The art world is celebrating the opening of the Armory Show, which kicks off New York’s busy art season. This year, the famous fair is marking its 30th anniversary and for the fourth consecutive year, it will take place at the Javits Center on Manhattan’s far West Side.

Open to the public from September 6-8, with a VIP preview on September 5, the fair is ushering in an exciting new era thanks to a new director, Kyla McMillan, who replaced former director Nicole Berry only a couple of months ago.

“My goal is to empower collectors and emphasize the fair’s role as a platform for artists, galleries and art enthusiasts,” says McMillan, whose experience ranges from founding her own gallery and consulting company, Saint George Projects, and working as a director at David Zwirner, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, and Alexander Gray Associates.

“The Armory Show has long been celebrated as a foundational fair for New York and the U.S. art market. I look forward to building on The Armory Show’s achievements, while also championing new voices and creating opportunities for diverse perspectives in contemporary art.” Along with McMillan’s vision, the fair itself is only a year into new ownership by London-based company Frieze, which runs eight fairs around the world including Frieze New York, London, Seoul, and Los Angeles.

The Armory Show sets itself apart from other fairs with its unique curatorial focus, fostering young galleries and staging site-specific projects. Platform, for example, is a section that features large-scale installations throughout the fair grounds.

This year, curated by former Brooklyn Museum curator Eugenie Tsai, it will explore the theme of collective memory with works by Dominique Fund, Sanford Biggers, and Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, who is bringing Valkyrie Liberty, a monumental hanging sculpture that blends the cultural and mythological symbolism of the Statue of Liberty with the Norse legends of the Valkyries. It was first shown for Dior’s Fall/Winter 2023-2024 collection.

THE ARMORY SHOW
5 – 8 September 2024
JAVITS CENTER
NEW YORK
https://www.thearmoryshow.com

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