New York Art Book Fair

Last weekend, I finally had the opportunity to catch the New York Art Book Fair, which the bookstore Printed Matter, Inc. organized and held at MoMA PS1, Long Island City, Queens. The Fair, which convenes all manner of art book artists and publishers, including creators of zines, fine art books, magazines and journals, art prose publications, and ephemera, ran from September 20-22, with a preview on September 19 on the steps of MoMA PS1, which featured a live set from MASKS, a New York City-based dance music duo, comprising Alexis Georgopoulos and Max Ravitz, along with basement house star Terekke (aka Matt Gardner).

There were a number of publications and publishers I was familiar with, ranging from Yale University Press to Butt, but there were far more that I'd never heard of before, such as B&D Press, and had I thought to bring cash with me (which I will do next year), since many of the exhibitors were not accepting credit or debit cards, I would have purchased many more of the (refreshingly and) relatively inexpensive smaller publications. (I did pick up a replica of a Joseph Beuys felt business card; it is as strange and fascinating as it sounds.) I also will give myself more time to walk through all the booths and view the related exhibits. There was a room at PS1 dedicated to the work of Ray Johnson, one of my favorite artists, that I raced through in part because it was crowded and in part because I'd allotted myself only so much time to see the entire exhibit before I was to meet a friend in Manhattan for a late afternoon lunch.

Next year, I plan to check things out early and over several days. Given how much there was to see, I almost wish it ran for a week. Below are photos from the event.

A portion of the crowd on MoMa PS1's stairs
(there was a performance on the landing)

The geodesic dome exhibition space in the courtyard

Artist Carlos Quispe and another exhibitor

The Butt table (with related publications)

Exhibitors

Exhibitors

Bear art exhibitors

A medium giving tarot readings

Artist-author Eloisa Aquino, signing a copy of one of her
Famous Butch Dykes zines

Pinups

More photos after the jump:

Quote: Ray Johnson

"May 30, 1973
Dear Michael,
We heard a rumor that the New York Corres-sponge
Dance School of Vancouver drowned.
The floor of my VW now has been leopard-covered.
Lucy Lippard's kid shoots caps.
New York Crap school.
Pat Loud will be here in July.
Pat Oldenburg has a darling boyfriend.
Pat Ast is quite a clown.
Felix Private Partz's teeth.
I think the Grand Jatte item is choice.
Love and kisses,
                   Sid and Ethyl"

from Ray Johnson: How Sad I am Today..., Vancouver: Morris/Travos Archive and Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, 1995.