The Top Solo Booths at The Art Show
There’s a lot to love about The Art Show, hosted by the Art Dealers Association of America. Founded in 1989, The Art Show is one of the longest-running fairs in the country and highlights remarkable historic and contemporary artworks from ADAA-member galleries. Located at the historic Park Avenue Armory, The Art Show is undoubtedly one of the most consistently exceptional fairs in the city. Another special component of this fair is its charity: all admissions proceeds are donated to Henry Street Settlement, the social services organization that has aided New Yorkers, which has helped raise $36 million to date.
This year, which marks the 35th year of the fair and the 130th anniversary of Henry Street Settlement, many galleries chose to bring solo booths by artists, providing opportunities for viewers to immerse themselves in the artists on view, while also providing a bit more scholarship and in-depth reading of each artist, and Whitewall picked its five favorite solo presentations. Plus, we asked New York-based art advisor Anne Bruder to pick one of her favorite works from the fair.
The Art Show Booth by P.P.O.W
Ceramic works are out in full force at the fair this year, and Ann Agee’s booth at P.P.O.W is one of the many highlights celebrating this remarkable medium. The solo presentation includes works from her ongoing series, Madonnas of the Girl Child, which reimagines the classic Madonna and Child motif as Mother and daughter, instead of Mother and son. Imbuing reverence to women and girls, instead of men, Agee subverts the meaning and ideological significance of this ever-present, and oftentimes propagandistic qualities of this universally recognizable visual motif. The effect of the installation is arresting: the mother and daughter face outward towards the fair hallway, drawing the audience inward. Beyond the conceptual ingenuity and captivating framework of the series, Agee’s abilities in working with ceramics are astonishing to experience in person. The ease with which she sculpts and works with her chosen materials further demonstrates Agee’s significance as a preeminent ceramic artist working today.