Fair Director for Affordable Art Fair NYC, Vanessa Seis, gives us a sneak peak of the Fall fair with her top picks! From emerging artists to unique subject-matter, find out what’s caught Vanessa’s eye this season. With the Affordable Art Fair NYC Fall edition opening in merely a few days (26 – 29 September, Metropolitan Pavillion), read on to get a sneak peek at just some of the 1000s of artworks that will be on display.

NYC Fall Fair Director’s Artwork Picks

Every edition, I have the honor of sharing my very own Fair Director’s Picks via our Art Preview page with our audience. It’s exciting to go through the hundreds of works lined up for the upcoming fair and think about what I like, what I would buy and what artists and galleries I would like to bring to our visitors’ attention.

Looking back at my selection, I was very inspired by the program of our first-time galleries and my recent move to a serene bungalow by the beach.

The use of light and shadows is really what drew me to Helen’s, Brooke’s, Anne’s and Nguyen Thran Binh’s pieces. All pieces have a gentle, atmospheric, or even slightly mysterious touch of light, which enraptured me. ‘Morning’ and ‘Sleeping Child’ also have an underlining narrative that I enjoy thinking about: Who are the subjects in the works and how do they feel? We don’t see their faces, so it’s up to the viewer’s interpretation, which keeps the work interesting as they live in our homes.

Some of my selections are clearly nautical and beach-life inspired, such as Muriel’s ‘Les Maitres Nageurs’, Jose’s ‘Clon Jr Jr 2’, Mariko’s ‘Disc-type Dam’ and Myung Nam An’s ‘Eyes’. Despite titled ‘Eyes’, Myung Nam An’s sculptures—exhibited frequently at our fair—have always reminded me of sea urchins, but I think it’s okay to have your very own interpretation and connection with a piece of art.

‘Flowers and Table’ and even ‘Candy’ all have that domesticity that I’ve recently been drawn to, owning our own home now and just indulging in life, in and around the house. ‘Candy’ is particularly exciting to me as it’s fabric and embroidery based. I’ve always loved fabric-based works and it’s been exciting to see more and more galleries championing artists working in the medium.

Deborah Zlotsky’s ‘Luck or something it’ would be my investment piece. Deborah’s resume is an impressive list of fellowships, exhibitions across the country and inclusions in publications and collections, and she is clearly very committed to her practice, which is very important to me. Aside from this, I just love her use of color and geometry and the depth of her work. Each piece seems to be a looking into the future while also giving a nod to the past. I think owning one of her pieces would bring me continuous joy and inspiration and I can’t wait to see her work in person at the fair!

To see these and 100s more affordable, contemporary artworks at the fair, make sure you snap up a ticket! With just a few days to go, don’t forget to check out our exhibitor preview, full art preview and what’s on page to make sure you get the most out of your visit. See you there!

Main Image:
Lionel Pratt, ‘Yarp’, 2019, Mixed media on canvas, 45 x 57 in., $6000, Muriel Guepin Gallery, Stand D2.

Featured images from first to last, left to right:
Vanessa Seis, Fair Director of Affordable Art Fair NYC.
Helen Maurene Cooper, ‘Hinky Punk’, 2018, Ambrotype on black glass, 4.5 x 3.5 in., $1350, Bert Green Fine Art, Stand A3.
Brooke Holm, ‘Sand Sea VI’, 2019, Archival pigment print, 39.5 x 52.5 in., $4450, Uprise Art, Stand B2.
Anne Magill, ‘Morning’, 2018, Charcoal on fabriano paper, 7 x 11 in., $4000, Cameron Contemporary Art, Stand E12.
Nguyen Thanh Binh, ‘Sleeping Child’, ND, Oil on canvas, 31 x 37.5 in. , $5000, Vietnamese Contemporary Fine Art, Stand C10.
Muriel Bordier, ‘Les Maitres Nageurs’, 2019, Photography, 35.5 x 67 in., $5800, Xin Art Galerie, Stand D17.
Jose Sanin, ‘Clon Jr Jr 2’, 2019, Screenprint, 20 x 27.5 in., $150, Rat Trap, Stand A10.
Mariko Mukumoto, ‘Disc-type-Dam’, 2016, Fiber-reinforced plastics, FRP lacquer, 35.5 X 35.5 in., $2750, RISE GALLERY, Stand A14.
Myung Nam An, ‘Eye Series’, 2019, Porcelain, Variable sizes , $500-1,500 each, Cube Gallery, Stand C8.
Jessica Bottalico, ‘Flowers and Table’, 2015, Oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in., $2800, Collective 131, Stand A16.
Kathryn Knudsen, ‘Candy’, 2019, Mixed media, 18 x 18 in., $1450, reference: contemporary, Stand E11.
Deborah Zlotsky, ‘Luck, or something it’, 2013, Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in., $2900, Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, Stand C2.