The Armory Show (art fair)
Encyclopedia
The Armory Show, The International Fair of New Art, is the largest contemporary art fair in New York, and one of the largest in the world. It originally started in 1994 as the Gramercy International Art Fair, an art fair held in the rooms of the Gramercy Hotel in New York City, and was founded by four art dealers: Colin De Land, Pat Hearn, Matthew Marks and Paul Morris . The fair quickly outgrew its location and became The Armory Show in February 1999. It was first held at the 69th Regiment Armory
, the site of the legendary Armory Show
of 1913 that introduced Modern art
to America and for which it was named, and is now held annually in Pier 94 on New York City’s west side. In 2007, The Armory Show was bought by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
The event, which lasts four days, has attracted crowds of up to 52,000 and reported sales of up to $85 million. Due to The Armory Show’s success, a number of smaller fairs follow the same schedule. This, in conjunction with other institutions that also schedule special events at the same time, have led to the term “Armory Week.”
Starting in 2002, The Armory Show has commissioned artists to provide visuals for the fair. These artists have included Karen Kilimnik
(2002), Barnaby Furnas
(2003), Lisa Ruyter (2004), Jockum Nordström (2005), John Wesley
(2006), Pipilotti Rist
(2007), John Waters
and Mary Heilmann (2008), and British artist Ewan Gibbs (2009). In 2006 The Armory Show began publishing an annual series of prints by the commissioned artists to benefit the Pat Hearn and Colin de Land Cancer Foundation and the Pat Hearn and Colin de Land Acquisition Fund at The Museum of Modern Art.
69th Regiment Armory
The 69th Regiment Armory located at 68 Lexington Avenue between East 25th and 26th Streets in Manhattan, New York City is a historical building which began construction in 1904 and was completed in 1906. The building is still used to house the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment, as well as for the...
, the site of the legendary Armory Show
Armory Show
Many exhibitions have been held in the vast spaces of U.S. National Guard armories, but the Armory Show refers to the 1913 International Exhibition of Modern Art that was organized by the Association of American Painters and Sculptors...
of 1913 that introduced Modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
to America and for which it was named, and is now held annually in Pier 94 on New York City’s west side. In 2007, The Armory Show was bought by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
The event, which lasts four days, has attracted crowds of up to 52,000 and reported sales of up to $85 million. Due to The Armory Show’s success, a number of smaller fairs follow the same schedule. This, in conjunction with other institutions that also schedule special events at the same time, have led to the term “Armory Week.”
Starting in 2002, The Armory Show has commissioned artists to provide visuals for the fair. These artists have included Karen Kilimnik
Karen Kilimnik
Karen Kilimnik is an American painter and installation artist.-Life and work:Karen Kilimnik trained at Temple University, Philadelphia.Her installations reflected a young viewpoint of pop culture...
(2002), Barnaby Furnas
Barnaby Furnas
Barnaby Furnas, , is an American painter and former graffiti artist who currently lives and works in New York City. He studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York and received a BFA in 1995 before going on to study at Columbia University in New York, receiving an MFA in 2000...
(2003), Lisa Ruyter (2004), Jockum Nordström (2005), John Wesley
John Wesley (artist)
John Wesley was born in Los Angeles, California, on November 25, 1928. He is a pop artist.After holding a series of odd jobs, he began painting at the age of 22...
(2006), Pipilotti Rist
Pipilotti Rist
Elisabeth Charlotte "Pipilotti" Rist , is a visual artist who works with video, film, and moving images which are often displayed as projections.-Life and career:...
(2007), John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
and Mary Heilmann (2008), and British artist Ewan Gibbs (2009). In 2006 The Armory Show began publishing an annual series of prints by the commissioned artists to benefit the Pat Hearn and Colin de Land Cancer Foundation and the Pat Hearn and Colin de Land Acquisition Fund at The Museum of Modern Art.