Art Fairs
Frieze Week 2017: Your Go-to Guide to New York’s Fairs
Frieze Week welcomes TEFAF New York and 13 other fairs this year.
Spring has finally arrived here in New York, and with it comes the return of the highly anticipated Frieze New York, which first touched down from London in 2012. You’d be forgiven for thinking it might be a less jam-packed Frieze Week than usual, with NADA decamping to Armory Week for 2017 and Harlem’s fledgling Flux Art Fair apparently cancelled. But you would be wrong.
Additions to this year’s crop of 11 fairs include a second 2017 outing for Armory Week favorite SPRING/BREAK, which is launching a public art-focused edition. There are also two Miami Art Week imports, Superfine! and CONCEPTION, not to mention the long-awaited spring edition of TEFAF New York, taking the place of the former Spring Masters.
If you find it hard to keep track of the constantly shifting New York art fair landscape, don’t feel bad: artnet News has you covered with this handy guide.
Ryan McNamara, Battleground (2016), performance still. Courtesy of the artist.
1. Frieze New York
Expect Frieze to have its first significant challenge for May art fair dominance in the form of TEFAF New York. Now in its sixth year, the big white tent on Randall’s Island will once again host over 200 international galleries. Perhaps in response to the arrival of TEFAF, known for its Old Master and Modern offerings, the fair will borrow from the model of London’s Frieze Masters for the first time, placing Modern and contemporary art side by side.
As part of this effort, the fair’s Spotlight section will feature solo booths from 31 pioneering 20th-century artists, including former theologian and Benedictine monk Dom Sylvester Houédard, a concrete poet and major figure on London’s 1960s counter-culture scene, at Richard Saltoun Gallery (London). In addition, first time exhibitors Donald Ellis (New York and Vancouver), L & R Entwistle and Co. (London), and Galerie Meyer Oceanic Art (Paris)—all among the original galleries to show at Frieze Masters—will present a selection of tribal art, acknowledging the influence of such work on 20th-century avant-garde artists.
Other highlights include the Frieze Projects commissions, once again organized by Cecilia Alemani, art director and chief curator of the High Line. There will be a restaging of the experimental 1968 exhibition “Il Teatro delle Mostre” from Rome’s Galleria La Tartaruga, with daily artist projects exploring performance and process. In addition to revisiting historic work from the original show, there will be new commissions from Ryan McNamara and Adam Pendleton.
May 5–7, 2017 (VIP Preview May 4)
Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. (Friday late tickets: 6–8 p.m.); Saturday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
$49 general admission
Randall’s Island
Salvador Dalí, Buste de femme rétrospectif, (1933, cast 1977). Painted and gilded bronze and mixed media. Edition 8/8. Courtesy of Di Donna Galleries. © Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2017.
2. TEFAF New York
After three well-received outings, the former Spring Masters has been reborn as the New York branch of Europe’s renowned TEFAF Maastricht. The fair first touched down this side of the Atlantic in the fall, showing fine and decorative art dating from antiquity to 1920. This edition will be focused on Modern and contemporary art and design. Non VIPs be warned: With the assumption of the TEFAF name, ticket prices have doubled for 2017—and the fall edition had the audacity to charge for coat check.
As for the art, we’re intrigued by New York’s Di Donna Galleries and its planned “Surrealist Banquet” booth, a preview of their next gallery exhibition, featuring over 50 gastronomy-themed works by such masters as Salvador DalÍ, René Magritte, Jean Arp, Alexander Calder, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Wayne Thiebaud, and Claes Oldenburg. Showcasing both the great Surrealists and the postwar artists they influenced, the installation will be presented on a massive wooden banquet table, setting the scene for the artistic feast.
May 4–8, 2017 (VIP Preview May 3, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.)
Thursday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.; Monday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.; daily VIP hour, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
$50 general admission, $75 multi-entry pass
Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue
Amarist Studio, Welcome. Courtesy of Amarist Studio.
3. Art New York
Now in its third year, the New York offshoot of fair stalwart Art Miami promises, as always, a strong selection of blue chip artworks. Fair director Katelijne De Backer is also touting “truly unique immersive experiences.”
Politically charged work will be on hand as well, such as Jason Myers’s installation The 99%: United We Stand, an array of tiny portraits depicting the anonymous masses that make up the bulk of the population, on view at New York’s Long-Sharp Gallery. The refugee crisis will take center stage in Welcome, a project by Amarist Studio that draws inspiration from border fences currently springing up on some European borders, plating the razor wire in 24-carat gold.
