NEW YORK, NY.- The Art Show returned for its 34th annual edition this past week at the Park Avenue Armory. The fair ran from November 3-6, bringing together the city’s top collectors, curators, museum directors, advisors, artists, and writers. On November 2, the Benefit Preview & Gala brought together the worlds of art and philanthropy to support Henry Street Settlement—the social services and arts organization that has aided New Yorkers in need for nearly 130 years—during a glamorous first look at the fair. Combined with all admissions proceeds from the run of show, The Art Show raised nearly $1.2 million for its founding partner—and this number will continue to rise after the painting by Tomm El-Saieh that greeted guests in the entryway is sold in Sotheby’s Contemporary Day Auction on November 17, 2022.
“This year felt like a true revitalization of the fair as visitors and exhibitors alike were back in full force! This was clearly exemplified by the thousands of attendees to the Benefit Preview which exceeded our expectations and furthered our longtime goal of providing Henry Street Settlement with its largest source of unrestricted funding. The stellar presentations brought by our exhibitors, from historical works to those by contemporary and under-recognized artists underscore what The Art Show is all about: meaningful engagement through close looking, a rigorous peer-review process that ensures quality and excellence, and a spirit of conviviality and camaraderie amongst our member galleries and visitors” says ADAA Executive Director Maureen Bray.
Highlights of the week include a record 78 exhibitors and 55 solo presentations; a panel discussion with entertainer and Chicano art collector Cheech Marin and artnet News editor-in-chief Andrew Goldstein about opening of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of Riverside Art Museum; a panel discussion about innovative ways to support artists beyond collecting with Brooke Davis Anderson (VIA Art Fund), Lonti Ebers (Amant), Allan Schwartzman (Schwartzman&), and moderated by artnet News executive editor Julia Halperin; a panel discussion about the importance of funding artists and their contributions to their communities with Derrick Adams (Visual Artist), Christa Blatchford (Joan Mitchell Foundation), Karen Patterson (Ruth Foundation for the Arts), moderated by writer Ted Loos; the annual Upper East Side Gallery Walk where member galleries in the surrounding neighborhood opened their doors to the public for a collaborative gallery walk event showcasing some of the most dynamic exhibitions in New York City this season; and Meet the Artists, a rare opportunity for visitors to meet artists with work on view at The Art Show, as well as experts affiliated with historical presentations in select exhibitors’ booths.
For the third year, The Art Show Committee, comprised of ADAA members, selected “Best in Show” designees in recognition of those members whose presentations epitomize the connoisseurship and industry leadership of the ADAA membership. The 2022 winners are: Betty Cuningham Gallery, for “Best in Show Booth” for its solo presentation of Mia Westerlund Roosen and Mary-Anne Martin | Fine Art for “Best in Show Object” for the painting titled Tuna (Still Life with Prickly Pear Fruit) by Frida Kahlo.
During The Art Show, the ADAA Foundation announced the recipients of the 2022 grants in support of exhibitions, community engagement programs, and curatorial research that advances art historical scholarship. Funded by members of the ADAA, grants of $10,000 to $15,000 are awarded annually to small and mid-sized museums, archives, and art institutions across the United States. The 2022 recipients—The Drawing Center (New York City, NY), Cranbrook Art Museum (Bloomfield Hills, MI), and Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (Eugene, OR)—are receiving grants to support projects ranging from major exhibitions that broaden the art historical narrative, to engagement initiatives that expand art-making and education in underserved communities.
ADAA Foundation President James Cohan comments: “The grants distributed by the ADAA Foundation exemplify an important facet of our Association’s mission: supporting the wider arts ecosystem by advancing art historical scholarship, appreciation, and exhibition-making. Museums large and small are a vital part of this ecosystem, so I am honored that we are able to help bring these three exhibitions to fruition.”
This edition of the fair is the first time that the ADAA has implemented goals identified in its Sustainability Roadmap––a comprehensive guide for The Art Show, which assesses aspects of the fair that might impact climate or general wellness—which it began developing approximately a year ago. This initiative aims to chart a course toward analyzing the environmental significance of such events, and by identifying short-, mid-, and long-term goals, to encourage greater sustainability practices going forward, not only for The Art Show, but for art fairs worldwide. The Sustainability Roadmap was developed in collaboration with the global design and architecture firm Gensler and ADAA’s thought partners in the initiative, AXA XL, a division of AXA, Henry Street Settlement, and Sanford L. Smith + Associates. Galleries Commit—a worker-led collective that is committed to a climate-conscious, resilient, and equitable future for New York City galleries—provided crowdsourced tools that have enabled The Art Show exhibitors to opt in to track their climate impact resulting from participation in this year’s fair, providing important data to help further The Art Show’s future sustainability goals into the future.
