On September 4 in New York, the captivating fourth edition of Independent 20th Century will be unveiled within the legendary Battery Maritime Building at Casa Cipriani. Ongoing through September 7, the leading-edge art fair simultaneously offers an online preview from August 28-September 12, inviting the international art landscape to revel in its latest, innovative presentation.
Spotlighting notable creatives and avant-garde movements from 1900 to 2000, the invitation-only spectacle unites a wide range of visionaries from across the world for fresh interpretation and exploration. This year, a perceptive curatorial team beckons visitors with 31 exhibitors and 40 artists, featuring diverse solo, duo, and group shows.
Vibrant Solo Shows Meet Enthralling Sculptures and Installations at Casa Cipriani
Elda Cerrato, “Geohistoriografia
realidad y sueños de América,” 1975,
acrylic on canvas, 31 1⁄2 x 39 in. © The Estate of Elda Cerrato. Courtesy
Galerie Lelong, New York and Independent.
Riveting solo presentations are in store for local and international art aficionados. The esteemed Galerie Lelong (New York, Paris) brings a radiant exhibition of masterworks by Elda Cerrato, illuminating 60 years of soulful artistry. Centering on powerful themes of resistance and transformation, Cerrato’s abstract “cosmovision” paintings from the 1960s, as well as Maps and Multitudes series from the 1970s, deeply confront political turmoil in Latin American history.
Nearby, Rosenberg & Co. (New York) dazzles with a showcase of paintings, collages, and more by the singular Gertrude Greene. Developed in the 1940s, highly inventive, abstract gems pay homage to the avant-garde movements of Paris from the late 1920s to the 30s.
Judy Pfaff, artistic process shot, 2013. Courtesy of Cristin Tierney Gallery.
Meanwhile, sculpture and installation art ranging from the 1980s until today will create immersive experiences for all. Pi Artworks (London, Istanbul) offers early sculptures by Jyl Bradley, a poetic female artist who first came onto the scene as part of the Young British Artists (YBAs) in the 1980s. Finally being recognized for her tremendous work fusing Minimalism with themes of queerness and community, Bradley will enchant visitors with groundbreaking photographic lightbox installations and larger-than-life public art of fluorescent Plexiglas and LED.
Notably, Cristin Tierney Gallery (New York) concentrates on the masterful creativity of Judy Pfaff. Encompassing six decades of intense work in sculpture, installation, painting, and printmaking, the artist’s “painting in space” continues to fascinate and energize. In turn this autumn, the artist will be debuting a new solo presentation at the gallery’s fresh Tribeca space.
Self-Taught Visionaries and Latin American Creatives Abound at the New York Fair
Willie Daniels, Florida Highwaymen, n.d., oil on masonite, 27 x 33 in. Courtesy of Jeremy Scholar and Independent.
During the mesmeric fair, step into hypnotic landscapes by the Florida Highwaymen, represented by Jeremy Scholar (London). The shining collective of African American artists first bravely carved their way during atrocities of racial segregation, omitted from the country’s gallery system. Behold wondrous scenes of The Sunshine State, enhanced by swaying palm trees, smoldering sunsets, and ethereal clouds unfolding from the mind’s astute eye.
Further, Latin American creatives make a dynamic impression at Independent 20th Century. An icon of New York’s East Village art scene during the 1980s, Luis Frangella hailed from Buenos Aires, producing immense, cinematic paintings and collaborative works. COSMOCOSA (Buenos Aires) brings these singular pieces to new life for longstanding and emerging art collectors.
Embark on Important Works by Arab Women Artists at Independent 20th Century
Baya, “Femme à l’Oiseau [Woman with Bird],” 1985, Watercolour and gouache on paper, 39 1/4 x 19 3/4 in. Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery London, Rome and New York. Copyright The Estate of the Artist.
Baya, “Femme avec Violon et Oiseau [Woman with Violin and Bird],” 1988, Gouache on paper, 39 1/4 x 19 5/8 in. Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery London, Rome and New York. Copyright The Estate of the Artist.
A shimmering focus on the first generation of female Modernists in Lebanon, including skillful artists Dorothy Salhab Kazemi, Huguette Caland, and Afaf Zurayk, unfolds with the distinguished Salon 94 (New York). Each individual deftly utilizes abstraction to voyage through the nuances of womanhood, our multifaceted interior lives, and ever-evolving sociopolitical systems.
In addition, Richard Saltoun Gallery (London, Rome, New York) raises the curtain on a vivacious exhibition of Algerian visionary Baya. An immense talent of postwar Paris, Baya produced jubilant, expressive works enhanced by tantalizing motifs, independent female protagonists, and earthy palettes inspired by Mother Nature’s divine beauty.