May 3–7, 2017
$40 general admission, $75 multi-day pass
Wednesday, VIP preview 2 p.m.–5 p.m., 5 p.m.–8 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday, 12–8 p.m.; Sunday, 12–6 p.m.
Pier 94, 12th Avenue at 55th Street
Hasanul Isyraf Idris, Paranalgesic. Courtesy of Richard Koh Fine Art.
4. CONTEXT New York
Art Miami sister fair CONTEXT returns for its second New York outing. Together, the two fairs will feature more than 120 galleries from 50 countries. Expected highlights include Marie Watt’s large-scale works made with the help of her community “sewing circles”—Watt is a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians—at New York’s Accola Griefen Gallery, and paintings from emerging Malaysian artist Hasanul Isyraf Idris, from first-time exhibitor Richard Koh Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
May 3–8, 2016
$40 general admission, $75 multi-day pass
Wednesday, VIP preview 2 p.m.–5 p.m., 5 p.m.–8 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday, 12–8 p.m.; Sunday, 12–6 p.m.
Pier 94, 12th Avenue at 55th Street
Shota Suzuki, White Dandelion Japan (2017). Courtesy of Ippodo Gallery.
5. Collective Design
The fifth edition of this design fair will feature 28 galleries and 21 special projects, including the Noguchi Museum’s pairing of the work of Isamu Noguchi and designer Robert Stadler; a tribute to Swiss designer Mattia Bonetti, and jeweler Pomellato’s recreation of Bar Jamaica, Milan’s legendary 1960s-era artist hang out.
We’re especially excited about the entry way, a reimagining of the traditional red carpet in Collective’s signature shade of blue, with passageway walls lined with shimmering foil fringe. Designed by the LAB at Rockwell Group, Tinsel Town pretty much promises to be one of the week’s most Instagrammed moments.
May 3–7, 2017
Wednesday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday, 12–8 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
$30 general admission, $60 three-day pass
Skylight Clarkson Sq, 550 Washington Street
Nontsikelelo Veleko, Trio. Courtesy AFRONOVA Gallery.
6. 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair
For its third edition, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which takes its name from the 54 countries in Africa, welcomes 19 international galleries. There will be a decided political bent to the affair, with the 1:54 FORUM programming focused on art’s role in activism and in resisting oppression.
The fair will extend beyond the walls of Pioneer Works, with a solo exhibition of late Malian photographer Malick Sidibé, who won the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2007 Venice Biennale, at nearby Red Hook Labs.
May 5–7, 2017 (VIP Preview May 4, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.)
Friday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
$20 general admission
Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn
Installation view of a piece by Grace Villamil (2015). Courtesy of SPRING/BREAK Art Show. Photo by Samuel Morgan Photography.
7. SPRING/BREAK Art Show: BKLYN IMMERSIVE
Indie art fair darling SPRING/BREAK is launching a new Frieze Week edition at City Point, a new residential/retail/office complex in Downtown Brooklyn. The new fair will take the form of a curated public art exhibition showcasing what SPRING/BREAK does best: site-specific, immersive installations and environments.
May 7–14, 2017 (Press preview May 6, 6 p.m.–7 p.m.; Opening Party May 6, 7 p.m.–10 p.m.)
Sunday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–7 p.m.
Free
300 Flatbush Avenue Extension (between Willoughby Street & Fleet Street)
Sean Boggs, Geduldsspiel (2017). Courtesy of the artist.
8. Portal
Following a 2016 debut at New York’s Federal Hall National Monument, Portal moves to Soho for its second year. There’s no admission fee, nor are the fair’s 30 emerging artists charged for the chance to show their work. Fans of the annual month-long Governors Island Art Fair, which is also run by 4heads, may recognize some familiar names. Among the featured artists are Sean Boggs, who creates mechanized geometric paper sculptures, and Sui Park, in whose deft hands humble zip ties are transformed into all manner of ethereal shapes.
May 3–8, 2017 (Opening reception, May 3, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.)
11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Free
435 Broome Street
Pair of iron figures, man and woman, New York origin (circa 1970). Offered by Village Braider. Courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden.
9. Antique Garden Furniture Fair
This one would not normally be on our radar, but it appears that the fair, which mainly offers an array of stone and wrought-iron planters and outdoor furniture and statuary, has pushed back its normal late-April dates in the hopes of luring the TEFAF crowd to the Bronx.
The fair bills itself as “the country’s most renowned stage for authentic garden antiques and rarities” and promises “an extensive collection of ornament, decorative art, and timeless furniture for the home and garden.” It runs concurrently with the newly opened Dale Chihuly blockbuster.
