issue 018: on being bold

A roundup of The Armory Show, Independent 20th Century, and more. Plus artists whose boldness shaped the art world as we know it. Fair warning: this one’s a doozy.

Get ready for this week’s mega issue…

The NYC art world was buzzing with opening weekend, Armory, Independent 20th Century, etc. During my time at Armory and reading through my art-icles (my most bookmarked week ever), one word kept rattling around in my mind: bold. This year’s shows and fairs have so far been very commercial and safe. With optimism creeping back in and galleries fighting harder to stay relevant, boldness is the name of the game—for artists and dealers alike. And I’m here for it!

Below you’ll find some of the best fair coverage from NYC and beyond. Since much of it came in listicle form, I’m trying a new format.

And don’t worry: there are still plenty of artist-centric reads—bold figures past and present.

P.S. Sorry for the extra-late newsletter again this week.

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It was my first Armory show, and I have to admit, I was expecting it to be much more representative of this Art Fair Trope Bingo Card, but in reality, it was just a bunch of people excited to look at and talk about art.

• Galerie: 9 Highlights to Look Out for at This Year’s Armory Show

• Hyperallergic: At the Armory Show, First-Time Artists Steal the Spotlight

• Whitehot Magazine: The Armory Show 2025

• ARTnews: The Best Booths at the 2025 Armory Show, From Imagined Queer Bars to a Soothing Sound Bath

• Artsy: 10 Best Booths at The Armory Show 2025

• Artnet: The Armory Show’s Hidden Gems: 10 Works Worth Walking in Circles For

• The Art Newspaper: The Armory Show puts spotlight on the American South

• ARTFUSE: Video Walkthrough of the Fair

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I’m disappointed that I didn’t make it to this one, but so thankful for the great coverage! Next year, for sure!

• NYT: Discovering Surprises Among the Familiar at the Independent 20th Century

• ARTnews: At Independent 20th Century, What’s Old Is New Again

• The Art Newspaper: Artists who defy categorisation take pride of place at Independent 20th Century

• Artnet: Forgotten Histories and Fresh Narratives Emerge at Independent 20th Century

• The Art Newspaper: Timely rediscoveries await at Independent 20th Century

• Whitewall: Independent 20th Century Returns to New York with Avant-Garde Exhibitions at Casa Cipriani

• ARTnews: Legendary Dealer Tony Shafrazi Returns to the Art Fair After More than a Decade Away—He Remains Exactly Himself

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• Artsy: 5 Artists to Discover at Kiaf 2025, South Korea’s Largest Art Fair

• ARTnews: The Best Booths at Frieze Seoul, From Remnants of an Artist’s Demolished Studio to an 18th-Century Moon Jar

• Artsy: The 10 Best Booths at Frieze Seoul 2025

• The Art Newspaper: Dealers get creative pairing artists at Duet—just don’t call it an art fair

• The Art Newspaper: The new U-Haul Art Fair is pulling up in Chelsea

• Wallpaper: Berlin Art Week 2025 is here: what to see around the city

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…back to our regularly scheduled programming…

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Bonafide Boldness

Sure, bold is subjective—but I feel like each of these artists challenged the status quo in some way with their medium, subjects, methodology, etc.

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Burgeoning (Some More Than Others) Boldness

These contemporary artists are doing more than just carrying that bold torch.

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Must-See Show Listicle Madness

With the new art season kicking off, the flood of “must-see” lists has arrived:

• Galerie: 8 Must-See Solo Gallery Shows in September

• NYT: Art’s New Season Offers Rauschenberg and More Headliner Shows for Fall

• NYT: 14 Art Shows Worth Traveling for, From Europe to the West Coast

• NYT: What to See in Galleries in September

• Artsy: 11 Must-See Museum Shows This Fall

• NYT: The Art to See This Fall, According to Our Chief Critic

• Artnet: 12 Must-See Gallery Shows in New York This Fall

• Hyperallergic: 15 Art Shows to See in Los Angeles This Fall

• Hyperallergic: Four New York City Shows to See Right Now

• The Art Newspaper: From the streets to the parks and beyond: the pick of this season's public art in New York

• designboom radar: exhibitions to see around the world this september

• Aperture: 11 Exhibitions to See This Fall

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Phew!

‘til next time,

tld-art