Art_Africa_2016_03_

ARTAFRICA

artists from Africa and the diaspora. A younger sibling to The Armory Show, Volta

NY was founded by Amanda Coulson as an invitation-only solo project fair with

the express ambition to diversify and democratise the scope of what is seen as

‘international contemporary art.’ As such, Volta NY has, (for a number of years

now) introduced artists and galleries from Asia and the Middle East as well as Africa

and the diaspora. In fact, some galleries and artists presenting works this year at The

Armory Show – such as Mariane Ibrahim – have previously presented artists at Volta

N Y.

As a fair devoted to shifting the balance between center and periphery in international

art, Volta NY also prioritises the importance of supporting ‘mother’ galleries (based

on the continent where the artist lives) and addressing the financial and logistical

challenges such galleries may face in embarking on an art fair in New York. To this

end, Volta NY offers a range of pricing, making the fair far more affordable than its

big sister.

This year’s edition of Volta NY is a strong demonstration of this commitment, to

Africa in particular. The fair will present nine African artists and two Afro-Caribbean,

as well as curatorial projects focusing on the African diaspora. These include Dawit

Abebe (Ethiopia), Aboudia (Côte d’Ivoire), Armand Boua (Côte d’Ivoire), Gonçalo

Mabunda (Mozambique), Cameron Platter (South Africa), Ibrahim El Dessouki

(Egypt), Paul Onditi (Kenya), Mário Macilau (Mozambique), and Wycliffe Mundopa

(Zimbabwe). Two Afro-Caribbean artists, Ronald Cyrille (Guadeloupe) and Jorge

Pineda (Dominican Republic) are also included.

This year also sees Volta NY collaborating with MoCADA (Museum of Contemporary

African Diasporan Arts), to present two artists’ projects: Tschabalala Self (on

MoCADA’s booth) and Kameelah Janan Rasheed on a site-specific project outside of

the venue. Finally, in Volta’s debut Curated Section, ‘Something I Can Feel,’ curator

Derrick Adams has brought together eight contemporary artists “who explore the

idea of the body as a site of reckoning, transformation and departure.”

At the 2016 editions of The Armory Show and Volta NY, local and international

audiences can expect to be seduced by the wave of contemporary art and emerge

with a rich and dynamic impression of the diversity of work and artists in the sector.

NEXT WE TAKE MANHATTAN / VALERIE KABOV 4/4 ARTAFRICA

FEATURE / THE ARMORY SHOW & VOLTA NY