favorite picks from the 2013 armory show (nyc)

1913 Armory Show, NYC

I’m back from a trip to NYC where I had a jewelry pop-up at Gallery MC and a silent auction fund raiser for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Finally, I am over my jet-lag and posting about my favorite picks from the The Armory Show 2013.

One hundred years ago the first Armory Show was held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue. An “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” this eclectic and avant-garde art show was credited for bringing some of Europe’s now famous artists to New York, and remains legendary for being one of the most important exhibitions for Modern art history. Read more details on the history of The Armory Show.

I can only imagine this art show taking place in a historic setting in the early part of the 20th century, but it was only there temporarily. Now the show takes place in Piers 92 & 94 on the Hudson River in Manhattan. This was my first visit to the fair, which has grown into a typical commercial international art fair with long lines and an entry fee of $30! This is perhaps NYC’s most important annual art event, and it rivals many international art fairs held in cities around the world.

The Armory Show 2013, Pier 94

Visiting an art fair as an artist, curious to see what is happening in the art world today and looking for some inspiration, one can’t help but feel slightly a nuisance to some of the gallerists (of which I also am by profession). To get more information about the work, I sometimes find myself posing as an interested collector, or as an interior designer (which is not all that far from my truth). Its almost like visiting a contemporary & modern art pop-up museum. But when it comes down to it, these fairs exist to make money.

Surely some artists benefit in their visibility and sales which can grow as in any supply and demand market. In fact, I saw artists’ work that I have already seen in the annual Bologna Art Fair. It seems that international artist popularity in the era of the internet and global commerce sometimes squashes the chance for stumbling upon an unexpected gem. I found the satellite off-fair, VOLTA NY, much more fresh and exciting in both its content and location (see the next post coming soon). None-the-less, I did take note of some Armory Show artists’ work represented by international galleries that I found interesting. Here are some of them:

Dave Cole, “Singer,” 2012, Singer sewing machine, teletype paper, wireless internet connection

This kinetic piece brings nostalgia, and combines it with a message using hi-tech methods. From one machine to the next…

James Capper’s mechanical deviations look vaguely familiar, but then again, not.

Not sure what to do with those old used books? Book cover composition!

Form drawings by Susan Hefuna

Antony Gormley, “Abstract,” 2011, cast iron form sits on the ground

Morgane Tschiember, “Folded Space,” 2013, welded aluminum sheets, gloss paint, varnish

No, this image isn’t side-ways, this artist uses old furniture to compose ready-made structures.

I have my bronzed baby shoes just like these sealed fashion trends by Kendell Carter.

At Day’s End, I was very tired!