Opening Night at the Armory
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One of the first sales at the Armory Show was a Louise Nevelson sculpture at PaceWildenstein. “It is my favorite piece of the fair,” Rudolf Schmutz said. “But since it sold, the gallery was very kind to offer to send me a photograph of it.”
Curators and beginning collectors with advisors in tow dominated the hallways in the afternoon before the heavy hitter collectors arrived at nightfall. By then, exhibitors had adjusted to life at Pier 94, a businesslike island of art from around the world. “Is it raining?” exhibitor Zach Feuer said late afternoon in front of a painting by Tal R.
As waiters started to pass wine and food, sales picked up. “It’s been great and it’s barely even started. We’re already happy,” exhibitor Sean Kelly said.
The evening viewing was a benefit for the Museum of Modern Art, but guests were already buzzing about the next big party: Marina Abramovic’s 60th birthday party at the Guggenheim on Saturday. Matthew Barney, Björk, Laurie Anderson, and Kiki Smith have RSVP’ed.
“Marina is making a special cocktail,” the director of the Guggenheim, Lisa Dennison, said. “She’s been talking about using pepper. It will be something only Marina could dream of.”
