Members of The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), a nonprofit organization of the nation’s leading art dealers, will join forces for The Art Show this February to showcase their vibrant programs from across the country.

Opening with the annual Gala Preview on Wednesday, February 26, the 2020 edition will take place February 27 through March 1, at New York’s Park Avenue Armory. The Art Show is known for its ambitious presentations and compelling juxtapositions, drawing serious and passionate collectors, arts professionals, and enthusiasts to New York. The 2020 iteration will see more than half of its presentations dedicated to a single artist and 19 exhibitions focused on female artists, in addition to vibrant thematic and group surveys.

All proceeds from fair admission and the gala benefit Henry Street Settlement, one of New York’s leading social service, arts, and health care organizations. As Henry Street Settlement’s greatest source of unrestricted funding, The Art Show has raised over $32 million for the nonprofit through its more than three decades of partnership with the ADAA. 

For the 2020 edition, The Art Show features public conversations with major collectors, curators, museum leaders, and industry experts, including Lindsay Pollock, Chief Communications and Content Officer, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Brooke Kamin Rapaport, Deputy Director and Martin Friedman Chief Curator, Madison Square Park Conservancy. Extending programming beyond the fair, the ADAA has organized the ADAA Gallery Walk: Midtown + Upper East Side for the second year, a collaboration between an unprecedented 41 ADAA member galleries in the surrounding neighborhoods on Saturday, February 29, from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. In addition, visitors will have the chance to meet artists presenting works at the fair on Sunday, March 1, from 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

ADAA Member Presentations at The Art Show 2020

Recognized for its high-quality curated presentations, The Art Show 2020 is a platform for ADAA member galleries to extend their programs beyond their gallery walls and design insightful exhibitions that collectively create a distinct and intimate fair experience. The 2020 edition will feature over 40 intimately scaled solo presentations and 19 exhibitions dedicated to female artists—an unprecedented number for the fair—as well as joint, thematic, and dual presentations that offer new perspectives on influential artists and opportunities for in-depth exploration of up-and-coming and underrecognized contributions to art history. The fair will feature many first-time exhibitors, including David Kordansky Gallery, Andrew Kreps Gallery, McClain Gallery, Gallery Wendi Norris, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, Ricco/Maresca Gallery, and Leon Tovar Gallery.

The dynamic lineup champions pioneering female artists across more than five decades of practice, including reexaminations of key historical figures. Among the highlights are:

• A joint presentation by Bortolami and Andrew Kreps Gallery of the late painter Carla Accardi;

• Pavel Zoubok’s presentation of sculptures by Vanessa German, the sculptor, writer, and activist, whose works will come together in an immersive installation;

• Paintings by Jane Wilson that have not been exhibited publicly for more than three decades, presented by DC Moore Gallery;

• An exhibition showcasing the work of Mercedes Pardo, the Venezuelan master and leader in geometric abstraction, presented by Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino;

• Seminal Op Art pieces by Edna Andrade, exhibited by Locks Gallery;

• Vintage pornographic images, transformed by Beverly Semmes as part of her Feminist Responsibility Project (FRP) at the 57th Carnegie International, presented by Susan Inglett Gallery.

Additional solo presentations include:

• Galerie Lelong & Co.’s presentation of paintings exploring overlooked histories of conflict by the late Ficre Ghebreyesus, whose work was rarely shown during his short lifetime;

• An exhibition of new work by Zanele Muholi, including a series created in formerly colonized countries of Africa, presented by Yancey Richardson Gallery;

• New embroidered compositions by Palestinian-American artist Jordan Nassar, exhibited by James Cohan;

• A mirrored floor installation, alongside never-before-exhibited photograms by Walead Beshty, presented by Petzel;

• P.P.O.W.’s exhibition of new works by Ramiro Gomez, a painter whose practice centers on the unseen figures powering the art world;

• Sikkema Jenkins & Co.’s display of new work from Jeffrey Gibson, a 2019 recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant, whose multimedia practice explores and celebrates his Choctaw and Cherokee heritage, his queer identity, pan-Native American visual culture, and American popular culture.

Vibrant thematic, group, and dual presentations are additionally a consistent emphasis and highlight of the fair. The 2020 presentations range from surveys of important periods and genres of art history, to celebrations of the legacy of art dealers. Highlights include:

• A joint presentation by Fraenkel Gallery and Luhring Augustine juxtaposing the use of text in the practices of Lee Friedlander and Christopher Wool;

• A dedication to renowned art dealer Phyllis Kind and her eponymous galleries in New York and Chicago, curated by Venus Over Manhattan;

• Jonathan Boos’ exhibition Psychological Realism featuring a range of works that explore deep psychological narratives through realistic imagery.

To ensure the high standard of artistic quality and connoisseurship that has become synonymous with the fair, the ADAA’s Art Show Committee, comprised of member dealers, selects 72 presentations annually from proposals submitted by ADAA member galleries across the country. Members outline inventive curatorial concepts for single-artist, dual, or group exhibitions. The full list of ADAA member presentations at The Art Show 2020 is available for PDF download at the above link. 

“The Art Show is an extraordinary collaboration between the nation’s leading art dealers to showcase their programs and engage with art enthusiasts and each other, as well as to benefit the Henry Street Settlement,” said Andrew Schoelkopf, President of the ADAA and Co-founder of Menconi + Schoelkopf. “As always, the 2020 fair promises to offer an exceptional experience for collectors, arts professionals, and the public, with an unparalleled focus on in-depth, museum-quality exhibitions that exceed what can be found at any other fair.”

“From its inception, The Art Show has been not only a beloved New York City cultural event but the greatest source of flexible funding to Henry Street Settlement, enabling the Settlement to help community members in need to better their lives and pursue their dreams,” said David Garza, Henry Street Settlement President & CEO. “The Art Show and the generosity of its patrons allow us to provide our community with access to the arts, academic support for low-income students, mental health counseling, shelter from homelessness and domestic violence, job-placement, and senior services. Our invaluable partnership with the ADAA means The Art Show guests can enjoy a world-class experience knowing that they are also meaningfully helping New Yorkers in need."

The Art Show 2020

Thursday, February 27 through Friday, February 28, 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 29, 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 1, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: The Park Avenue Armory, Park Avenue and 67th Street, New York

Tickets: $25 per day. Available online here or at the door. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit Henry Street Settlement.