QUOTES FROM THE GALLERIES:
“We were delighted to return to the ADAA Art Show with a solo presentation of work by Pacita Abad in advance of the artist's first traveling retrospective, opening at the Walker Art Center in the spring 2023. We successfully placed a number of works in wonderful collections, with both old clients and new, and the fair generated many meaningful conversations about Abad’s work with major American institutions.” – Tina Kim, Tina Kim Gallery (New York)
“Our special presentation of important works by Toshiko Takaezu at this year's edition of The Art Show has been a critical and commercial success. The intimate scale of the fair provides an opportunity for meaningful engagement with clients and visitors, both those who are already familiar with Takaezu's practice and those who are discovering her work for the first time.” – James Cohan, James Cohan Gallery (New York)
“We felt that the fair had strong, solid material throughout and presented serious exposure of our artist, Rafael Ferrer. This was a great opportunity to reintroduce an artist that has not shown within a commercial context in around 10 years, especially with material which many fair goers may not have been aware of or have ever seen. We are happy to have participated this year to celebrate 60 years of the Art Dealers Association of America.“ – Fredric Snitzer, Fredric Snitzer Gallery (Miami)
“We’ve had great conversations with viewers from opening to closing and were told we had one of the best looking and most riveting booths in the fair. Carmen Cicero’s work invites you into a story that he has brought to the forefront of his canvas, and The Art Show provided a space for deep consideration and close looking that enabled such thoughtful interactions with the work on view. A lot of visitors didn’t know Cicero, but the responses have been fantastic, as he clearly pulls people in and allows you to tell your own story alongside his own.” – June Kelly, June Kelly Gallery (New York)
“We were enormously pleased with the reception and strong sales we saw for Felrath Hines. It was an honor to present this engaging body of work from an important but under-recognized artist.” – Alana Ricca, Managing Director, Schoelkopf Gallery (New York)
“We placed works in a number of great collections and are so pleased with the widespread interest we received in Geoffrey Holder's work. The Art Show provided a key opportunity to present Holder’s artistic practice and his oeuvre to the public. Many stellar collectors, museums, and consultants among others were in attendance. The atmosphere at the fair was wonderful. It was a pleasure to contribute to the diversity of contexts and historical backgrounds exhibited among our peers.” – James Fuentes (New York)
“It was our first year participating in The Art Show, and we are thrilled to say all of our expectations were surpassed. The visitor response was staggeringly positive, sales were strong throughout the fair as we connected with new collectors and old friends, and every day was filled with excellent conversations with the engaged, keen-eyed audience. It feels really good to know that our efforts helped to raise money for the Henry Street Settlement. The fair's sustainability initiatives were visible throughout the Armory, from the boxed water bottles to the recyclable cups, compostable flatware, and even the bamboo lanyards for our exhibitor badges. We are also part of a group of galleries that will be submitting a Climate Impact Report detailing our booth's carbon footprint to the fair in the coming weeks, so we can all explore greener options in the future. Kudos to Maureen Bray and the entire ADAA team on taking charge and leading the way toward a more equitable art fair landscape for all.” – Candace Moeller, Director, Cristin Tierney Gallery (New York)
THE ART SHOW:
Founded in 1989 and organized annually by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), and benefitting Henry Street Settlement, one of New York’s leading social service, arts, and health care organizations, The Art Show brings together the country’s top galleries, all of which are ADAA members, to showcase incisively curated exhibitions of both historical and contemporary works. The fair's intimately scaled presentations foster new relationships, active conversations with gallerists, and close looking at works by artists representing a variety of genres and practices, as well as both national and international origins. With a history of programming that ranges from artist performances to dynamic keynote presentations, The Art Show provides its audience with a wide scope of cultural experiences, meaningful interactions, and illuminating exposure to phenomenal artwork.
The Art Show Benefit Preview offers an exclusive first look before the fair opens to the public, convening the worlds of art and philanthropy for this highly anticipated, glamorous gathering. The Benefit Preview is attended by a global audience of collectors as well as philanthropic and business leaders, whose generosity directly supports Henry Street Settlement's life-changing programs. As Henry Street Settlement’s greatest source of unrestricted funding, The Art Show has raised over $36 million for the nonprofit through more than three decades of partnership between the two organizations. The collaboration between the ADAA and Henry Street allows for the creation of an unparalleled art experience that supports vital services for over 50,000 New Yorkers each year. www.theartshow.org
HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT:
Founded in 1893 by social reformer Lillian Wald and based on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Henry Street Settlement delivers a wide range of innovative, high-impact social service, arts, and health care programs. From shelter for the homeless and job placement to early childhood education and college prep to meals and companionship for older adults, Henry Street continues to provide vital services to more than 50,000 New Yorkers each year. A central component of its commitment to human progress and opportunity is Henry Street’s award-winning Abrons Arts Center, which provides artists with performance, exhibition, and residency opportunities and promotes access to the arts through educational programming. www.henrystreet.org
ADAA:
The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that supports the economic and cultural contributions of the nation’s leading fine art galleries. The ADAA includes nearly 200 members from more than 30 cities in the U.S., representing hundreds of established and emerging artists internationally. ADAA members have extensive expertise across primary and secondary markets and established reputations for upholding the best practices in the field. The ADAA serves as a resource and advocate, raising awareness of dealers’ critical roles in the international art market and the cultural community. The ADAA is a leader on issues pertaining to connoisseurship, scholarship, ethical practice, and public policy. www.artdealers.org
ADAA FOUNDATION:
The ADAA Foundation, an entity distinct from but connected to the ADAA, was established in 1970 to encourage and promote the appreciation of art and art history through its support of vital scholarship and curatorial research. Generously funded by donations from ADAA member galleries, the Foundation has distributed grants to museums, archives, and arts organizations around the country with operating budgets under $5 million to advance art historical research and exhibition development.
