When it comes to the crossover between advertising and art, Andy Warhol is the oft-cited wunderkind. But in fact, throughout history, many artists have actually dabbled in the trade. In the late 1800s, Alphonse Mucha brought his elegant Art Nouveau style to Moët & Chandon champagne; René Magritte perfected his Art Deco advertising posters in the ’20s; even California-born Ed Ruscha tried out the commercial field before rising to fame for his text-based paintings in the 1960s. Born of this crossover, the AD ART SHOW returns for its second edition with plans to showcase works by 100 of advertising’s most creative talents selected by a committee led by Laura Skoler, from the Board of Directors at New Museum.

She Borshee, Furniture Chronicles (2019). Courtesy AD ART SHOW.

“Advertising is at its core a creative endeavor and often individuals choose a more pragmatic approach to their career decisions, influenced by economic circumstance or societal pressures,” said Isaac Aden, the show’s curator. “This exhibition allows them to favor of their unbridled creative endeavors.”

Gavin Benjamin, Head of State (2019). Courtesy AD ART SHOW.

Last year, the fair’s inaugural edition was held at Sotheby’s and included the work of more than 90 artists. This year, Maria van Vlodrop, CEO and founder MvVO ART and the creator of AD ART SHOW, and Aden decided to move entirely to digital platforms in the hopes of casting a wider net. Participating artists’ work will appear across 140 LinkNYC digital displays throughout New York during Frieze Week.

During the entire month of May, the fair will also be on view on screens at the Oculus at the World Trade Center. The fair’s reach is poised to be tremendous. “Across the LinkNYC platforms, we will have over four million impressions across the fair’s four days. At the Oculus alone 300,000 people pass through daily,” said van Vlodrop.

Suzanne Anker, A Petri Dish (2019). Courtesy AD ART SHOW.

The decision to host the fair during one of New York’s most important art weeks aligns with the fair’s ambitions. Van Vlodrop says she wants to position the artwork of advertising creatives within the art world context while also creating a more engaging fair model for emerging collectors.

All the works featured in the digital fair will be available for purchase through MvVO ART’s website. “In my years, I’ve encountered so many talented people who were pursuing dual careers with one foot in the ad world and the other in the art world—world—AD ART SHOW provides them with a unique opportunity,” van Vlodrop said. “For many of these young creatives, getting a gallery representation would be a dream.”

The AD ART SHOW will appear on LinkNYC screens throughout New York during Frieze Week.

AD ART SHOW will be on view  May 1–4, 5 p.m.–7 p.m. at various LinkNYC locations and May 1–31, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., at the Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center. A map of LinkNYC locations will be available at www.mvvoart.com on April 29.

Below, images from the 2019 AD ART SHOW. 

Courtesy of Teresa Pyskaty.

Courtesy of Teresa Pyskaty.

Courtesy of Teresa Pyskaty.