NEW YORK

PAPERMAG

NEW YORK, Wednesday 04.02.2003 SCOPE ART FAIR 2003
New York City hosted numerous international art affairs in early March. There was, of course, the fifth annual Armory Show, an event that is the flagship of all art fairs. On a smaller, more intimate level was the two-year-old Scope Art Fair (March 7-10), which was held at Dylan Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The posh hotel transformed six floors into an art maze, dedicating each room to work from different galleries from around the world. The event was a fresh showcase of contemporary art that proved itself to be a good alternative to the massive and conventional setting of the Armory Show.

The congested and hyperactive occasion for denizens of the artworld lured in visitors that were as diverse as the pieces on display. Some of the highlights of the Scope were Christian Holstad's orgiastic installation for Daniel Reich on the 12th floor; Scott Hug and K48 magazine's group show, which captured juvenile restlessness and horniness on the 11th floor; and John Connelly Presents' psychedelic digital mayhem by Assume Vivid Astro Focus (a.k.a. Eli Sudbrack), also on the 11th floor. Some offerings from San Francisco included the strange, delightful cartoon-like people from Clare Rojas (Lizabeth Oliveria Gallery, 8th fl.) and Chris Johanson (Paulson Press, 7th fl.). All around, the Scope Fair was a fantastic venue to get a glimpse into the psyche of art-at-large without too much pretension or having to travel far.

For more info, go to www.scope-art.com.