In addition to an impressive array of artists showing solo projects at VOLTA NY— a total of 83 galleries, representing 23 countries and 45 cities – the cutting-edge art fair will also feature a wealth of content beyond the limits of the fair floor.
Special Projects include Michael Decker‘s (USA) Old Growth, a site-specific installation referencing California’s giant Sequoia forests and their historic displays in metropolises like New York in the mid-19th century; an Untitled mixed media site-specific installation by David Tully (Ireland) and Shiri Mordechay (Israel), emphasizing their respective strengths and backgrounds, in 7W’s main entrance and lobby; and Jennifer and Kevin McCoy‘s (USA) ongoing performances at the fair, involving brief but dynamic tours by highly-trained actors.
The Open Forum talks program, shared with the Armory Show, will focus on conversations with exhibiting artists, such as Russian-born Yevgeniy Fiks, who will participate in 4th Moscow Biennale in 2011 and Costa Rican performance artist Mauricio Miranda, who will participate in the 2012 Havana Biennial. Other conversations include art historian and curator Courtney Martin with Deborah Grant (Canada), showing work from her new series The Crowning of King William, based on the life and work of William H. Johnson; Erin Sickler, the director of 601Artspace and Kate Kraczon, assistant curator at the ICA, Pennsylvania, with Jennifer & Kevin McCoy, discussing their concepts of remote viewing and art-speak related to their daily performance at VOLTA NY; and film critic and curator Ed Halter with underground filmmaker George Kuchar (USA).
Exhibiting artists including Kuchar and Swiss new media artist Christina Benz are screening longer films in addition to work on show at VOLTA NY, encouraging a deeper understanding of their respective practices. These are part of the collaborative film program at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea, curated by Artprojx Cinema and featuring an international cast of over 80 artists’ works and programming day and night throughout the fair’s duration. Elaine Byrne (Ireland) presents Message to Salinas, made during her residency at SOMA in Mexico City in 2010, in which the artist attempted to give the Mexican people a voice by addressing ex-President Carlos Salinas. Frederick Haynes (USA) shows Civil Defense, a fractured narrative using talking heads from various small-claim court TV programs. It acts as a platform for the collective communal activities of the working class (or at least a certain class of people who seek not only justice or advice through this process but also a little notoriety, should they win). Tadashi Moriyama (Japan) uses landscape watercolors and video-animations in Flight Home to create a view of a hyper-populated landscape of the future: suburban enclaves that address the many facets of life in a major urban Mecca. Berlin-based filmmaker Oliver Pietsch (Germany) uses archival montage to explore human emotions and psychological torments. His latest film From Here to Eternity explores the theme of death in the history of cinema, addressing the idea of immortality interpreted by actors with a hint of humor. Public arts and curator programs throughout this festival include New York’s Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), featuring Jamie Davidovich, Andrew Lampert, Kristin Lucas, Cynthia Maughan, Takeshi Murata and Martha Rosler and London’s Filmarmalade, with Aukje Dekker, Kristian de la Riva, Luciano Zubillaga and Ralitza Petrova.
VOLTA NY
March 3 – March 6, 2011
7W – 7 West 34th Street
11th floor
New York, NY 10001
www.voltashow.com
F: Theo Boettger, Piont of no Return. Installation Views, 2010. Baer Gallery.
I: Rocket Team
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