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Can't comment on this one. Would love to know what people thought. I participated in the Sydney, Melbourne, and London ones and it was quite lovely. Sales at all of them were down though this year and some of the emerging artist galleries are finding it harder to stay in the game when entry costs are so high but sales are so low. It'l be interesting to see how the NY one went.

I went today for the first time. While there were certainly a lot of pieces there that I liked, there were really only one or two that grabbed me and made me strongly consider wiping out my savings. In the end I didn't get anything but took some cards. One thing I really liked was that the vendors were all very friendly and willing to talk to me about pieces - a very different experience than the Modern show or other shows I've been to. I plan to save up and check out the next one.

We went on Friday and there was a lot of nice work. I would have liked to have seen more galleries outside of NYC, to get a broader range of work. Apparantly ones persons "affordable" is anothers "expensive as hell". We did end of buying a small piece that we instantly fell in love with.

I've read this before.

This is one of my favorites of the season, and this year's did not disappoint. Art was of an especially high caliber this year, perhaps because they extended the "affordable" window from past years' $5000 to $10,000. (this will of course trigger the arguments "does more expensive mean 'better'?" which of course it does NOT... I think there were MANY treasures to be had here in the $1800 range... but I don't want to reveal my favorites yet, since I'm still considering some purchases. ;)

I actually thought representation outside NYC was pretty good... with some great work shown from other US cities, the UK, and Canada.

It is without a doubt the BEST way to see a LOT of work in a small period of time. And a broader range of price and style than at the more serious Armory Show later in the season.

This was my first time going, but I did find it enjoyable. There was a wide variety and the vendors were especially friendly -- something that surprised me as well. I did fall in love with at least one piece, although I didn't buy it. And as someone else said, it was great to see so much in one place.

there's certainly some good work, but you have to work hard to separate the good from the garbage. it's over-crowded, over-hung and feels too much like a flea market rather than a way to look seriously at art. most of the booths are overly crammed and cluttered. the general quality needs to be amped up several notches to make it worthwhile.

barbara--
I really disagree. If you are comparing the experience to a gallery, then perhaps some of what you complain about applies, but if you are comparing it to other art fairs you are totally off base.

And if you need to "work hard to separate good from garbage", maybe you need to attend more fairs like this to practice.

I found it really easy to separate the good from the garbage.

This was the 3rd year I've gone. I thought the quality overall was better then last year probably because of the heightened top line (not too many works were $10k but there were a number in the $6-7.5k range) but it wasn't as good as two years ago. I did make a purchase and have been able to find at least one item each year.

The simple way I judge the quality is by how many buying temptations I had. I only had the one (maybe two) this year where in years past I was definitely seeing what I could fit in the checkbook. One negative affect of the higher $10k ceiling was that there appeared to be more "mainstream" or "old guard" NYC galleries there. The type who ply their trade on the Upper East Side and think Jeff Koons is cutting edge. Might be your taste but not mine. I like the AAF to find unknown emerging artists and galleries. This definitely tipped the flavor more to NYC galleries. In past years it seemed like it was 40-50% NYC but there year was more like 60%.

The best thing I like about the "packed" amount of art is to see trends. It really does change year to year. Last year it was clearly on photorealism painting. This year there was a fair share of that but I saw an emergence of what I'll term "alternative perspective" paintings. There were several interesting ones where the viewer becomes the subject either by being voyeur or "voyee". The one piece where the viewer looks to have just fallen and is looking up at the sky with people over them looking like they're calling emergency services was interesting. There were also a couple of overhead looking down paintings like you were on a NYC roof deck. I particularly liked the one from the Clapham (UK) Gallery on all white. Nice use of negative space.

I like this show for range, variety and (relative) accessibility, all of which it had, but disagree it was better in the past. I thought (as did many of the gallery owners we spoke to) that this year was a particularly strong showing.

Ironically, even though their price ceiling was higher than last year, most of what I really liked was under $5000, with the exception of one gorgeous large-scale photo...

For more completely cutting edge, I wait for the Armory Show and -scope NY. Actually, quite a few of past year's -scope artists (and trends) showed up this year at AAF. But thankfully, a LOT less of the "penis shock art" than in years past.

Bucky--
That "I've fallen and I can't get up" piece was very cool...(aptly entitled "Don't Panic" I believe) and sold on Saturday afternoon!

This was my first AAF...

I went Saturday and Sunday... Saw one particular photo that was so reminiscent of something Steven Holl once praised me for, something he actually asked for a copy of and showed Terry, that I reminded my two companions to remember that particular shot and will shortly email them the one I did... Jesus, it really made me wonder if my photography could be worth pursuing or whether the Art world is what it's cracked up to be.

I personally thought a whole lot of it was absolute rubbish. Why does gay Batman thrill me with romance and subversiveness whereas a gilded garden gnome with an ancient Pompeian phallus just bores me to tears? Of course there was a full range of subject matter... things were not limited to the above...

Four booths really stood out for me...

Kathleen Cullen, who represents Mark Chamberlain (www.kathleenkullenfinearts.com).

Kunsthaus Santa Fe had some great photography, (www.Kunsthous.org.mx).

Jagged Art from London Blew me away with a variety of photography and sculpture (www.jaggedart.com)...

An organization called 21st (I think?) was showcasing unbelievable prints of an artist named Robert ParkeHarrison... Completely blew me away... They had 3 other photographers they were showcasing as well (They are important figures.. I can give the info tomorrow)... Fabulously expensive, but I spoke at length with the dealer and these monographs were a relative steal compared to what individual prints go for.

It was interesting... I do think you have to filter through. some of the stuff was great... But definitely not all.

Made some purchases I have absolutely no right to make whatsoever. But that was exciting.

I may work for them next year. Could be fun.

Just to complete and incomplete sentence from above... Holl showed the photos to Terrence Riley... Director of Architecture at the MoMA...

Yeah I sound like a braggart... not intentional. It's not like I'm aggressively pursuing the world of making my own art... or design. It just amazed me to see something so incredibly... well it was actually almost precisely the same photo. I'd even go so far as to say mine was better. And what are these things selling for? It boggles the mind.

dear patrick - as a matter of fact, i run a gallery and exhibit at many artfairs myself. i attend the major art fairs around the world and have done so for more than 10 years. so believe me, i know how to look at art fairs. i don't need to go to this one to practice, as you suggest. that kind of made me laugh. i even organize an art fair myself. this is what i do professionally. i simply don't rate this one very highly. that's all.

barbara--

Well, since you are so well versed in the art and gallery worlds, then I am really mystified why you had to "work hard" to separate good from bad at AAF. Maybe I'm just getting hung up on your original wording.

But please share your favorite fairs with us. Would love to hear which ones rate with you.

21st Publishers of Fine Art Photography...

Sally Mann, Robert ParkeHarrison, Joel-Peter Witkin, and Vincent Serbin were the books I saw...

www.21stphotography.com

patrick - there's no need to be mystified. perhaps, as you suggest, you are getting hung up on my wording. i just don't think much of this fair -- that's me. from my perception, i have to weed through way too much bad art to see good art - and that's all i meant. the quality of this fair is not the highest overall and i think there is way too much weak work -- again, in my opinion. since you asked, the most outstanding art fair to see from a high quality perspective, aesthetic perspective and organization, is the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland.