Washington, DC
Capitol Skyline Hotel
From clever branding to a brassy roster of artists, the debut edition of (e)merge delivered on its promise to shake things up. Showcasing artists with no gallery representation and galleries that take on new artists, the art fair offered a rowdy alternative to its blue-chip cousins. The brainchild of Jamie Smith, Leigh Conner of Conner Contemporary, and Helen Allen, founder and former executive director of PULSE Contemporary Art Fair, (e)merge featured some 40 galleries and alternate art spaces showing in converted guest rooms of the Morris Lapidus-designed Capitol Skyline Hotel, while another 40 or so artists presented on the grounds, the first floor, and in the basement garage (the hotel is owned by collectors Mera and Don Rubell). Throughout, stand-alone sculptures, installations, and performances held sway. Samuel Scharf’s installation, A Moment in Time, set a tone of immediacy as it flapped in the wind and rain. …see the entire review in the print version of October’s Sculpture magazine.
