Last week saw New York invaded by gallerists, dealers, collectors and art trotters alike. With an ever growing number of Armory Show piers, the first ‘Armory Focus’ section and some six sister fairs trying to battle in on the action, smorgasbord would perhaps be the best description or an ‘orgy of art and commerce’ as the New York Times put it.

Jittery dealers and cautious collectors make a tense coupling and perhaps as a response to the surrounding chaos, the number of booths comprised of artists’ solo shows was the highest ever. Some of the strongest noted were Philip Lorca di Corcia’s Polaroid installation at David Zwirner, David Brooks at Museum 52, and the largest installation of them all was by Christine Hill whose psychic apothecary shop was managed by Ronald Feldman. Streamlined booths make for more peaceful viewing, where collectors can absorb a unified body of work as opposed to tit-bits of this and that.

With its lofty ambitions to ‘cross-pollinate art communities,’ to ‘broaden the historical span’ and ‘enrich the platform’ for primary market sellers, it seems the TAS board have gone somewhat over board with their aims and promises. Though it makes for a fun if maddening spectacle, some of the old stalwart US dealers were nowhere to be seen and heavyweight collectors amiss. Perhaps they were checking out ‘Independent’, one of the newer smaller fairs running concurrently, whose board specially invites selected gallerists to participate making for a more taut, coherent affair.

Find out more at www.thearmoryshow.com.

Picture by Carrie Vilines.