I paid a visit to the Park Avenue Armory yesterday evening for the 36th edition of the Art Show, the Art Dealers Association of America’s (ADAA) annual fair benefitting the Henry Street Settlement — one of New York City’s vital resources for the Lower East Side. Through this Sunday, November 2, 75 ADAA member galleries are taking over the first-floor showroom, with a majority devoting their booths to solo artist presentations.
It was my first time attending the Art Show, and I was grateful in hindsight for skipping the elbow-to-elbow foot traffic and fizzy champagne flutes of opening night in favor of a more docile 4pm crowd the following day. Though dozens of “I voted early” stickers were proudly sported throughout the expo, the calm vibes were a much-needed reprieve from the election frenzy.
The fabric-lined walls and airy aisles allowed me to navigate the fair with an open mind and an even clearer head. That plentiful space in between led me to what stood out most — small-scale hyperrealism. And I was spoiled for choice!
It seems I wasn’t alone in assigning these categories, either, as I learned while chatting with Todd Hosfelt, whose namesake gallery is displaying some of the aforementioned bite-sized realism in the form of a series of recent oil paintings by Tim Hawkinson. Hosfelt and I lamented the paucity of dimensional art and photography, and he gave me a knowing look when I asked him about the dominance of tiny artworks and photorealism.
Hosfelt attributed its popularity this year to a collective “desire for intimacy,” noting that Hawkinson’s paintings are derived from tenderly to unflatteringly mundane photos he, his wife, and his daughter took on their phones. I was drawn to them like a moth to a lamp for their candidness — one work depicts Hawkinson drinking from a water fountain at a museum from the perspective of the spout, while another embodies an off-kilter shot of his father sleeping in the window seat of an airplane.
Hosfelt said the paintings are “so real that they’re surreal,” emphasizing an uncanniness that Hawkinson attains through fine details and unusual perspectives.
Nancy Hoffman Gallery also offered a similar eye salve of small-scale realism, but this time in the form of index card-sized serene oil still lives by Lucy Mackenzie, who spends up to six months on each work in an act of devotion. C’naan Hamburger’s hyper-detailed but somewhat non-descript egg-tempera odes to New York City life also captured a lot of attention at Charles Moffett Gallery, which made its debut at the Art Show this year.
Both Hoffman and Vilma Clausen, gallery associate for Charles Moffett Gallery, attested that people were captivated by scale and realism this year. Clausen noted that Hamburger’s paintings sold out by the end of the second day, and Hoffman shared that “while things have been different for the gallery because of the election, sales at the Art Show have been going really well so far.”
Ages ago, miniatures artist Margie Criner, whose work was included in the 2023 exhibition Small Is Beautiful at 718 Broadway, told me that “we can’t really control very much in our long lives, but if I can control four square inches for a day, I somehow feel a little better.”
It seems like now more than ever, that desire for control is both a draw for artists and viewers alike. To have something to fuss over, mold, and come together in an era of global tumult far out of our hands is as relieving as being able to get lost in the fastidious mark-making that builds an entire world within four corners.
Alternatively, a grandiose personality can’t always be contained by tight dimensions. Over at the George Adams Gallery booth, I got to connect with M. Louise “Lulu” Stanley, whose enormous paintings were displayed alongside Elisa D’Arrigo’s glazed ceramics.
Stanley’s gargantuan acrylic paintings were full of life, motion, and humor, rife with symbolism and classical references, and a clear extension of her prowess as an artist and instructor.
“During last night’s preview, Lulu turned the booth into a classroom — she was leading large groups of guests through each work and speaking to them about it,” said Gallery Director Charlotte Kahn. “It’s great to support these exceptionally talented, brilliant women who have been under-appreciated.”
Stanley did just that when I naturally commented on the appearance of a dog in her painting “Jupiter and Io” (2008), walking me through her painterly decisions, thought processes, and other easter eggs throughout the composition.
Geometric abstraction, botanical art, and figuration- and portraiture-heavy historical materials were abundantly present throughout the fair in addition to the realism. The Art Show has also debuted a new program called “Spotlight On …” that focuses on ADAA member galleries from a new city each year, starting with Houston, Texas. Just look out for a star on the gallery labels atop each booth, as the symbol denotes Houston participants.
