New
Yorkers are a fearless, foolish, and Faustian lot, this much was in evidence
during opening nights at the art fairs this first week of March, a month of
promise.
Coronavirus
didn’t put a damper on the art-weirdo festivities and the artsy sorts all put
on their creatively festooned frocks and went out in droves to celebrate art,
the artists, and the spirit of creativity.
The
rite of going to the fairs can be exhausting, not just physically but also
mentally. What are all of these people thinking? How does it reflect on the
current socio-politico-psychological state of society, our lifestyles, our
outlook at each other and the world? Is art something to facilitate
understanding or to wear like a badge or signifier of status in your pool of
influence?
The
plethora of art New Yorkers was treated to this week (and weekend) becomes
overwhelming to the senses and after a while, everything seems to morph into
one giant abstract, endlessly self-referential canvas.
Images
Of The Week today will look a bit different. We’re inside the white walls. No
street art and graffiti. We thought we’d show you two shows at ends of the art
fair spectrum. The Armory Show is one, and Spring Break is the other.
There
is greatness in both, both serve their audience, and both and have their own
ethos and philosophy and indeed two very different business models. One is 107
years old and one is 11. Both say that they are international, innovative,
and dynamic. One calls
itself ‘premiere’. The other calls itself ‘visionary’.
As always we love getting lost in the maze of galleries, curators, artists, buyers, observers, performers, and attitudes – and being surprised by the art along the way.
Here is a selection of some things that caught our eye, a very different set of images for the week, this week featuring Amina Robinson, Andrew Ohanesian, Asif Hoque, Dorothea Lange, Dustin Lee, Gustavo Diaz, Jessica Lictenstein, Kate Kingbell, Kehinde Wiley, Lezley Saar, Liliana Porter, Pieter Hugo, and Susan MacWilliams.
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
