Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Previewing Fall Art Fair Season
Air Date: September 9, 2024
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guests: Rhea Nair & Valentina Delicia (Hyperallergic)

Episode Overview

This episode offers a vibrant and wide-ranging preview of New York City's Fall Art Fair season. Host Alison Stewart guides the discussion with Hyperallergic editors Rhea Nair and Valentina Delicia, digging into what distinguishes the major upcoming art fairs, accessibility trends, and how both newcomers and seasoned art-lovers can engage with the city's thriving art culture. Together, they break down the evolving art fair scene, from mega-commercial events to intentionally more progressive, accessible, and artist-centered spaces.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Armory Show: 30th Anniversary Reflections

[01:40 - 04:09]

• Scale & Diversity:
  Rhea notes, “The 30th show was honestly enormous,” highlighting its significant scale at Javits Center. There was a large emphasis on painting and “indigenous art…especially in the platform section curated by Eugenie Sai.”
• Memorable Booth:
  Standout mention: Totem pole by Lakota artist Dyani White Hawk—appearing made of glass tiles, but actually “finely woven flute beads…just like a showstopper, in my opinion.” – Rhea ([01:57])
• Access & Audience:
  Valentina discusses how art fairs are often perceived as commercial, but affirms “anybody who wants to see a lot of art in one place…can go check it out—with the understanding that the galleries presenting there are there to sell their work, make money.” ([03:07])

New & Noteworthy Fairs This Fall

[04:09 - 15:42]

La Feria: NYU Latinx Project’s Print Media Fair

[04:21 - 05:17]

• Debuting This Year:
  Rhea: “It’s also a free fair, which is not super common, but you just have to RSVP.”
• Focus: Artist-made zines, art books, catalogs featuring Latin and Latin American artists.
  Valentina: “It’s exciting to see new shows popping up in the city for sure.” ([04:48])

Spring Break Art Show

[05:25 - 07:26]

• Format & Venue:
  Valentina: "Highly curated, very artist-dominated presentations...quite different from something like the Armory show where there’s a very commercial feel."
• Standout Booth:
  Rhea highlights Steven Morrison, “a dog artist”:
  “His practice is devoted to mourning the loss of his pity mix, Tilly...each blossom has Tilly’s face rendered into them. It’s really tender, heart wrenching…” ([06:21])
• Venue Shift:
  Now at 75 Varick, replacing its previous venue with "more sparkly and glitzy" vibes.

Brooklyn Art Book Fair

[08:06 - 09:27]

• Local Accessibility:
  Rhea: “I like that it is in Brooklyn. Honestly love not having to jump over to Manhattan all the time for art-related stuff.”
• Progressive, Inclusive Vibe:
  Prioritizes disability justice and accessibility; "It is a masked event...prides itself on accessibility on all fronts."
• Emergent Voices:
  “Featuring a lot of groups with marginalized or underrepresented voices...Youth Against Displacement...South Asian avant garde group…”
• Location: Clinton Hill, Recess Art spaces ([09:27])

Affordable Art Fair

[09:39 - 11:17]

• Price & Opportunity:
  Valentina: "A place that people can go to perhaps become an art collector for the first time…you can buy something for $30, but also for $12,000."
• Access for All:
  Rhea: “There is something literally for everybody there...you could literally buy something for someone who’s blind.” ([10:48])
• Personal Anecdote:
  Alison shares her son’s first art purchase: “He bought a small piece of art and he hung it in his room and he’s been really thrilled with it.” ([11:07])

Advice for Aspiring Art Collectors

[11:17 - 12:21]

• Valentina: “See a lot of art before you buy anything…all of the galleries are free...Ask questions...Buy what you love and don’t worry about market appreciation and value.” ([11:24])

Listener Picks

Spring Break Art Show ([12:21 - 12:56])

• Caller Melissa from Brooklyn: “I really loved Ali Dougal’s work…Urban and country, dense forest, very painterly. Not like anything else there…strongly urge you all to go.”

The Other Art Fair

[12:56 - 14:36]

• Artist-First Model:
  Rhea: “Artists are invited to apply directly rather than through gallery representation...puts the ball back in the artist’s court.”
• Participatory Vibe:
  Interactive features (e.g., The Karmacy: a note-driven apothecary), DJ, and performances
  Valentina: "The Other Art Fair boasts that it's never normal." ([13:59])

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition’s Salon de Refuge

[14:42 - 15:42]

• Open Call:
  Based on the Salon de Refusés from 19th-century Paris, this new exhibition features works rejected from Brooklyn Museum’s open call.
  Listener Alice: “A huge space…at least 200 artists...at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition on Van Brunt street; opens September 21st.”

Wrapping Up: The ADAA Art Show

[15:42 - 17:01]

• Location & Dates:
  Park Avenue Armory, October 30th–November 2nd
• Vibe:
  Valentina: “It’s a more glamorous affair…on day one, you’ll see people more dressed up...you might see a cart with oysters and champagne.”
• Solo Focus:
  “More than half are going to be solo exhibitions…excited for the Spotlight initiative focusing on Houston this year.”
• Ticket Note:
  “Early bird pricing is available now through October 15th for $20, so it's a good opportunity to get a ticket.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Anybody who wants to see a lot of art in one place…and we’re talking like hundreds and even thousands of artworks, can go check it out.”
  – Valentina Delicia ([03:00])
• On the affordable art fair:
  “You could literally buy something for someone who's blind. Honestly, it's interesting.”
  – Rhea Nair ([10:48])
• Advice for new collectors:
  “Buy what you love and don’t worry about market appreciation and value, because…ideally, the art we love…we want to be genuinely surrounded by.”
  – Valentina Delicia ([11:24])
• Listener’s pick:
  “Monumental paintings that you can literally, like, walk into…not like anything else there.”
  – Melissa, caller ([12:30])
• On the Other Art Fair’s ethos:
  “Never normal.”
  – Alison Stewart & Valentina Delicia ([14:04])

Important Timestamps

• 01:19 – Episode intro and guest introductions
• 01:40–04:09 – Armory Show recap and reflections
• 04:21–05:17 – La Feria preview
• 06:21–07:26 – Standout Spring Break Art Show booth
• 08:06–09:27 – Brooklyn Art Book Fair profile
• 09:39–11:17 – Affordable Art Fair and accessibility discussion
• 11:17–12:21 – Advice for would-be collectors
• 12:26–12:56 – Listener highlight: Ali Dougal at Spring Break
• 12:56–14:36 – Preview of The Other Art Fair
• 14:42–15:42 – Listener highlight: Salon de Refuge at BWAC
• 15:42–17:01 – ADAA Art Show preview

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is welcoming and enthusiastic, encouraging all listeners—regardless of experience or budget—to engage with the fall art season. The guests offer both an insider’s appreciation for the diversity of New York’s art fairs and actionable tips for approaching art as both viewer and potential collector. A consistent thread is demystifying the art world, identifying spaces for discovery, inclusion, and dialogue.

For detailed schedules, check individual fair sites and Hyperallergic for ongoing coverage. New York’s art season is thriving—find your fair, explore, and participate!