On September 5 in New York, the 30th-anniversary edition of The Armory Show will awaken the fall art season in the city, on view through September 8 at the Javits Center. More than 235 galleries hailing from 35 countries will gather in New York, situated in the enveloping categories of Galleries, Focus, Solo, and Presents. Newly part of the distinguished Frieze organization, the fair will unveil Armory Spotlight and the winner of the Gramercy International Prize.
“While we celebrate 30 years of The Armory Show, this special edition offers intersections of reflection and possibility across its curated sections, special presentations, and the main fair,” said Kyla McMillan, the inspired new Director of The Armory Show. “The Armory Show’s team, with the support of our Frieze colleagues, have organized an incredible lineup of talent this year, debuting new programming alongside exciting presentations that are sure to enhance visitor and exhibitor experiences alike. I look forward to shepherding the fair forward as we welcome new and returning audiences.”
Tomo Campbell, “Even Of There Was,” 2023, oil on canvas, © the artist, courtesy of Cob Gallery.
Installation view of The Armory Show 2023, courtesy of The Armory Show.
“While we celebrate 30 years of The Armory Show, this special edition offers intersections of reflection and possibility,”
— Kyla McMillan
Must-See Armory Off-Site Activations and Armory Live
Presented alongside lead partner American Express, the much-anticipated Armory Off-Site will unveil a dynamic parade of live performances, immersive installations, and compelling talks across the city—in addition to sweeping installations at the US Open.
Armory Live, a revitalized theater, will host vital conversations beside the esteemed Curatorial Leadership Summit, an exclusive gathering of nearly 100 trailblazing curators. On the celebratory occasion, in collaboration with Hästens, a chic hotel room at Gramercy Park Hotel will be transformed in the style of The Armory Show’s 1994 iteration.
“This year’s programming reflects the vibrancy of the city in which it was founded,”
— Kyla McMillan
“This year’s programming reflects the vibrancy of the city in which it was founded,” said McMillan. “From city-wide performances and activations, to complex and diverse discussions, we’re thrilled to provide opportunities for our audience to engage with The Armory Show’s spirit of discovery at the fair and outside the walls of the Javits Center.”
Sanford Biggers, “Mirror,” 2024, Marble, 99 7/8 x 29 7/8 x 21 1/4 inches, 253.7 x 75.9 x 54 cm; courtesy of the artist and Marianne Boesky Gallery.
Curated Fair Categories, Showcasing the Gramercy International Prize Winner Booth
Independent curator Eugenie Tsai curates the Platform section, brimming with site-specific artworks and installations that delve into the unique interaction between spirit, memory, and material. Must-see projects range from artist Sanford Biggers’s statuary Chimeras, unveiled by Marianne Boesky Gallery (New York, Aspen), as well as Nari Ward’s “Shoelace” series, exhibited by Lehmann Maupin (New York, Seoul, London, Hong Kong).
The Focus category, curated by Robyn Farrell, Senior Curator at The Kitchen, invokes The Armory Show’s founding 1994 edition, echoing its pioneering approach to buoyant cultural communication.
Commonwealth and Council (Los Angeles) works in partnership with Labor (Mexico City) to display the multifaceted video installation of American Artist, and Fierman (New York) collaborates with Corbett vs. Dempsey (Chicago) on a solo show of Jimmy Wright’s evocative drawings which illuminate New York’s soulful queer communities.
The Gramercy International Prize–which has honored groundbreaking New York galleries since 2019—will be awarded to Blade Study (New York), and the complimentary booth will spotlight the talent of multimedia creative Paige K.B. with nine paintings, photographs, sculptural treasures, and more.
Nari Ward, “DIXIE DREAMLAND,” 2023,
Shoelace; Photo by Daniel Kukla, © Nari Ward Studio. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London, and
GALLERIA CONTINUA.
Installation view of The Armory Show 2023, courtesy of The Armory Show.
Armory Off-Site Treasures Await Visitors
María Magdalena Campos-Pons’s will perform of Procession of Angels for Radical Love and Unity, 2024, spearheaded by Madison Square Park Conservancy and Harlem Art Park. Artist David Salle will set the Midnight Moment program aglow with a new work alongside Times Square Arts, led by Lehmann Maupin (New York, Seoul, London, Hong Kong) and Gladstone Gallery (New York, Los Angeles, Brussels, Rome, and Seoul).
In collaboration with the US Open, works by leading-edge artists of underrepresented backgrounds will shine at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Claudia Peña Salinas’s Tetl Mirror I (2024) weaves a tale of Aztec and Mayan mythology by way of hypnotic imagery, installation, and sculpture, exhibited by Embajada (San Juan). Launched by Ruttkowski;68 (Cologne, Düsseldorf, New York, Paris), New York-based mixed media creative Eva Robart raises the curtain on Fantasy of Happiness (2022), a melody of tennis balls that journey through a reclaimed chain-link gate in avante-garde design.
A view of the South Plaza around the grounds at the 2021 US Open, Friday, Sep. 3, 2021 in Flushing, NY. Photo by Andrew Ong/USTA, courtesy of The Armory Show.
Ry Rocklen, “Shelf Life (Blue Angels),” 2024,
Industrial shelving, found objects, ceramic; courtesy Wilding Cran Gallery.
