The Armory Show, one of New York's largest art fairs, runs September 24-27, 2026, at the Javits Center. Roughly 230 galleries from more than 30 countries take part.
The fairgrounds are huge, and there is a lot to see.
We spoke with curators, followed the crowds, and took photographs as visitors and collectors moved through the fair.
Model Margarita at ACA Galleries, with Kandy G Lopez's large fiber portrait R² - Roscoe and Reggie (2024) behind her. ACA presented Women in Fiber in the fair's Perspectives section, booth 124. Lopez made the portrait in yarn and acrylic paint on hook mesh.
The Caribbean Focus brought the convention center floor to focus. In the 2026 Focus, "Raw Alchemy: The Caribbean and Its Diaspora," curator María Elena Ortiz brought together artists working across the islands and the diaspora. Ludlow called their representation solid; he spoke of the diversity of the islands and how the section reflected New York and the wider world. "Look at all these people," he said. Saturday was more relaxed, a mixing day of visitors and collectors.
Inside the Focus section, the crowd buzzes around Renée Cox's The Signing (2017) at Ethan Cohen Gallery. Cox reimagines the signing of the U.S. Constitution with a predominantly Black cast. The work measures 62 by 180 inches, 15 feet across.
Conversations at the fair centered around internationalism. Shipping, logistics and travel brought work and people here. UN General Assembly week added another layer of visitors, street closures and security around the city. Miami-based Art Advocate Ludlow Bailey had come for a UN dinner. The fair felt international in the art and in the people looking at it. “I love New York because the people here are always looking for more. Look at all these people, it’s good!.”
Miami-based curator Ludlow Bailey offered advice: "Just chill. It's art." Here he stands in front of a textile work reading FREE SPIRIT. Photograph by Ashley Frey.
At Everard Read, there found a methodical selection of South African artists, booth 203. The paintings were interesting pieces of work, mostly medium sized and relatable. A representative at Everard Read likes the booth’s central sculpture, Africa. He leans towards graphic elements that critique society.
At Everard Read, BRETT MURRAY, AFRICA (MEDIUM), 2025
Bronze, 179 x 74 x 70 cm (70 3/8 x 29 1/8 x 27 1/2 in.)
WAC30300
At Victoria Miro, booth 108, Tal R's Untitled Flowers (2022) gathers dark sunflower heads around a blue vase.
Pablo's Birthday, Arne Zimmermann, founder, New York, Nonprofit gallery, 2022. Photograph by Lesny JN Felix.
Where will these large works find a home: in private collections or museums and institutions? We look forward to Sunday's last day at the fair, and to covering the fashion, artists and acquisitions.
Nabil Nahas, Untitled (2023), acrylic on canvas, 121.9 × 121.9 cm (48 × 48 in.), at Ben Brown Fine Arts. The colors and raised forms caught our eye.
Attending on Saturday, The Current Selection looked for an understanding of the fair in conversations with visitors, collectors, dealers, artists, and staff. The New-York based publication received its first-ever press pass and the following is what we noticed.
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Courtesy of the Current Arts Foundation.