The Armory Show Reveals 2024 Exhibitors
New York's legacy art fair returns in the fall under the sole direction of mega-fair producer Frieze with 55 first-time participants, a new floor plan, and the backing of American Express.
Exhibition view: The Armory Show, New York (8–10 September 2023). Photo: Vincent Tullo.
The Armory Show announced the details of its 30th edition, which returns to Javits Center from 6 to 8 September, in its second year since its acquisition by Frieze in July 2023, alongside EXPO Chicago.
At the time, Frieze CEO Simon Fox said there would be no structural change in leadership. But with the departure of former director Nicole Berry for a fundraising role at Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, in March, the planning was left to Frieze's Executive Director of Fairs, Kristell Chadé, and its director of Americas, Christine Messineo.
Of this year's 235 exhibitors—a slight increase from last year's 225—more than half are returning galleries. Despite the absence of the usual blue-chip names frequenting Frieze, a respectable selection of exhibitors remain committed to the fair, including Almine Rech, Jessica Silverman, Kasmin, Sean Kelly, Victoria Miro, and Vielmetter Los Angeles.
Once more, the fair overlaps with Frieze Seoul, which opens from 4 to 7 September, leaving dealers to choose or spread thin.
'Galleries at the Armory Show expressed some concern that they were competing with Frieze Seoul for the art world's attention, but were also worried that moving Armory to another date would create new challenges,' Sam Gaskin reported, noting respectable sales last year.
Fifty-five galleries join the mix, including Commonwealth and Council, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Experimenter, GALLERY BATON, LABOR, and Wilding Cran.
The 2024 Gramercy International Prize, presented to a first-time New York gallery that models the original fair's spirit, is awarded to Blade Study. Since 2020, the Lower East Side gallery has supported 'a new generation of artists with an audience for conceptually rigorous work'.
This year's 'Focus' sector, dedicated to the fair's namesake exhibition that brought modern art to New York's 69th Regiment Armory in 1913, is curated by Robyn Farrell, Senior Curator at The Kitchen, a local art institution and non-profit that supports experimental work.
'For the past 30 years, The Armory Show has been an anchor of the city's cultural landscape, championing art at the forefront and providing galleries an opportunity to engage with New York audiences,' says Kristell Chadé.
'The addition of The Armory Show to our network of fairs solidifies Frieze's standing in New York by building on the collective of galleries,' says Christine Messineo. —[O]
