How To See the Armory Show in One Hour Flat Inline
Photo: Christophe Tedjasukmana/Courtesy of McClelland and Co.1/8Hank Willis Thomas, #ArtsyTakeover, 2015
The #ArtsyTakeover of the Armory Show is as overtly corporate as any sponsorship can be, which is why it’s refreshing to see Hank Willis Thomas’s installation, commissioned by Artsy, positioned front and center at Pier 94. It displays the words Life, Ads, and Art, which, when seen via an iPhone photograph, reveal a repeating string of connected words: “Life Imitates Ads Imitate Art Imitates Life . . .” A spade’s a spade.
Photo: © El Anatsui/Courtesy of the Artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York2/8El Anatsui, Adinkra Sasa, 2003
To see more Hank Willis Thomas, head down the hall to the right of the main entrance to Jack Shainman’s enormous booth. There, he has brought not only a 2015 Willis Thomas fiberglass sculpture called Liberty, but also two monumental tapestries by Ghananian artist El Anatsui. The larger of the two, a massive quilt of black metal liquor wrappers, copper wire, and other found objects, is a highlight.
Photo: Courtesy of David Zwirner, New York/London3/8Karla Black, Invasive Phase, 2015
Head back down the hall to David Zwirner’s central booth, where two Karla Black sculptures are beautifully suspended. Seen just after El Anatsui’s work, they are a feminine answer to his masculine heft, and equally effective.
Photo: © William J. O'Brien/Courtesy of the Artist and Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York4/8William J. O'Brien, Untitled, 2013
Next door is Marianne Boesky, where, in addition to three museum-quality Frank Stella wall sculptures, there are more than a dozen glazed ceramics by William J. O’Brien, all of which are fabulous. It’s a shame they’re sold separately; taken together, they evoke a ragtag army.
Photo: Courtesy of the Artist and OHWOW, Los Angeles5/8Nick van Woert, Journey to the Surface of the Earth (Boyle Family), 2014
Head down the main aisle to OHWOW, where Nick van Woert has put sheets of American pine bark, steamed flat, in shiny steel frames that look a whole lot more interesting than most of the abstract, process-obsessed paintings that sell so well right now. Even better are the pieces of Lucite furniture he made for OHWOW’s booth. They are filled with synthetic and chemical materials (cat litter, aquarium gravel, detergent, et cetera), great foils to the tree bark hanging just above.
