MAY 2, 2018 6:09 PM
An Art Fair Where the Pieces Come to Life
By Melania Hidalgo
Have you ever been to an art fair where the sculptures come to life, and human models are used as canvases? The second annual Superfine! Art fair opens today in New York’s Meatpacking District, once again blurring the line between performance and immersion. The week-long exhibit will feature a variety of art shows, summits, markets, and tastings. On Wednesday night, renowned body-painter Trina Merry will stage live re-creations of her “Lust of Currency”series, in which she paints over her models to blend in with historically iconic works of art like Edvard Munch’s The Scream, or van Gogh’s Self Portrait, as a take on society’s materialist culture.
Following Merry’s show, members of the Heidi Latsky Dance troupe will act as living effigies, embodying a moving sculpture court that silently merges with the evening spectators.
Founded in 2015 by entrepreneur Alex Mitow, the fair aims to promote high-quality affordable artwork to ordinary city dwellers and aficionados, providing a platform to both experience and purchase local and internationally sourced pieces. The fair will exhibit 78 art galleries, solo projects, and collectives, with certain live ticketed events throughout the week.
This year, the program has placed a strong emphasis on spotlighting young female talent and progressive politics: 70 percent of the showcased artists are women, with a base reflecting people of color and the LGBTQ community. Following the XX Perspective Female Arts Summit featuring curators and art directors, the fair reserved its popular Saturday-night slot for the “Girls’ Night Out (for Art!)” cocktail party and live music performances, the proceeds of which will go to the evening’s host, the Lower Eastside Girls Club.
Beginning as a small project in Miami, Superfine! has now become a national interactive exposition with full-scale installments in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Mexico City.
Superfine! opens Wednesday, May 2, at 9 p.m. and will run through Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here starting at $12 for general admission, and up to $85 for the Art Warrior All-Access pass. Scroll below for a selection of images from this year’s installation.
Saxon Woods Pool, by Mary Tooley Parker. Photo: Mary Tooley Parker