From fantastical anime paintings to figurative ceramics, the in-person New York art fair of the week saw an incredible turn-out, with some artists’ work selling out on the first day.
Recently a whole week was dedicated to the best in contemporary art from local and international artists. The New York art community presented New York Art Week, an inaugural city-wide initiative from May 5-12, 2022. Over 20 galleries, museums, and auction houses took part, presenting contemporary art programming across the city.
There were four art fairs within New York Art Week, with over 350 visiting galleries. The one to start it all off was the Independent art fair. This is one of the country’s most respected fairs for its modest size, sleek presentations, and high-calibre exhibitor list. For the 2022 edition, it moved to its longtime home of Spring Studios, with 61 galleries joining hands for one hell of a show.
Art collectors’ demand and enthusiasm for buying were displayed at the Independent art fair. Although many pieces were sold at the event, some exhibitors nearly sold out on the opening day. For one, “the New York-based Nicelle Beauchene Gallery showed a series of mixed-media works by Ruby Sky Stiler, with four of her pieces selling at $25,000 each,” according to ArtNet.
Page NYC’s large booth presented five paintings by LA-based artist Zoé Blue M. “All five pictures sold before the opening even began for between $20,000 and $30,000 each,” says ArtNet.
This year, the New York Jack Hanley gallery brought works from various famous German exhibitors, including Emma Kohlmann and Roger Herman and sold nine for $30,000 to $45,000.
Overall, fairs like these draw together galleries, dealers, collectors, and artists to one area for a limited time. In short, you get the biggest bang for your buck and exposure to grow your reputation like never before.