Walking into the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) fair in the old DIA Foundation building far west of Chelsea feels like you’re late for your school’s bake sale. There’s an air of hysteria in the air, and at first glance, there’s a bewildering sameness to much of what’s on offer, making it hard to tell what you’re looking at.
But attracting mostly young dealers, the event offers an authentic atmosphere that other trade fairs are hard to match (not to mention the swankiest graphic design). With 95 exhibitors from 17 countries, including five different sculpture presentations of his on the rooftop, NADA also offers the opportunity to hunt treasures from Vancouver to Tokyo without actually leaving Manhattan. (However, the stairs are strenuous, so we recommend taking the elevator between his four floors of the fair.)
The sharpest booth is on the 4th floor. ILY2 (4.14) The Portland, Oregon, native has several drawings, a clay keyboard half apparently infested with flies, and a sculpture by Sidney O’Neill. The sculpture is a found swimming pool ladder with iron and bronze added to make it look like a computer role-playing game prop in the future. there are also four Europa (4.12) There’s also a charming leather teapot by Brandon Morris, an award-winning painting by Brian DeGraw and a plush wooden stool by Nick Gerollumino.across the aisle Shrine (4.10), Campbell-Smith’s meticulous homages to Acela Corridor landmarks from found cardboard include the shaky Statue of Liberty and the New York Public Library with its 3D-printed lion.
Belgian artist Leah Bosmann from Ghent presents an impressive series of textile abstractions. Tatiana Peters (3.03). Brightly colored rectangles on coarsely woven linen are as rigorous as they are charming. Los Angeles-based painter Tristan Unrau hops between styles, from realism to animation, but always with the same energetic sketches. Sebastian Gladstone (3.08), and Embajada (2.11), Based in San Juan, PR, the gallery showcases Lulu Varona’s hauntingly mesmerizing hand-stitched reggaeton lyrics.
Young artist Allen Yu obsessively paints hamburgers, candy corn, cacti and trucks. Creative Activity Center (P21) Philadelphia really shines with energy. “Moon-Faced” is both hypnotic and unnerving. This is a video installation in which Moresin Alahary digitally manipulates portraits of Qajar Persia and expresses them as androgynous. Management, New York. (Don’t forget to stop by while you’re on the roof) Children’s Museum Support the Emergency Arts Education Fund by setting up a “Lemonade Stand” and purchasing a piece of art made by a child, or lemonade. )
NADA New York
May 18-21, 548 West 22nd Street, Manhattan. newartdealers.org
