Highlighting the Finest Exhibits at Independent New York: From Grand Paintings to Intimate Photographs
Highlighting the Finest Exhibits at Independent New York: From Grand Paintings to Intimate Photographs
he Independent art fair has gained recognition for its innovative "no booth" layout, fostering a sense of openness and interaction among visitors. Held at Tribeca's Spring Studios until May 14, the fair showcases emerging and mid-size galleries, offering a more intimate experience compared to traditional art fairs. During the opening day, notable attendees such as disgraced art dealer Mary Boone and journalist Anderson Cooper were present. Cooper explored London-based dealer Niru Ratnam's booth, featuring captivating works by painter Kimathi Donkor. New York dealer Nicola Vassell revealed the high demand for artworks by Elizabeth Schwaiger, attracting interest from several museums. Elizabeth Dee, the fair's founder and director, expressed the continuous growth of the event's audience each year. With approximately 2,000 VIP attendees expected on Thursday morning, the fair carefully orchestrates the first three hours to provide collectors and dealers with valuable time for discussions. Among the 70-plus participating galleries, 23 presented debut showcases for their artists, reflecting the fair's commitment to promoting new talent. Dee emphasized the intention for Independent to emulate a full day of exploring New York's art galleries. Take a closer look at the exceptional exhibitions featured below.
Beverly Semmes at Kapp Kapp
Kapp Kapp’s booth at Independent showcased an extraordinary creation by Beverly Semmes, a 65-year-old American multimedia artist known for exploring feminist themes in her work. The highlight of the exhibition was Semmes’ latest piece, Glitter Brick Triptych (2023), a magnificent hot-pink triptych crafted from ink, velvet, faux fur, glitter, and printed images. Semmes, renowned for pushing the boundaries of craft, shared the joint booth with Susan Inglett Gallery and Specific Objects, featuring the remarkable works of Yayoi Kusama and Lynda Benglis.
D'Angelo Lovell Williams at Higher Pictures
At Brooklyn’s Higher Pictures, D’Angelo Lovell Williams presents a compelling solo exhibition featuring six vividly saturated photographs and a collection of wall-mounted weavings. Through his large-scale images, Williams delves into themes of queerness, Black life, and relationships, capturing moments of both intimacy and solitude. One photograph depicts a group of nude individuals entwined on a bed, surrounded by carmine red sheets that harmonize with the backdrop curtains. In another striking image, an elderly man gazes into an open casket with his back turned to the camera, while a third portrays a young man in fishnet stockings, eyes closed, standing against a white bathroom door. Williams’ thought-provoking artworks invite viewers to contemplate notions of identity and vulnerability.
Michael St. John and Mitchell Charbonneau at Off Paradise
Off Paradise, the Tribeca gallery established by Natacha Polaert in 2019, unveiled a captivating exhibition featuring the works of Mitchell Charbonneau and Michael St. John. Charbonneau, a 29-year-old artist from Queens, presented a sculptural installation consisting of arranged empty energy drink cans and wall-mounted car air fresheners. In contrast, St. John, a 60-year-old artist from Massachusetts, showcased his striking paintings depicting various body parts of a man. One notable piece, “Tattoo” (2023), features a hyper-realistic portrayal of a bare chest, overlaid with gesso and pencil, set against a black background reminiscent of a filmed still. Another work, “Poke” (2022), presents a severed forearm marked by open wounds. The exhibition at Off Paradise exemplifies the artists’ distinct perspectives and offers viewers an engaging exploration of form and imagery.
Quentin James McCaffrey at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery
Tribeca’s Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, which recently moved from the Lower East Side in 2021, presents an impressive exhibition featuring the works of three talented emerging painters: Jordan Kasey, Quentin James McCaffrey, and Willie Stewart. The common thread among these artists is their exploration of domestic spaces in their artwork. Kasey’s bold canvases feature tightly cropped, statuesque bodies enclosed within spaces that evoke feelings of intimacy or claustrophobia. McCaffrey, in his gallery debut last December, presents subtly rendered rooms adorned with wallpaper, devoid of figures but filled with plants, mirrors, and miniature paintings, creating an ambiance that hints at the presence of absent individuals. However, it was Stewart who captivated viewers with his quiet still-life compositions inspired by Pop art and the Pictures Generation. The exhibition at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery offers a captivating glimpse into the distinct artistic expressions of these talented painters as they delve into the complexities of domestic life.
Savannah Marie Harris, Emmanuel Shogbolu and Ruby Dickson at Harlesden High Street
Harlesden High Street, a renowned London gallery dedicated to promoting artists of color, has been making a significant impact on the UK art scene with its progressive artist roster, as highlighted by Dee in an interview with ARTnews. The gallery’s exhibition at the fair showcased the works of Savannah Marie Harris, Emmanuel Shogbolu, and Ruby Dickson, all of whom recently had solo shows at the gallery earlier this year. Upon entering, visitors were immediately confronted by a unique installation: a chain-link fence enclosing High Street’s space, adorned with a striking black-and-white image held in place by two white sandbags. The image portrays a Black man facing away from the camera, positioned against the backdrop of an apartment building. This thought-provoking presentation by Harlesden High Street captivated the attention of fairgoers, further solidifying the gallery’s reputation as a dynamic force in the contemporary art scene.
Kimathi Donkor at Niru Ratnam
London-based art dealer Niru Ratnam, known for his focus on artists of color and women, presents a compelling collection of works at the fair. Among the featured artists is Kimathi Donkor, a London-based painter whose large-scale paintings explore British history, specifically addressing colonial-era violence. Donkor’s figurative depictions have also been showcased at the prestigious Sharjah Biennial this year. Ratnam’s gallery serves as a platform to promote artists whose narratives challenge conventional perspectives, offering a thought-provoking experience for fair attendees.
Wendy Park at Various Small Fires
Wendy Park, a 37-year-old artist recently welcomed into the artist roster of Los Angeles’s Various Small Fires gallery, presents a captivating series of new paintings at the Independent art fair. Drawing inspiration from her Korean-American upbringing in 1980s and ’90s Los Angeles, Park’s canvases delve into the cultural and domestic aspects of her heritage. Following the passing of her father in 2019, Park began exploring these themes in her artwork. Her large-scale paintings skillfully depict household objects such as egg cartons, chopsticks, plastic straws, and empty soda cans, employing vibrant hues that add an element of visual impact. These striking works will also be featured in a solo exhibition at Various Small Fires’s Seoul gallery in 2024, further solidifying Park’s artistic journey and narrative.
Darja Bajagić at Tara Downs
Tara Downs presented a compelling group exhibition featuring the works of Darja Bajagić, Jacqueline Fraser, Marie Karlberg, and Catherine Mulligan, all exploring the theme of sexualized imagery of women. Bajagić’s artwork took center stage, combining photos sourced from the internet and fashion campaigns. One notable piece featured a large X mounted on the booth’s wall, overlaid with a UV-printed image of a partially nude woman, accompanied by the word “ENDANGERED.” In another work titled “Ex Axes – Headless Body in Topless Bar,” Bajagić incorporated printed images onto an axe and garments adorned with Zara tags. Fraser’s assemblages derived from her ongoing installation series inspired by film, while Karlberg cleverly parodied renowned male painters such as Wade Guyton, Albert Oehlen, and Christopher Wool. Mulligan’s paintings distorted imagery sourced from advertising and pornography, adding a unique perspective to the exhibition.
