In 1994, four New York art dealers had the ambitious goal of creating a new art fair to support new artists and attract global attention. The result was a groundbreaking cultural moment that has become vital to the New York art market and beyond. While much has changed over the years, Armory Show continues to be a force in the art world and essential to New York's cultural landscape.
The History of Armory Show
Four New York dealers – Colin de Land, Pat Hearn, Matthew Marks and Paul Morris – got together to organize an international art fair. They rented a group of rooms at the legendary Gramercy Park Hotel and invited businessmen from New York and abroad to participate. The Gramercy International Art Fair, as it was then called, was the first “hotel fair” of its kind, and quickly became a critical success and cult event, admired for exclusively showing new works by living artists.
After several successful editions at the Gramercy Park Hotel, the fair moved to a larger venue at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue. The fair is renamed “The Armory Show” in honor of the legendary 1913 Regiment exhibition of the same name, which featured avant-garde works by European artists never seen in America.
The Armory Show has now moved again to the West Side of Manhattan. The arrival of The Armory Show signaled an important chapter in the rebuilding and revitalization of the district's numerous abandoned structures that once served the city's transportation industry. The Armory Artist Commission is established, furthering the fair's commitment to supporting living artists by highlighting the work of a different artist each year. Past commissioned artists include: Lawrence Abu Hamdan (2015); Xu Zhen (2014); Liz Magic Laser (2013); Theater Gates (2012); Gabriel Kuri (2011); Susan Collis (2010); Ewan Gibbs (2009); Mary Heilmann and John Waters (2008); Pipilotti Rist (2007); John Wesley (2006); Jockum Nordstrom (2005); Lisa Ruyter (2004); Barnaby Furnas (2003) and Karen Kilimnik (2002).
Deepening its partnership with MoMA, The Armory Show has launched a series: Benefit Edition, in which the Show's Artist produces a limited edition artwork to benefit the Pat Hearn and Colin de Land Acquisition Fund and MoMA. Mary Heilmann, John Waters, Pipilotti Rist, Liz Magic Laser and Theaster Gates are just some of the artists who created limited edition works for the fair.
Later, the fair expanded to Piers 92 and 94 with the introduction of The Armory Show – Modern on Pier 92, dedicated to showcasing masterpieces of the 20th century. Now titled Insights, this exhibitor section brings a historical perspective to the show's offerings, juxtaposing past and present.
Armony Show has several selections to energize the fair, such as Armory Focus, an invitation section dedicated to highlighting a different geographic region each year. A critical and commercial success, Armory Focus has provided galleries from regions around the world with the opportunity to exhibit in New York. Curators and regions include: Africa (2016), curated by Yvette Mutumba and Julia Grosse; Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean (2015), curated by Omar Kholeif; China (2014), curated by Philip Tinari; USA (2013), curated by Eric Shiner; Nordic Countries (2012), curated by Jacob Fabricius; Latin America (2011) and Berlin (2010). Presents, a platform for galleries under ten years old to showcase recent work by emerging artists (Single Artist and Dual Artist Presentations highlight the next generation of artistic talent.)
In 2019, The Armory Show celebrated its 25th edition, marking a quarter of a century since the fair's founding in 1994. To mark this historic milestone, The Armory Show announced the creation of the International Gramercy Awards, a new annual initiative that supports the advancement from young and pioneering New York galleries that have not previously participated in The Armory Show.
In 2021, the Armory Show made a historic move to the newly expanded Javits Center from September 9-12. Kicking off New York's fall art season, the Armory Show continues its legacy as a gateway to New York's art scene, connecting visitors to exhibitors at the fair, as well as galleries, museums, arts organizations, artists and New York City collectors. The combination of the fair's new dates and its new location close to Chelsea's gallery district, the scenic High Line and lively Tribeca neighborhood makes for a dynamic visit in the height of autumn.
Armory Show 2022
The Armory Show contemporary art fair takes place at the Javits Center in Hudson Yards, Friday through Sunday, September 9-11, 2022. This edition features over 240 galleries from over 30 countries with a section focusing on Latino art. American and Latin.
The fair is organized into several sections. This year's curated Focus section features Latin American and Latino art. Highlights include: Proyectos Ultravioleta (Guatemala) showcases works on paper by Chilean New York artist Johanna Unzueta; Davidson Gallery (New York) with the “Taíno Series” by Glendalys Medina based on indigenous Caribbean folklore; Green Art Gallery (Dubai) o an installation by Venezuelan artist Alessandro Balteo-Yazbeck on post-colonial indigenous legacies; Hutchinson Modern & Contemporary (New York) showing research by Costa Rican-born conceptual artist Priscilla Monge. The Galleries section features themed exhibitions by solo and dual artists, the Presents section features emerging galleries less than a decade old including: Addis Fine Art London and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg Afronova Gallery, South Africa. The Solo section features presentations by solo artists, including Galeria Leon Tovar's research on Colombian artist Fanny Sanín. The Platform section features large-scale installations and site-specific works on the theme of “Monumental Change”, curated by Tobias Ostrander.
