Frieze New York, the labyrinthine art fair, plants itself at the Shed in Hudson Yards on May 13, kicking off the extravaganza now known as New York Art Week, and the entire city comes alive with its own artistic offerings (including gallery shows and, starting this week and continuing through the next, the spring auctions of 20th and 21st century art at Christies, Sotheby’s and Phillips). It’s a short window and a little manic, much like Mother’s Day blossoms, but casual browsers and seasoned collectors alike will find plenty to view across Manhattan and Brooklyn. In addition to Frieze (which focuses on Latin American art for its 15th edition) there are art fairs large and small, experimental and established, across the city, providing serious ground to cover, so plan your footwear accordingly. Here is a preview, by neighborhood, with highlights by our critics coming Thursday.
TEFAF New York (Upper East Side)
Hailing from the Netherlands, the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) is back to fill the Park Avenue Armory’s cavernous halls. Exhibited this year are works from 88 galleries representing four continents. Expect a robust collection of contemporary, ancient and modern fine art — including works by Willem de Kooning, Cecily Brown and John Chamberlain — as well as jewelry and antiquities. The fair will also host a dynamic lineup of programming and events, complimentary to ticket holders with advanced registration. Single-entry tickets are $62.50 ($25 for students); multiple-day entry tickets are $83.50. May 15-19, Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan; tefaf.com.
Esther III (Murray Hill)
The boutique fair Esther, a relative newcomer with roots in New York and Estonia, made its debut in 2024, joining the growing slate of alternative art fairs. For its third edition, Esther will offer an energetic selection of works by 22 galleries from around the world in addition to a range of programming, including the showcase “chairchairchair,” custom seating using discarded objects found on New York City sidewalks, created by Houston Parke and Isaac Haseltine, in response to our throwaway culture. “Neanderthal Beauty Clinic,” an installation and fictional laboratory by the artists Madlen Hirtentreu and Darja Popolitova, explores the link between cosmetic self-care rituals and bodily subjugation. The fair and events are free. May 13-16 at New York Estonian House, 243 East 34th Street, Murray Hill, Manhattan; esther.ee.
Frieze (Hudson Yards)
The premier fair for contemporary art collectors is back in its massive digs at the Shed to present artworks from 70 galleries. This year’s theme, “Bold Solos, Global Dialogues,” lives up to its name with an expanded slate of single-artist presentations and an emphasis on Central and South American galleries, including vibrant debuts from W-galería in Buenos Aires and Mexico City’s Campeche. In addition, Frieze’s “Focus” showcase for nascent work will spotlight experimental solo presentations by 11 young galleries (formed in or after 2014). A free, digital Frieze Viewing Room, open the week before the fair, offers audiences a first look at the presentations and online browsing. General admission tickets are $92 ($38 for students). May 13-17 at the Shed, 545 West 30th Street, Manhattan; 212-463-7488; frieze.com.
NADA New York (Chelsea)
The New Art Dealers Alliance, one of the larger fairs (and just a few blocks from Frieze and Clio in Chelsea) is known for exhibiting nascent galleries and new voices in contemporary art, such as Mika Obayashi, a fiber and sculpture artist from Troy, Mich., who gives traditional craft processes such as papermaking and basket weaving a three-dimensional presence. For its 12th edition, the fair will present works from 121 galleries in 46 cities, including Tokyo, Mexico City and Philadelphia; 53 are first-time exhibitors. This year, NADA is also partnering with MacDowell, the long-running artist residency, to present “In Residence,” a series of panels on the future of financing to the arts. Single-day tickets run $55; multiday passes are $75. Senior and student tickets are available on-site for $35. May 13-17 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building, 601 West 26th Street, Manhattan; newartdealers.org.
Clio Art Fair (Chelsea)
The so-called “anti-fair” that champions self-represented artists returns with a fresh roster of international creators and artist collectives. More than 150 artworks from 35 independent artists will be on display in a range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media and installations, at prices ranging from $50 to $150,000. In addition, the fair, which focuses on authenticity and discovery, will offer a performance program, including “It’s Okay to Be Human,” a reflection on identity, memory and human connection. General admission is free; a ticket for the V.I.P. preview is $35. May 14-17, 511 West 25th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan; clioartfair.com.
Independent New York (Lower East Side)
Billed as a showcase for more solo debuts than any other New York art fair, Independent will present a suite of bold works by emerging artists. This year, the fair will take over an expanded waterfront space on the East River, more than double the square footage of its previous home in TriBeCa’s Spring Studios. Independent will also feature an installation of couture looks by Comme des Garçons, the first solo presentation by the brand’s founder, Rei Kawakubo, since a survey exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in 2017. Day passes are $48; a run-of-show weekend pass is $75. May 15-17 at Pier 36, 299 South Street, Manhattan; independenthq.com.
Photoville (Downtown Brooklyn)
Each year, New Yorkers are treated to a sweeping spread of photography delightfully displayed inside a maze of shipping containers, which double as mini galleries. Photoville, a citywide festival (it’s not squarely an art fair) now in its 15th year, is back with a buffet of images from across the city and the world, whether you’re into documentary, portraiture, street photography or just having your picture taken. Offerings include a photographic time capsule of South Brooklyn in 1976; a tribute to Black fatherhood and a photography community project by Latino and Indigenous artists, along with The New York Times’s own exhibit, “Tension and Tear Gas Fill American Streets,” with scenes of deportation and of confrontations between ICE agents and protesters across the country. Other events include a virtual reality experience with Doctors Without Borders, an interactive outdoor book sculpture and tintype portraits to take home. Events are free and open to the public. May 16-30 at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, 1 Water Street, Brooklyn; photoville.nyc.
Rachel Sherman reports on culture and the arts for The Times.
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