Spring is traditionally a season for art fairs in New York. March – April are the months when every art fan is talking about two major events – The Armory Show and Artexpo New York.

The Armory Show becomes a stronger competitor for its main rival, Frieze, which will open in May. The Armory Show is a must see for all those interested in contemporary art. However, its Modern section seems to be more predictable and oppressed than the Contemporary Art pavilion. Many visitors, even those who are far from the art world and art business, come view the Armory Show to get a sense of how contemporary art world looks like, what art means today, and who are the artists and galleries to watch.

Marianne Vitale, Shingle Painting 5. Zach Feuer Gallery

Contemporary artists are in search of not only new materials and forms but also new ideas, thoughts and concepts. Art became quite political in many cases. Besides, artists are searching correlation or showing juxtaposition between various layers of life and art itself.

Galerie Andreas Huber from Vienna showcased Rita Sobral Campos, whose artworks are a combination of paintings and texts giving you a long-term food for thought: “But more astonishing than the rekindling of the dispute was how the disputes were trading places. Science was falling in love with the Mystical and Theological; the Arch-Rationalists were rejecting Science; the Mystics were devoting themselves to Mathematics; and the Scientists wanted to take over Fiction and Beauty”.

Galerie Andreas Huber featuring Rita Sobral Campos

The Armory Show atmosphere

Cajsa von Zeipel, “HOLES IN THE WALL – flat shoe portal” (2014), styrofoam, aqua resin, fiberglass, plaster, at Andréhn-Schiptjenko gallery

Yue Minjun, Floating, 2013, Oil on Canvas

At the Armory Show

At the Armory Show

At the Armory Show

Artexpo New York is also a huge art event, a socializing party, and – let’s be true to ourselves – a place for those artists and galleries who cannot afford the Armory Show, for many reasons. Many galleries and artists come to participate in Artexpo and treat it as an exploring path to the American art market. Thus it’s also interesting to visit Pier 94, where Artexpo is located, and talk to artists and galleries from all over the world. This year Artexpo reports record sales and the biggest amount of attendees, as well as exhibitor success.

Gallery Mojdeh, Iran

Gallery Zhang, New Jersey, USA

Portraits by Joey Morris, Australia

Art sales at Artexpo New York.

External links:

The Armory Show – https://www.thearmoryshow.com/

Artexpo New York – http://artexponewyork.com/artexpo-new-york/