IFPDA Print Fair: A Review of The World’s Largest Art Fair for Prints and Editions
By Georgia Cantrell
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the IFPDA Print Fair at the Park Avenue Amory curtesy of Professor Reeds and the Studio Arts department. This was my first time attending an art fair so it’s only right I tell you about my experience. While this isn’t Art Basel or Frieze, the IFPDA Print Fair is the “world’s largest art fair for prints and editions” with top galleries such as Hauser & Wirth and David Zwirner present.
Upon arrival, I made my first stop at David Zwirner’s booth as I had applied for an internship with them. Presenting historical prints and works on paper by top artists Gerhard Richter (my all-time favorite) and Ed Ruscha besides Anni Albers and Ruth Asawa made for a beautifully curated booth. Spotlighting on the works of Gerhard Richter which differ from what the public has previously seen from the artist. While still allowing the law of chance to play a role in his creative process, the six Giclee prints on aluminum composite panel (Edition of 25) seem to have more of the artists presence in the composition. Seen through the pencil marks, Richter appears to be trying to apply architectural structure to the formless ink. These six prints pair perfectly with the three lithographs of Ruth Asawa which also have a sense of chance in their compositions. The more linear works of Jan Schoonhoven and Toba Khedoori provide the perfect contrast to Gerhard Richter and Ruth Asawa. You can view this well curated booth online and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Next up was Maya Frodeman Gallery based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The booth was presenting a body of work by Mike and Doug Starn titled Everything is Liquid. The body of work “explores how all things are flowing, moving, and finding new form” by “comparing rising and fallings seascapes with mountain-scapes that change gradually over geologic time”. The gallery was also featuring a selection of multi-media photographic studies by Richard Fleischner. While I was not particularly fond of Fleischner’s work, I absolutely loved the Starn’s body of work. The piece SCPMTN1 (2021-2022) was by far my favorite. The seam where the valley of the mountain flows into the wave of the ocean is unidentifiable at first glance requiring the viewer to spend more time with the piece. The orange marks on the piece are up for the viewer’s interpretation. Are they mountain climbers? Fish? Or the passage of time? Whatever they may be these works have been added to my ongoing wishlist of art.
It’s now roughly 11:45 and I walk over to secure my spot at the artist talk “Leonardo Drew and friends” a discussion between Leonardo Drew and collector Jordan Schnitzer. Represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., Leonardo Drew is a contemporary artist who creates sculptures from natural materials that critique social injustices. Through the conversation with Schnitzer, the artist shines light on his childhood, creative process, collaboration with other artists and the art world in general. Filled with a sense of humor, Drew gave one major piece of advice for artists everywhere. “Seven crying babies” is his metaphor for keeping himself from burning out. His theory is that if you have seven different projects you alternate between not only will you not get tired of working on the same thing for too long but the pieces will begin to influence one another and help guide the process as a whole.
After the talk, I continued to walk around the booths stopping at whatever caught my eye. Hauser & Wirth was slightly underwhelming for such a big-name gallery. Mixografia who I hadn’t heard of was featuring pieces from two artists I love, John Baldessari and Donald Sultan. Peter Blum exhibited a lovely collection of Alex Katz and Louise Bourgeois which is always
appreciated. Those are just to name a few as nobody talks about how exhausting attending an art fair is. Around 2:00pm my professor treated me and a few other students to lunch down the street at Eat Here Now (seriously, that’s what it was called). I had a lovely grilled cheese with bacon and a side of fries before getting back on the van heading back to school. And even though the driver got yelled by a cyclist and then ran a red light, I would highly recommend the IFPDA Print Fair as a starting point for any novice art fair goer.
