Institute of Arab and Islamic Art in New York
A Qatari national based in New York, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani, is due to launch a 2,500-square-meter cultural space in downtown Manhattan in May. It will host exhibitions travelling from Arab and Islamic countries, and provide a platform for Middle Eastern artists. When asked whether they had permission from authorities to go ahead with the project, the institute stated that it was officially incorporated as a non-profit organisation in the state of New York last year. For more info, see The Art Newspaper.
The Armory Show: strong sales but art fails to deliver
Dealers reported brisk sales on preview day on March 1, though the art failed to deliver the same sense of vigor.
Given the tense political climate gripping the United States, along with a grim outlook for the arts in general given recent cuts, perhaps more was expected from New York’s premier art fair. Responding to the sense of uncertainty, dealers brought artworks guaranteed to sell. Stock-markets reached new highs, whilst the art on show reverted back to traditional formats: large scale, comfortably familiar and easily marketable. With the major focus being the overhaul the fair, the new executive director Benjamin Genocchio was praised widely for the improved layout and integrated viewing. See more via The Armory Show.
The Armory Show 2017
Gallery Weekend Beijing, set for March 2017
The success of Berlin Gallery Weekend sees China present its own, in an attempt to offer a more intimate space for galleries and collectors, and secure a place on the international market.
The first Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ) will take place between March 17 and 19, with 18 participating galleries and art institutions showing works by over 60 artists. Lasting three days, the event is set to draw attention to Beijing’s burgeoning art scene. Artists range from the emerging to the established, with artworks ranging from the more traditional ink and wash works, to interactive new media and installation works. More info on artnet News.
Mehdi Chouakri gallery moves to two new spaces in West Berlin
Berlin’s Mehdi Chouakri Gallery looks set to open a duo of spaces on April 28, located at Fasanenstrasse 61, West Berlin, in the city’s Charlottenburg neighbor — a 15-minute walk from each other.
The new spaces will inaugurate with an exhibition of work by the late Charlotte Posenenske on the occasion of Berlin Gallery Weekend. For further details see artnet News.
The TEFAF 2017 Global Art Market Report
The 2017 TEFAF report, the first after the departure of Clare McAndrew and prepared by professor Rachel A. J. Pownall — who also holds the TEFAF Chair in Art Markets at the School of Business Economics at Maastricht University — suggests “a sturdy, resilient market that is thriving despite global economic and political uncertainty.” The greatest change was a dramatic drop in the value of global auction sales ($16.9bn), down 18.8% on the 2015 figure ($20.8bn). The Asian market remained stable, with the largest share (40.5%) in the global auction market dominated by China. Auction sales in the US, on the other hand, dropped by 41%. The full report is available via Tefaf.
Josh Mannis wins the 2017 New York NADA Artadia Award
Los Angeles-based artist Josh Mannis is the recipient of the 2017 edition of the Artadia Award, endowed with $5,000. On view at the booth of Paris’s Galerie Éric Hussenot at the NADA New York art fair, Mannis’ work depicts anxious figures immersed “in a feverish dream that is fueled by conspiracy and ultimately violence”; an atmosphere much like the present in American politics. More info via art News.
Detail of a work by Josh Mannis, shown by Galerie Eric Hussenot at NADA. Scott Indrisek
