The Armory Present is ‘enterprise as ordinary’ at first version since Frieze acquisition

Whereas hypothesis abounds about what the acquisition of The Armory Present by British truthful and media firm Frieze might imply for the occasion that payments itself as “New York’s artwork truthful”, sellers and collectors have been all enterprise on the Javits Middle ground throughout the Armory’s VIP preview on Thursday (7 September).

Gross sales got here swiftly as quickly because the truthful opened, with prime costs within the higher six figures—a notably cheaper price ceiling than at Frieze’s different New York truthful, which takes place in spring. London’s Victoria Miro bought out its stand of recent works by New York painter María Berrío within the morning, with costs starting from $65,000 to $200,000. A Lynne Drexler portray bought for $800,000 and an Alice Baber portray fetched $200,000 at New York gallery Berry Campbell’s stand. And London’s Ben Hunter Gallery bought a Kim Lim work for $250,000.

Chelsea-based 303 Gallery bought the 31-panel portray A Month of Early Morning Fog Over Lake Montauk (2023) by Rob Pruitt for $175,000, plus items by Cassi Nomoda, Nick Maus and Alicja Kwadje for $65,000, $70,000 and $37,400, respectively.

The Parisian gallery Templon, which opened a New York outpost lower than ten blocks from the Javits Middle final yr, bought a Will Cotton portray for $150,000. It additionally discovered patrons for works by Chiharu Shiota for costs starting from €60,000 to €100,000 and the entire stand’s Philippe Cognée items for between €30,000 and €75,000 every. At Nara Roesler, Heinz Mack’s The painter’s backyard (chromatic constellation) (2001) fetched €240,000, whereas two work by Fabio Miguez bought for $15,000 every.

San Francisco-based supplier Jessica Silverman bought a big bronze sculpture by Woody De Othello for $400,000 and a Julie Buffalohead oil portray for $50,000 to a basis primarily based in Texas. The gallery additionally bought a Margo Wolowiec weaving for $38,000, together with a number of works on paper by Clare Rojas and Rupy C. Tut, which bought within the vary of $12,000 to $20,000 every. The gallery additionally bought 5 table-top bronze sculptures by Rose B. Simpson, together with one to Rollins Museum of Artwork in Winter Park, Florida.

Wentrup, primarily based in Berlin, bought out its solo stand devoted to Jenny Brosinski, with costs starting from $40,000 to $50,000. Decrease East Aspect gallery 56 Henry bought out its solo stand of seven sculptures and reliefs by New York artist LaKela Brown, which ranged in value from $9,000 to $18,000.

Whereas sellers at some smaller galleries reported a sluggish begin to enterprise and expressed trepidation that collectors could also be break up between The Armory Present and Frieze Seoul—the truthful going down in South Korea this week—others famous a rise in foot visitors on Thursday in comparison with VIP previews of earlier years. Whereas the huge scale of the Javits Middle prevents bottlenecks of crowds from forming round common stands, as usually occurs at different artwork festivals, a gradual stream of holiday makers moved by means of The Armory Present all day on Thursday. Throngs of individuals weaved by means of the large-scale installations within the truthful’s Platform sector, curated by Vancouver Artwork Gallery’s Eva Respini and that includes works by De Othello, Agnes Denes, Jean Shin and Teresita Fernández.

New York supplier Hollis Taggart, who has taken half within the Armory Present for almost 20 years, attributed a number of the improve in curiosity to Frieze’s acquisition of the truthful, introduced in July. “It may add numerous power to the present. They’ve a broader arm, a a lot larger public relations functionality and I believe you are already seeing that on this 11am turnout,” he stated, gesturing to folks strolling by means of his stand because the preview kicked off.

This yr’s version of The Armory Present was already set in movement when the sale of the truthful to British media and truthful firm Frieze was introduced in July, Armory Present govt director Nicole Berry says, including that any adjustments from new possession are but to be seen. The Armory Present might be held once more in 2024, Berry confirms, noting it is going to be the truthful’s thirtieth iteration.

“There’s numerous discussions available shifting ahead with our new proprietor to speak about the way forward for the truthful, however it’s enterprise as ordinary so far as we all know,” Berry says. “We really feel like this yr our truthful is extremely robust and we’re very pleased with this version”.

Berry says The Armory Present’s organisers have “hit our stride” within the truthful’s third yr on the Javits Middle with 225 stands, a slight lower from 2022 when round 250 galleries took half, which she stated was a acutely aware determination. “It is a very massive area and we did not need folks to really feel overwhelmed by it. I’ve heard many collectors say they felt like this yr it felt extra manageable.” Berry says. “We really feel like that is kind of the candy spot of the floorplan, which is gorgeous and flows and has numerous nice sightlines for galleries.”

Some within the artwork world have speculated that Frieze will mix its springtime Frieze New York truthful with The Armory Present, or shift the dates of both Frieze Seoul or The Armory Present to maintain them from clashing. Kristell Chadé, the chief director of the Frieze festivals, stated in a press release that the 2 New York festivals will “proceed every with their separate identities” however famous there might be “natural synergies” that can profit US operations.

“Clearly, having two festivals on totally different continents on the identical time is a problem,” Chadé stated. “Nonetheless any adjustments in dates rely upon availability at their respective venues.”

Certainly one of a handful of galleries participating in each The Armory Present and Frieze Seoul this yr is the Philippine gallery Silverlens. Co-founder Isa Lorenzo says the gallery was ready to take action as a result of its Manila workforce is dealing with Seoul whereas employees on the gallery’s New York location handles the Armory Present.

“Each festivals are very totally different. They serve totally different functions for us,” Lorenzo says. “For so long as these functions are being served, then we’ll proceed to do each.”

Glenn Scott Wright, a companion and director at Victoria Miro stated the London-based gallery is “at all times actually pleased” to participate in The Armory Present, although he notes many individuals within the artwork world have their “loyalties divided” due to concurrent occasions—on this case not solely Frieze Seoul but in addition the opening of the São Paulo Bienal.

“We’re all being pulled in several instructions, however traditionally we have at all times executed extraordinarily nicely at The Armory Present,” Scott Wright says. “New York is an extremely vital place for us, numerous our greatest purchasers are right here.”

• The Armory Present, till 10 September, Javits Middle, New York