Art has been a significant part of my life since day one. My small infantile frame for example, was a form of art. For centuries, painters, sketchers, and sculptors have portrayed the human body as a beautiful system and have delighted in creating their own forms of it. It all started when my day-old sculptured self was taken to the home that would spark my initial interest in the arts.
By the age of three, I was working alongside my dad on various art projects. In the basement of my Deephaven home was a studio that catered to my creative side. We would spend hours throwing pots or sketching images; bonding over our love of art. This love would eventually bring the two of us to the greatest art fair in the United States: The Armory Show.
The equivalence of NYC Fashion Week for artists, The Armory Show is an annual event that brings the best modern and contemporary art from around the world. This year, Piers 92 and 94 of Manhattan, New York were the locations of this international art fair held from March 8th-12th.
The 2012 show was a Nordic theme and brought selections from Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Greenland. However, throughout the show the art of famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Willem de Kooning, and Louise Bourgeois was displayed to dazzle the crowds with their sculptures and magnificently decorated canvases. There were also pieces from up and coming and aspiring artists such as Mark Tansy, Bjarne Melgaard, and Tommy Dodge.
Knowing the specific collections we wanted to see, my dad and I were thrilled to finally be at the doors of arguably the best art show in the world. We purchased our thirty dollar lavender wristbands that would allow us access to the greatest art spectacle that I have ever seen. There were over 225 galleries from the greatest artists alive today as well as who have ever lived. With a camera around his neck, my dad separated from me, just minutes into the show. We both enjoy experiencing the pieces at our own speed, taking in the splendor in our own ways.
The show was an overwhelming assemblage of characters on canvas. In the presence of couples from all over the globe fluently fluttering their languages, it felt like I had been taken to another world. Similar to Ikea, each collection had its own room with works of art decorating the plain white walls. These works, however, were worth millions of dollars and represented the world’s greatest collections.
Pier 92 consisted of modern art, an era lasting from the 1860s to the 1970s. Modern artwork is known for its anti-traditional pieces and techniques. Famous modern artists include Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Cézanne, all of whom were represented at this show.
After spending an hour and forty-five minutes in the numerous sub-divided rooms, I took a short journey through an underground tunnel to Pier 94, The Contemporary Show.
Contemporary Art started after WW11 and is still being produced today. The show had great three-dimensional installation pieces as well as conceptual art. My father’s art would fall under the category of contemporary art.
My dad’s work is quite exuberant. His oil paintings consist of sharp, abstract shapes that merge together, exploding into color and chaos. His photography practices consist of shooting light sources, motion shots, and extraordinary occurrences. His installations are meters long, playing with reflections and light patterns. It was exciting seeing other contemporary art works in comparison to his.
The 2012 Armory Show displayed the best modern and contemporary art the world has to offer. There was a cacophony of forms of art, styles of presentation, and meanings behind the works. The overall effect of seeing the range of impact for these works was powerful, fascinating, and ultimately inspiring.
“Derrida Queries De Man.” Mark Tansey, 1990. Oil on canvas.
“Serpent in Hortus.” Sebastiaan Bremer, 2011. Ink and acrylic on C-print.
“Shattered Mirror, Shattered Music.” Reza Derakshani, 2010. Mixed media on canvas.
