Alex Da Corte at Frieze New York 2016. Courtesy of Sean Zanni/©Patrick McMullan.
“It’s freezing!” cried a blue-lipped fairgoer Wednesday morning, fresh off the ferry from Manhattan to Randall’s Island.
Visitors to the white tent experienced a chilly spring welcome to the fifth edition of Frieze New York, which includes over 200 international galleries presenting work from both emerging and established artists, running from May 5-8. But despite the weather, visitors to the fair were visibly excited about a number of works on view.
Here artnet News picks 7 exciting young artists to keep your eye on.
Sean Raspet. Courtesy of Christie Chu.
1. Sean Raspet at Societe Berlin
The art world’s Instagram feed was blowing up with images taken at Societe Berlin’s booth, which featured the work of Los Angeles-based artist Sean Raspet. Upon arriving at the scene, we could immediately tell why.
The gallery’s entire booth, which looked like an outerspace kitchen, was lined with refrigerators stocking a new meal-replacement drink known as Soylent. The artist has been working with the manufacturers of the chalky protein drink, which a New York Times reporter called “joyless,” for the last two years. This time around, they created an algae-derived paste prototype that supposedly tastes like “peanut butter with floral notes”. Even if it’s just for novelty purposes, this booth is worth a stop.
Marina Pinsky. Courtesy of Christie Chu.
2. Marina Pinsky at Clearing
The Moscow-born artist has four large-scale pill sheaths at Clearing’s ample booth. First shown at the Kunstalle Basel in the Switzerland, the artist was inspired from visiting the town’s Pharmacy Museum. On the backside of these aluminum sheaths are pasted photographs of an abandoned pharmaceutical company’s offices.
Playing with the idea of medicine, its promises, properties, and functions, Pinsky questions how something that can promise salvation can also be destructive.
Athena Papadopoulos at Frieze 2016. Courtesy of Sean Zanni/©Patrick McMullan.
3. Athena Papadopoulos at Supportico Lopez
For the Canadian-born, London-based artist’s solo presentation at Supportico Lopez, two paintings and three sculptural works are on view. Particularly fascinating are the stuffed elongated limbs with heels attached to feet. The artist stains surfaces with substances found in your local drugstore or grocery store. Here, she depicts a chaotic and sprawling world filled with photographs and hand-drawings.
Cooper Jacoby. Courtesy of Christie Chu.
4. Cooper Jacoby at Mathew Gallery
Los Angeles-based artist Cooper Jacoby’s presentation at Mathew Gallery is literally one step up from his peers. Visitors have to step onto a metal platform to take a closer look at Jacoby’s wall works.
The artist attaches pieces of fordite on white wires to a rust-colored honeycomb surface. Fordite, also known as Detroit agate, is often used to make jewelry, and consists of hardened automobile paint which is cut and polished. Flanked by two acupuncture maps, Jacoby’s works stem from his interest in waste management systems.
Courtesy of Christie Chu.
5. Rochelle Goldberg at Eli Ping Frances Perkins
Following the narrative of her current Sculpture Center show, Rochelle Goldberg brings several black-coated works, some strewn on the booth’s floor, others standing, and a few hanging from fish hooks.
The sculptures are composed of crude oil, ceramic, and steel and are biomorphic, pointing towards our ever-changing psychology and physiognomy.
Courtesy of Christie Chu.
6. Peter Wächtler at Dépendence
Brussels-based gallery Dépendence has an intriguing wooden box by German-born artist Peter Wächtler at their booth, dominated by watercolor and pencil drawings. The artist depicts humorous caricatures of a group of dandy men (one holds a bat) having a semi-serious meeting in what looks like a gang’s home base.
Courtesy of Christie Chu.
7. Benjamin Senior at James Fuentes
New York dealer James Fuentes dedicated his entire booth to British painter Benjamin Senior, which features multiethnic figures in urban and suburban scenes.
Senior’s style and use of color show he knows his Cezanne and Seurat. Waify women and men dressed in modern clothing stroll in the park, swim, or walk adorable dogs. These small-scale nostalgic works draw in the viewer and don’t let go.