The Armory and the Big Apple
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The Armory Show debuted as a platform for dealers to exhibit artists in New York in 1994. Fast forward 25 years (and weigh anchor at Manhattan’s far west Piers 90, 92 and 94): the 20th and 21st-century art fair has ballooned in scale and features galleriesThe Armory and the Big Apple
The Armory Show debuted as a platform for dealers to exhibit artists in New York in 1994. Fast forward 25 years (and weigh anchor at Manhattan’s far west Piers 90, 92 and 94): the 20th and 21st-century art fair has ballooned in scale and features galleries of increasingly international provenance, from Rio de Janeiro to Istanbul to Sidi Bou Said.This latest edition of the fair — March 7-10, with a by-invitation- only VIP Preview Day on March 6 — will draw 194 galleries from 33 countries. Galleries, the core section of the Armory Show, will spotlight solo artists and dual-artist pairings, like a historical presentation of Dorothea Tanning at Alison Jacques Gallery, or the juxtaposed work of Sam Durant and Jim Shaw, who respectively probe urgent socio-political issues, at Praz-Delavallade. The expanded Focus section will include 29 galleries whose artists explore identity through figuration, be it new acrylic paintings by Alex Gardner or photographic portraits taken in New York by Joseph Rodriguez and Jamel Shabazz. Platform, which stages large-scale artworks, will take inspiration from the 1939 New York World’s Fair.As a point of pride for the 25th anniversary year, The Armory Show will reunite exhibitors who participated in the earliest iterations, including 303 Gallery (New York), Tanya Bonakdar Gallery (New York, Los Angeles), Galerie Krinzinger (Vienna) and Zeno X Gallery (Antwerp). “It’s fantastic to have the support of those core dealers who are integral to our history back for this important milestone,” said The Armory Show’s Executive Director Nicole Berry. Berry is set not only on honoring the past but on ushering that legacy forward: last year, she introduced a day-long Leadership Summit, an intellectual forum addressing complex curatorial realities, which will continue this year.We spoke with Berry about which unsung New York museums deserve a visit, the special hotel that doubles as an urban landmark, and why leaving the city ultimately strengthened her devotion to it.How long have you been living in New York?Almost a decade. I left five-and-ahalf years for Chicago [to be deputy director of Expo Chicago] but happily returned almost three years ago.How has the art scene in New York evolved over the past decade?I think it’s become harder for young arts professionals and artists as rents continue to increase; neighborhoods have inevitably changed.How does the local scene dialogue with the global scene?New York remains the art capital of the world, so whatever happens here has a ripple effect. That being said, the internet and social media have made it easier to see art being created around the world and we have benefited from that global perspective.Who is a favorite local New York artist you think more people should know?Naming one artist is like picking a favorite child; I would rather suggest that people who aren’t from NYC take time to visit places that are a bit off the beaten path, like the Noguchi Museum in Queens, or The Cloisters, as well as the public art that can be found throughout the City.What are your “must-see, can’tleave- without-checking-out” recommendations for the city?I think that institutions that might not be as familiar to people are really worth investigating. Some of my favorites are the Asia Society, the Americas Society on the Upper East Side, and the New York Historical Society on the Upper West Side, which currently has a phenomenal Betye Saar show [on view until May 27]. There are also gems like 101 Spring Street run by the Donald Judd Foundation and Louise Bourgeois’s studio, which both require reservations, but give you an intimate look into their worlds.What would be on your agenda if you had a free morning or afternoon in New York?Oh to have free time in the city! I would visit a couple of museum shows (the Guggenheim’s Hilma af Klint [on view until April 23rd] is a must-see) and then head to Dimes in the Lower East Side for lunch. Then I would spend the afternoon leisurely visiting galleries in that neighborhood. If I could cap off the day with a yoga class, that would be heaven.What’s the best place for a morn-ing coffee or tea?I don’t drink coffee but am addicted to my matcha lattes. I go to Matcha Bar on 15th Street religiously. If I am wandering around Chelsea, I will go to Intelligentsia (which I discovered in Chicago) at the High Line Hotel. They have a lovely outside area in the warmer months and a cozy lobby when it’s cold out.What restaurants would you recommend, and what makes them unique?The aforementioned Dimes is a favorite because the food is delicious and the environment is relaxed and friendly. I love The Modern for special occasions because MoMA’s sculpture garden is my absolute favorite place in New York City. Motel Morris is around the corner from my apartment so I love the convenience and it has a classic ambiance.Where would you recommend people stay when they visit?I haven’t stayed at a lot of hotels in NYC but The Beekman is gorgeous. I love that it is a historic building with a nine-story atrium that has been meticulously restored. There is also a fabulous Tom Colicchio restaurant, as well as a Keith McNally one, on the ground floor. It’s where my parents are staying when they come to New York for The Armory Show this year.Do you have a favorite book depicting the city, or an author who writes about the city or region in an especially evocative way?It’s funny, I recently finished a book of short stories that grew from Joan Didion’s 1967 short story “Goodbye to All That” about her experience loving and eventually leaving New York. I love personal essays and, having left New York for a few years and subsequently returning, it was fun to read people’s experiences with New York City throughout its history. New York City has a powerful effect on its inhabitants, and I yearned for it like a lost love when I left. Time away is helpful, but I am so proud to be back and living in a city that challenges me and energizes me on a daily basis — it’s the best city in the world.The Curatorial Leadership Summit you spearheaded last year focused on cultural appropriation, censorship, and representation. What themes will you engage in this year, and what are some essentials from 2018 that you hope to expand upon again?This year’s Curatorial Leadership Summit (CLS), chaired by the incredible Dan Byers, will take into consideration the curatorial focus on recuperations of older artists who have been excluded from the cannon, examining how curators grapple with today’s urgent, complicated identity politics and social questions. This is an important follow up to Naomi Beckwith’s discussions last year around the questions of representation and appropriation.This is The Armory Show’s 25th anniversary year; what celebratory events are planned?We wanted to do something that would reflect both the fair’s history and founders, while also looking forward to the future of the fair. That’s why we are introducing The Gramercy International Prize, a new yearly initiative that supports the advancement of young New York galleries with strong programs who have not previously participated in The Armory Show. A jury of individuals integral to the fair’s early history — collector and advisor Stefano Basilico; independent curator Clarissa Dalrymple, the respective owners and founders of Nicole Klagsbrun Gallery, Andrea Rosen Gallery and 303 Gallery — will award a gallery with a free booth at the fair. This provides a platform for experimentation and discovery with minimal financial risk. This was the most meaningful way we thought to continue in the spirit of the Gramercy years, while also making a difference for the rising generation of pioneering gallerists. The selected gallery’s booth will be located on Pier 94 in a special section devoted to our 25th Anniversary. There, in partnership with Galerie Nagel Draxler, we will present early works of Andrea Fraser and Renee Green that are still incredibly relevant today.https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more