The Armory Show in New York launched the fall art season with 235 exhibitors from 35 countries, presenting an overwhelming yet insightful display of contemporary art. Despite the fair's large scale and market-first focus, it provided a unique perspective on the art landscape. This year, politics were present but artists primarily used aesthetic beauty to address cultural flashpoints rather than polemical point-scoring.
Notable artists and galleries included Rafael Lozano Hemmer’s surveillance-focused art at Bitforms Gallery, Cannupa Hanska Luger’s indigenous-futurist sculptures at Garth Greenan Gallery, and a mini-survey of Abstract Expressionist Mary Abbott at Schoelkopf Gallery. Anastasia Samoylova’s photographs at Wentrup depicted an unidealized yet resilient Florida, embodying the power of close observation. Tschabalala Self's work at Two Palms, particularly an immersive New York City bodega installation, also stood out.
The 30th edition of The Armory Show was the first under new director Kyla McMillan and Frieze’s full ownership. While some felt the energy was subdued compared to past editions and many galleries played it safe, there were still "satisfying shockers" like Jimmy Wright’s S&M drawings at Corbett vs. Dempsey and Naturee Utarit’s painting at Richard Koh Fine Art. The fair also featured a "Platform" section curated by Eugenie Tsai, showcasing 12 installations that rethought art historical narratives, such as Joana Vasconcelos’s fabric sculpture.
Sales highlights from the VIP day included Robert Motherwell’s Apse (1980–84) for $825,000 and Walton Ford’s The Singer Tract (2023) for $750,000, both sold by Kasmin. Tang Contemporary Art reported the sale of an Ai Weiwei bronze casting for $450,000. Other sales included Nir Hod's oil paintings for $140,000 and $95,000 at Michael Kohn Gallery, Tanya Goel's oil painting for $100,000-$120,000 at Nature Morte, and Paul Waters' oil paintings for $50,000 and $100,000 at Eric Firestone Gallery. Prices for Tschabalala Self's work ranged from $5,000 for small sculptures to $125,000 for portraits, with three portraits selling for $35,000-$45,000 each.
