Art aficionados rejoice: not one but two art shows in the area this weekend. First up, the big one which you might’ve already heard about is The Armory Show, being held at Piers 92 & 94.
The Armory Show, a leading international contemporary and modern art fair and one of the most important annual art events in New York, takes place every March on Piers 92 & 94 in central Manhattan.
The Armory Show is devoted to showcasing the most important artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. In its fifteen years the fair has become an international institution, combining a selection of the world’s leading galleries with an exceptional program of arts events and exhibitions throughout New York during the celebrated Armory Arts Week.
DNAinfo have some information to get you up to speed on navigating the fair, because it’s so huge.
Meanwhile, not far from there along W 52nd St just west of 10th Ave The (UN)FAIR is running, aiming to be more-or-less the opposite of the Armory:
For the first (and last) time, almost 100 artworks, artists, and performers gather in a 19th century Hell’s Kitchen building for a guerilla-style art show during Armory Arts Week, brought together by a New York City curator/artist team.
Called THE(UN)FAIR, the free, multi-faceted art event includes paintings, installations, performance art, music, and…elevator comedians. gether by a New York City curator/artist team.
One of the last vestiges of the manufacturing past of Hell’s Kitchen, the historic venue, a building managed by the non-profit Clinton Housing Development Corporation, is slated for conversion to affordable housing. THE(UN)FAIR is a farewell gift from the artists who currently occupy the building, and their friends.
Unlike the Armory Show […] THE(UN)FAIR is a break from the frenzy and rigidity of cookie-cutter art fair booths. It celebrates amazing art by a hand-picked group of prestigious artists, but will also have ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and gourmet treats from Popcorn Indiana, which really speaks to the fun of the event.
Apparently there’s going to be free stretch limousines taking visitors between the two shows, so if you’re up for it you can probably hit both in one day. If you’ve only got the energy for one though, it’s hard not to suggest the one with Ben & Jerry’s…