May 4–7, 2016
Thursday, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. preview party; May 5–7, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Free with admission to the garden, $20 weekdays, $25 weekends
New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx
Deming King Harriman, Warrior of the Sun | Tiger. Courtesy of Superfine!
10. Superfine! The Fairest Fair
Superfine! launched in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood in 2015 before moving to Wynwood, near Art Miami, in 2016. The first New York edition will feature 45 international exhibitors, showcasing artworks by emerging and independent artists priced between $200 and $10,000, with a focus on promoting queer art, female artists, and artist-run gallery spaces. As one of the week’s most affordable fairs, Superfine! aims to attract art lovers of all demographics and income levels. Programming will include DJ sets and a “Young Collectors Ice Cream Social” on Friday, May 5.
May 4–7, 2017
Thursday–Sunday, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.
$7.77 general admission day pass; $33.33 all-access pass
459 West 14th Street
Eric Ginsburg. Courtesy of Fridge.
11. Fridge
For its fourth Frieze Week appearance, the boutique fair Fridge is moving to the Brooklyn for an edition titled “Fifty Shades of Fridge: Art and Kink for the Age of Revolution.” The theme is “Love and Torture,” and the fair will keep unorthodox hours, opening mainly at night. Founding director and artist Eric Ginsburg will present a new selection of animal artworks, featuring “dressed-to-die-for pets.”
May 2–6, 2017
Wednesday, May 3, 5 p.m.–8 p.m., VIP Preview, 10 p.m.–2 a.m.; Thursday–Friday, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.–11 p.m
$20 general admission
Branded Saloon, 603 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn; Pop-up location at Nu Hotel, 85 Smith Street, Brooklyn
Simon Binna, Nu Rouge (2014). Courtesy Partner in Art, New York.
12. Salon Zürcher
This year’s mini fair at the East Village gallery is titled Salon Zürcher Africa. The participating galleries are Addis Fine Art of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Anna Reverdy of Paris; Artlabafrica of Nairobi, Kenya; Partner in Art of New York; and (S)itor/Sitor Senghor of Paris.
May 2–7, 2017
Tuesday, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. opening; Wednesday–Saturday 12 p.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.–5 p.m., closing party, 5 p.m.–7 p.m.
Free
33 Bleecker Street
Ik-Joong Kang, Happy World: Blue Jumbo Airplane (1992–2015). Courtesy of Kang Contemporary Korean Art.
13. Asia Week New York Contemporary
Asia Week isn’t a fair as much as a series of simultaneous exhibitions at seven galleries, four of which are showing on the Upper East Side, the traditional bastion of this celebration of Asian art.
But where Asia Week original flavor features thousands of years worth of Eastern treasures, the new May version focuses on contemporary art. Peter Kang will show work from the likes of Ik-Joong Kang, Minjung Kim, and Seungmo Park, while Joan B Mirviss LTD. will show ceramics by Takegoshi Jun and Nakamura Takuo.
May 2–10, 2017
Regular gallery hours; Friday, open house 6 p.m.–8 p.m.
Free
Various locations in Manhattan, most on the Upper East Side
Courtesy of Chrispaspita Art.
14. CONCEPTION ART FAIR
After two Miami editions, curator Rachel Wilkins and lawyer Jennifer M. Blum are bringing CONCEPTION, which they claim is the first exclusively women-owned and -produced art fair, to New York. They are promising “pioneering artists, collectives, and galleries with a strong focus on art for social and political change as well as work by women and other under-represented minorities” from the nine participating exhibitors.
May 4–7, 2017
Thursday May 4, VIP Preview 6 p.m.–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
Free with registration
80 Wooster Street
Enda Bowe, Kilburn Cherry. Courtesy of Jane & Jeremy.
15. Cultural Traffic Print Publishing Arts Fair
Calling itself as “the perfect antidote to the celebration of privilege on view at Frieze NY,” Cultural Traffic promises to a give a voice to the unheard artist activist. By presenting the work of self-publishers, the fair, which launched during the most recent edition of Frieze London, serves as an arm of the resistance while “the bloated uptown corpse of Frieze offers badges of endorsement for the corrupt and powerful.”
There are further editions of the fair planned for October in London and Los Angeles. This time around, there are 35 exhibitors, and the hip-but-healthy Dimes will be running concessions—just don’t tell Cultural Traffic that they fed the art world elite at Frieze back in 2015.
May 7, 2017
11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Free
Hester Street Fair, Essex Street
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