nara work at Mayer and Kainer Gallery.

Armory: Alex Katz and Tony Cragg at Galerie Thaddeus Ropac.

Armory: Detail of a Kara Walker series at Sikkema Jenkins Gallery.

Armory Modern: Chuck Close self-portrait on tapestry at Danese.

Armory: White Cube presents sculpture by Liza Lou.

Armory: Tracey Emin, “Contamination of the Soul” (2008), White Cube Gallery.

Armory: Kukje Gallery booth.

Armory: Big seller Anish Kapoor’s Verso (2008) at Kukje Gallery.

Armory: Christine Hill’s live remedy booth at Ronald Feldman.

Armory Modern: Edward Tyler Nahem booth with painting by Sam Francis and kinetic sculpture by Alexander Calder.

Armory Modern: “Untitled (Joke Panels)”, 2007, by Richard Prince at Edward Tyler Nahem.

Armory Modern: Jean Michel Basquiat’s “Untitled (Self Portrait – The King)” (1981) at Edward Tyler Nahem.

Folio of prints by Vera Lutter entitled “Samar Hussein” at Carolina Nitsch.

Installation by T.V. Santhosh at Arario Gallery.

“Blow-up” by Ori Gersht at Angles Gallery.

Richard Tuttle, one part of a series entitled “Men and Women,” created in the papermaking studios of Dieu Donne.

Hiroyuki Masuyama composite “paintings” at Anton Kern Gallery.

John Iller’s “Untitled” sculpture at Praz Dellavallape.

Armory: Mel Bochner, “Blah Blah Blah” (2009) at Two Palms.

Text and photos by Kelsey Keith, unless otherwise noted.

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