For ten years, Art on Paper has been an important fair during Armory Week. Along with art fairs and shows like “The Armory Show,” “VOLTA” and “SPRING/BREAK,” Art on Paper has proven to be an indispensable presence on the NYC art scene.
What makes Art on Paper stand out is the medium. The purpose of Art on Paper is to showcase contemporary and modern pieces made on paper. Over the years, this fair has pushed boundaries on paper creations, whether it’s drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, photography, this annual showcase has no limits.
Unlike the other important fairs during NY Art Week, Art on Paper stands out by being more accessible to the general public. For both the serious collector or casual observer, this fair is both affordable and innovative. It’s a great way to check up on what’s being shown in the fine art market.
Art on Paper also had a fair within a fair. For the second year in a row, the “BOOKSMART FAIR” event took a corner inside the venue. In collaboration with the Center for Book Art, visitors could see books being actively used as art itself.
This year, Art on Paper had 75 galleries, many based in New York. Some galleries arrived from the Netherlands, Argentina and Ireland to take part. Located at Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan, a majority of the art works shown seem to shift towards the pop art genre. Other art was making commentaries on socio-political events. There were some classics as well, such as prints by Andy Warhol. An older female bystander turned around and said in passing: “this show really outdid itself this year!”
One artist who made an impact during Art on Paper was Maria Alekseev. Alekseev is a full time artist and art instructor who creates under the banner OpticVoid. She has paid her dues by studying art intensively. It was the photography classes at Queens College that played a crucial role in Alekseev’s path as a creator. “Having access to their beautiful darkroom played a huge role in my decision to pursue art school,” she reflects. This led to her decision to transfer to The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), obtaining two associate degrees in both photography and graphic design. After working as a designer for several years, she decided to attend the Pratt Institute for her BFA. When she’s not in her art studio, she teaches art, a career she’s had for 15 years.
Back in her studio she works in a variety of mediums. For her paintings, she used a blend of acrylic and watercolor, not a very common combination for painters. Raw canvases are stretched when not working on paper. Other materials are incorporated, such as charcoal, pastels, and inks. Alekseev is also a printmaker, focusing on intaglio etchings on copper plates. In her home studio she owns her own etching press.
This year she decided to take the leap to exhibiting in Art on Paper.
“Art fairs in NYC have always been on my radar, but they can be difficult to attain the opportunity to participate in,” Alekseev said. “A gallery I follow on Instagram posted about Art on Paper, I messaged the owner, and we took it from there.”
Was there any advice for QC students wanting to exhibit at fairs such as Art on Paper? She responded, “Honestly, these fairs aren’t usually for student-level artists, but I highly recommend that students visit art fairs, especially in NYC and Miami. They offer a great opportunity to see what’s being exhibited and collected, not just from local artists, but from around the world—all in one place!”
Alekseev ended up successfully selling her work to art collectors before Art on Paper ended. It was a high point for the artist, but she wasn’t finished yet. She was busy creating a sculpture for yet another exhibit in Bushwick, Brooklyn. You can see her work at Talon Bar in the group art show, curated by ArtMakerNYC.org. Titled “Asstrology Around The Aether,” this exhibit runs until Oct. 13th.
As Art on Paper wrapped up for 2024, overall it was a successful fair. There was great energy all around, and impactful work to be seen. The only thing that struck me as odd was the display of two luxury cars in one section of the fair. Were the car manufacturers sponsoring the fair? Then again, NYC is not cheap. Keep an eye out for Art on Paper to return in September 2025.
Links:
Art on Paper: https://ny.thepaperfair.com/
Center for Book Art: https://centerforbookarts.org/
Maria Alekseev/OpticVoid: https://opticvoid.com/
OpticVoid Instagram: @opticvoidnyc
Maria Alekseev Instagram: @mariaalekseevart
