A Walk Through The Art: Armory Arts Week 2016

«On the Wednesday of Art Week in NYC, the Armory show opens. But not to the public, yet – the first day is a preview for members of the press and insiders, plus their Highnesses the Collectors, without whom there would be no art show altogether. We, the art lovers, the dreamers, the inspiration and kick seekers, tend to be remote from the business side, and maybe that’s why I didn’t see many akin souls around that night, while usually the public is as original and interesting as the art.

I wanted to be admitted to preview day for a long time, and this year, somehow, I managed to get a pass. What I honestly wanted were the rivers of champagne I was told about, to wander around beautiful art in a delicious tipsy state, and I was giving for granted there would have been less people than during regular admission days. Well, champagne was $20 a (plastic) glass, unless a gallery would share their allowance, which they didn’t, not with me, and the mass of people was thick, as usual.

I had this idea of not wearing ear buds for this, curious to listen to some industry talk, and some industry talk I overheard alright, but quite disturbing, quite prosaic it was: hissing voices of seemingly cut-throat salespeople, exchanging rushed remarks about how to get a customer to buy; hi-pitched ladies voices, unchecked for once because of too much champagne, calling their friends across from the (champagne) bar, waiving their jeweled hands; couples seriously discussing where in the house to place a picture, better above the sofa or above the fireplace? And young professionals, with very charming accents and demeanor…bragging, that is alas the perfect word for it, about the prestige of the gallery/institution/publication they work for, like if it were theirs, all these moons glowing with corporate light, they always puzzle me.
The art at the Armory Show is amazing, and the vast, diverse display really touches me, maybe because this is the grand finale for the artwork, which in a way makes the show a big great cemetery really, here art is passing from the hands, talent, rapture and passion that created it, on to commerce and life as a commodity. Long lives the art industry.»

–– Angie Mauri

ARMORY SHOW

2016 Armory Focus: African Perspectives.

VOLTA NY

The invitational solo project fair.

SPRING BREAK ART SHOW

New York City’s curator-driven art fair. 2016 edition: ⌘COPY⌘PASTE.

INDEPENDENT NY

Armory show and Spring Break art show: photographs by Matilde Soligno

Volta NY and Independent NY: photographs by Didem Civginoglu

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