March is the month The Armory Show gets tugged into the New York Harbor. Here is how you can explore Norwegian art at this year's show.
One of the leading contemporary art fairs worldwide, the Armory takes its name from the now legendary 1913 event in New York City’s 69th Regiment Armory. Gallerists, artists, curators, critics and buyers from all over the art world – including Norway – trek to the city this week to show what they do and to get an insight into who and what to look out for in the art world in the year ahead.
Galleri Brandstrup:
Based in Oslo’s newly established art district of Tjuvholmen, Brandstrup is a leading contemporary art gallery in Norway. You can find them on Pier 94 this week, with works by Fredrik Raddum, Lars Elling, Sverre Bjærtnes, Nelli Palomäki and others.
Jumana Manna:
Also on Pier 94, as part of CRG Gallery, are works by Jumana Manna. The U.S.-born artist is educated and based in Oslo. Last year she had a solo show at Kunsthall Oslo, and in addition to her Armory presence this week, her solo exhibition at the SculptureCenter in New York just opened.
Collateral events:
In addition to the main Armory Show program, there are a number of related exibitions and happenings in the city during what is now simply called Armory Week.
The curator-driven art show Spring/Break takes place at Old School, 233 Mott Street, from March 6-9. Norwegian artistMarthe Ramm Fortun takes part with a performance. Fortun also participated at last year’s Performa biennale, performing at Grand Central Terminal. In Norway, she is currently involved in the Henie-Onstad exhibit ‘We Are Living on a Star,’ remembering the tragic events on July 22, 2011.
Yet another parallel event is the Independent, at 548 West 22nd Street in Chelsea. With an independent and international profile, they feature more than fifty international galleries and non-profit institutions from 14 countries. Among the artworks to be found there during the fair are a series of sculptures by Line Viste Grønli, another Performa ’13 participant. Grønli is known for works playing with semiotics and semantics, often referencing popular culture. The works on the Independent, though, are wooden sculptures of ears.
The Armory Show runs from March 6-9 at Piers 92 & 94 on Manhattan.