Though all grown up, and a serious art fair contender for so many years the word “satellite” seems obsolete, NADA retains the energy of a wildly eclectic and fun extended family, weird uncles and all. With many of the Lower East Side, NY galleries from tiny storefront spaces still anchoring the fair (minus the few that have flown the coop to big brother Basel), they have the experience to curate a room for maximum effect, smartly showcasing works that reflect their own flavor – not just what’s hot on the market.
Four stunning, stand-out booths, located in the three rooms at NADA, are Eleven Rivington – featuring large-scale works by Jackie Saccoccio and Michael Delucia; Joe Sheftel’s wall-papered booth by Alex Da Corte; JTT’s booth featuring Borna Sammak’s electric Internet-derived videos, installed with the tags on the monitors and cords for easy return (though unnecessary as they were on their way to being sold out). Redling Fine Art gave its booth over to Dashiell Manley’s “Looping” – a new series of 24 works representing the twenty-four frames of a single second of “film” stretched to two seconds. The works are physically rotated in the booth throughout the day, and apertures/holes in the two-sided works provide projections on the wall, allowing the paintings to merge with and function as a film.
Redling Fine Art gave its booth over to Dashiell Manley’s “Looping”
Other works of note on view: Margaret Lee’s Dots (Dalmatian) 2013, at Jack Hanley, include an installation of a black-and-white polka dotted painting, stairs, lamp, and porcelain dog. At Clifton Benevento, Martin Soto Climent’s sexy photography series enhances Russ Meyer’s vintage black-and-white photographs with a rainbow effect from a prism of light. These are refreshingly sold individually for $2,000 acknowledging that not everyone has a 20-foot spare wall. Garry Neill Kennedy’s Moving Stills (Cowboys and Indians, 1991) at The Apartment challenge Hollywood’s glorified perpetuation of the Buffalo Bill myth with a full wall installation of western films stills printed in a sumptuous blood red Mylar.
Excellent editions were presented by Rob Tufnell, LSD, featuring acid-free blotter paper sheets by Art & Language, Jeremy Deller, Mungo Thomson and more, referencing the shamanic, drug-induced practice in the signature Modernist grid; and BAM redesigned their annual art portfolio to feature 12 emerging artists including Josh Abelow, Sam Moyer, and Christian Holstad. At at a more emerging price point of $3,500 – they’re a steal.
Devon Dikeou’s Pay What You Wish, But You Must Pay Something
Subversive behavior is embraced at NADA, so after seeing Still House’s installation comprised of only a copy machine to make flyers for their show at an off-site space, as they’re doing in New York with their exhibition with Art in General, it was not surprising that it was erroneously assumed that David Lewis’ booth – featuring no art, only text to contact the gallery for art inquiries in giant letters splayed across the walls, was a sly commentary on art fairs. It was not. A personal obstacle prevented the gallery from making it to the fair, but ironically resulted in one of the most photographed and talked about booths, as well as the envy from other dealers of not having to pack, ship, and staff for a fair.
Financials were also on the mind of Devon Dikeou with Pay What You Wish, But You Must Pay Something addressing the topical issue of museum “suggested donation” policies – appropriately presented at the only free major fair that does happily accept donations in its box. Religiously fabricating exact replicas of the donation boxes from the 16 museums who responded to the invitation in time, four were presented in the booth and the rest spread out through the fair. Donations will be distributed to each museum after production expenses.
Artsy provided a gorgeous, easy-to-navigate online catalogue, for those to experience the fair virtually.
