Conception Art Fair
In its first year in New York, Conception Art Fair presents a hopeful image of a more democratic art world. The first art fair owned and produced exclusively by women, Conception aims to present the work of women and minorities under-represented at the larger fairs. Conception is not a glossy art world endeavor; prices are low and the artists mostly unknown. But it begins with goodwill as it works to find its footing in New York. This year’s fair plays it safe, for the most part. All the works are wall-hung, mostly paintings, the fair could benefit from the inclusion of some sculpture, textile or ceramic works, or a diversity of installation types to match the diversity of the artists. But some of the works are quite striking. And it is exciting to see a new space for new voices.
Kwesi Abbensetts
A Kind of Masking Series
2017
Inkjet Prints
All 16 x 20 inches
Image courtesy of the author
Kwesi Abbensetts’ soothing photo compositions stand out at Conception. These simple and subtle works are all about color. He draws out beautiful tonalities in black and white photographs with gorgeous circles of colors, referencing John Baldessari. While these works are fairly reliant on design, Abbensetts’ website shows a much broader range. Definitely a stand out at the fair (and follow him on Instagram!).
Emma Worth
Self Portrait, Enhancement
2016
Oil on Canvas
Both 20 x 30 inches
Image courtesy of the author
Emma Worth’s hyperrealist, intimate paintings are visceral and emotional. Enhancement, a close investigation of the surgical scarring of a breast enlargement, is particularly compelling. The rest of Worth’s works are portraits, jarring and too real, à la Chuck Close. Painted from photographs, these portraits capture moments too fleeting for many portraits. Each subject is masterfully caught just in-the-midst of the perfect expression.
Diane Knarr
Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You Series
2014-2016
Polaroid photographs
All 3 ½ x 4 ¼ inches
Image courtesy of the author
Diane Knarr’s polaroids draw the viewer into an intimate viewing space. Pressed up close to them, we see images of a female body covered with hand scrawled messages, reminiscent of a 90s Riot Grrrl aesthetic with references to second wave feminist self-portraiture. These small pieces allude to narratives of domestic abuse and sexual violence, quoting all too familiar phrases such as the titular Don’t say I didn’t warn you and Can’t you take a joke?
Maria Mohiuddin
Colorblind Series
2017
Mixed Media
All 14 x 16 inches
Image courtesy of the author
Maria Mohiuddin’s beautiful layered wax compositions draw the visitor to the far corner of the fair. Each intricately layered work is a sculptural collage of wax drops encased in high gloss resins. Especially notable is her incredible use of color, especially in the Colorblind series. Tens of thousands of drops of wax go into each piece. These meticulous works, contain both an admirable precision and a compelling spontaneity.
Ferle
Torso #10
oil on canvas, unframed
200 × 140 cm (78.7 × 55.1 in)
Courtesy Z Galleryarts
Ferle has had a long career in Europe. A French artist born in 1948, her work has been shown around the world. She explores the body as metaphor, both through figurative and abstract paintings. At Conception, her work is represented by two of her Torso series. The large work looms intimidatingly from the wall, insisting on the viewer’s attention from the moment one walks into the fair. The speckled canvas depicting a headless, genderless body is at once threatening and intimate, violent and familiar. The artist’s footprints on the unstretched canvas remind us that it is only an image, even as we are drawn into its depths.
Sinéad MacLeod is a new media artist and sculptor based in the New York area. She received her B.A. from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU with a concentration in “History & Power: Critical Media Theory.”
She is currently pursuing an M.F.A. at William Paterson University. Her current artwork explores gender, digital mediation and media archaeology.
IG: @sineadderade