The Armory Show satellite VOLTA is stepping up their game in 2016 with a special curated section by New York-based artist-curator Derrick Adams.

With “Something I Can Feel,” Adams will focus on eight emerging artists working across mediums in a 2,600-square-foot walled exhibition space, which will also house a dedicated performance series.

“‘Something I Can Feel’ is a physically and psychologically textured exhibition exploring elements of provocation,” Adams said in statement. “The work will seek to draw emotion and explore the human condition, illuminating our interconnectedness.”

If Adams’ name sounds familiar, it may be because he participated in this year’s Performa 15, where he presented Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal/SIDESHOW, which paid homage to England’s first black circus owner.

His work has also been shown in New York at MoMA PS1, the Kitchen, the Bearden Project at the Studio Museum in Harlem, and beyond. From 1999 to 2009, Adams served as the curatorial director of New York’s Rush Arts Gallery.

The crowd at Volta last year.
Image: Courtesy of David Willems Photography.

Sine its debut at Art Basel in 2005, VOLTA has become a critical favorite thanks to its emphasis on smaller galleries and emerging artists. The New York iteration of the fair operates on an invitation-only basis, focusing on solo artist presentations that feel more like miniature gallery shows than the typical art fair experience.

Creating a section that will allow a single artist to convey a curatorial vision feels like a logical step for the fair, and one that is likely to be appreciated by fairgoers.

It’s also worth noting that this is the first year VOLTA has held their VIP opening on Wednesday afternoon, immediately following the opening of the Armory Show. In previous years, satellite fairs have been asked to hold off on their previews until Thursday, but thanks to a growing relationship with the main fair, VOLTA will hold theirs early this year.

The fair will take place from March 2–6, 2016 at Pier 90 in New York.