In case you missed the March art fairs, Pier 94 this weekend is hosting the Artexpo New York, a juried show that will feature the works of over 400 artists. The Artexpo has been selling art for 38 years now and has grown to more than 25,000 visitors a year. The Artexpo is where you’ll find both modern and ancient works from the most innovative artists and galleries. Just about any type of art can be found here – from the traditional painting and photography to lithographs, sculpture, glasswork, ceramics and more. You’ll also be mingling with the best of the art world here – arts dealers, artists, gallery owners and managers, interior designers, architects, and corporate art buyers will all brush shoulders. Here is where you’ll get a great education on the ins and outs of the art market.
The Artexpo New York takes place this weekend, from April 14-17. General admission is $20. A full list of events, seminars, demonstrations and artist meet-and-greets fills every day of the expo – check the website to find out which one interests you.
To get you geared up for the exhibit, we spoke to Olivia Song, marketing agent for Huayuan Art, a first-time exhibiting gallery at Artexpo this year. Here’s what she had to say about Artexpo and her own gallery:
Examiner: What are some of the best works that you will offer at the Artexpo this year?
Olivia Song: We are very excited to offer our Suzhou embroidery piece, A Bride in Tashkurgan. Created by embroidery artist Wang Lihua, it offers a glimpse into the wedding customs practiced in the Tashkurgan region of China. We love the delicate design, meticulous stitching, and life-like quality that Wang has achieved through years of hard work on this composition.
We are also presenting Wang Lihua’s other embroidery works of jade and bronze ware photography, which reflect traditional Chinese art and heritage. Wang’s Bride is among the most expensive and important works we are presenting at Artexpo this year.
Our second booth at Artexpo will be dedicated to presenting the art of Dunhuang. We will present mural replicas and other paintings inspired by Dunhuang cave art. Dunhuang has recently come into the spotlight – the Seattle Art Museum has a show called Caves of Dunhuang on view now, and the Getty Institute is showing three replicated caves in May. We will display more than 30 mural replicas from 4 different artists. Among them, Liu Junqi’s Apsara Playing the Pipa Behind the Back, portrays a beautiful apsara floating against a muted, cave-wall-like background. Apsaras are the most popular theme of Dunhuang cave paintings—they are present in almost every cave. Liu’s painting is examplary of how Dunhuang scholars and artists of our time have transcended beyond copying, by adding their own unique approach and aesthetics into the works, while still remaining faithful to the historical.
Examiner: What other works are you excited to see at Artexpo outside of your own gallery?
OS: Artexpo has a more eclectic collection compared to many other art fairs. What we are presenting is art that is deeply rooted in thousands of years of Chinese history, and yet is rarely known outside Asia. We are looking forward to encountering such meaningful treasures from other regions of the globe. The contemporary art scene is no longer tied to a specific national context, but has exploded into life worldwide over the past 20 years, as a part of a pluralist, multicultural global commons. We look forward to seeing this movement spread through many genres of art.
Examiner: What should New Yorkers and art-lovers in general know about your gallery and the art you offer?
OS: 1.Our unique art pieces commemorate the extraordinary legacy of the Silk Road- history’s most famous trade route linking East and West.
2. Our art pieces are from East Asia, and have never been presented outside of Asia before.
3. Our collection reflects the richness of Chinese history. Suzhou embroidery is the most celebrated style of Chinese silk art, with a history of more than 2,000 years, while our cave painting replicas are based off original murals dating back to the 4th century.
4. Most of our replicas are painted with traditional cave painting techniques, allowing the audience to experience what it is like to visit the historic sites which house the original murals.
