To mark the twenty-fifth anniversary edition of The Armory Show, Artforum and Maharam celebrate over two decades of art and dialogue with a commemorative media lounge at Pier 94 in New York. In partnership with Artforum, the leading contemporary art magazine, the Armory25 media lounge acts as an extension of the public lounge located at the south end of Pier 94, activating The Armory Show’s aim to inspire dialogue, discovery, and patronage of the visual arts.
Maharam will provide the lounge’s furnishings and backdrop including seating originally designed for Prototype Rail System (A), an installation by the multimedia conceptual artist Liam Gillick for Maharam’s 2013 NeoCon presentation in Chicago. Reflecting minimalist finesse, Gillick’s constructivist benches and low-lying plinths were meticulously produced as art objects in white powder-coated aluminum. Their low height maintains an open space, while movable woolen cushions offer material contrast and a comfortable vantage for observation. Given Gillick’s examination of the ways in which art and architecture impact social interaction, as well as his ties to the formative years of The Armory Show, his pieces were a natural selection from Maharam’s collection and uniquely suited for a lounge intended as a flexible platform for a variety of media.
An accompanying digital wall installation highlighting memorable Artforum covers between 1994–2019 was designed by the magazine in partnership with Maharam’s Digital Imaging studio which translates custom artwork to various substrates via fine-art quality, large-format digital printing. As with Maharam Digital Projects, Maharam’s Digital Imaging reflects a range of subject matter and styles while harnessing advanced printing techniques for complex, high-resolution imagery in a full-color spectrum.
Two expansive, custom birch tables offer additional surfaces for guests to browse archival Artforum issues and explore The Armory Show’s twenty-five-year history. The installation is well timed with the launch of Artforum’s digital archive—a fully searchable editorial catalogue that begins with its first issue in 1962. Artforum will be joined by two additional publications in booth A3: The Art Newspaper and podcast Deep Color.
About The Armory Show
The Armory Show is New York City’s premier art fair and a leading cultural destination for the discovery and collection of the world’s most significant 20th- and 21st-century art. Held on Manhattan’s Piers 90, 92, and 94, March 7–10, 2019, The Armory Show features presentations by leading international galleries, along with innovative artist commissions, and dynamic public programs. Since its founding in 1994, The Armory Show has served as a nexus for the international art world, inviting exploration, dialogue, discovery, and patronage in the visual arts. The Armory Show’s 2019 edition will once again convene a selection of top international galleries in Midtown Manhattan, presenting works that range from historical masterpieces to contemporary projects by both established and emerging artists. This year’s international curatorial team reflects The Armory Show’s core identity as a space of presentation, welcoming new artists and strong curatorial viewpoints from around the world.
About Artforum
Artforum is the contemporary art magazine of record. Since 1962, Artforum has delivered informed and inspired criticism of the latest developments in contemporary art—exploring trends, making discoveries, and writing the history of our visual culture.