The global art market may be slowing down, both in the primary and secondary sectors, but fairs show no signs of stopping. New York Armory Art Week arrives once again this September, proving that artists keep producing and galleries keep presenting, even in more cautious times. Amid the abundance, we took a look into New York Armory Art Week this September and highlighted the works and artists that caught our eye.

What Is New York Armory Art Week?

Armory Art Week is more than just a fair. It is a celebration of contemporary and modern art that brings together leading galleries, blue-chip artists, and exciting emerging names. Held at the Javits Center in Manhattan, it attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The week also coincides with satellite fairs and exhibitions across the city. Together, they create a cultural atmosphere that fuels conversation, discovery, and new connections.

Teodora Axente at Rosenfeld Gallery

Romanian painter Teodora Axente (b. 1984, Cluj School) is part of Gallery Rosenfeld’s group presentation The Old Masters Reimagined at Booth 236 during The Armory Show 2025 in New York.

Her works in this booth draw inspiration from several traditions — the Dutch Golden Age, the Early Renaissance, and the Sienese School. She presents The Moment, a painting dense with allegory: a pomegranate (rebirth), insects (metamorphosis), water (sanctification), and a sacred book referencing Siena’s Evangeliario.

After Armory, she will debut Metamorfosi del Sacro, her first major institutional solo exhibition at the Santa Maria della Scala Museum, Siena (13 November 2025).

Xu Yang at Rosenfeld Gallery

Xu Yang (b. 1996, Shandong, China) brings a theatrical and symbolic approach to painting. Now based in London, she draws on Rococo art, drag performance, and pop culture to explore femininity, identity, and the female gaze.

Her canvases often feature layered oil paint, lush textures, and symbolic objects like flowers, insects, wigs, and jewels. These motifs blur the line between still life and performance, turning each painting into a staged scene.

Recent exhibitions in New York, Athens, Hong Kong, and London have cemented her as an emerging voice in contemporary painting. At Armory Art Week with Rosenfeld Gallery, Xu Yang’s works invite viewers into dreamlike worlds where fantasy, history, and self-transformation collide.

Xu Yang
Tales and Dreams Are the Shadow Truths That Will Endure When Mere Facts Are Dust and Ashes, 2025

Alicja Kwade at 303 Gallery

One of the artists who captured attention this year is Alicja Kwade, represented by 303 Gallery.

Kwade is known for her philosophical explorations of perception, time, and matter. Her sculptures often merge natural materials with industrial forms, making viewers question what they see. At Armory Art Week, her works stood out for their elegance and conceptual depth.

Collectors and critics alike admire her ability to transform simple objects into profound reflections on existence.

Pooya Aryanpour at Dastan Gallery

Iranian artist Pooya Aryanpour was a standout at Dastan Gallery. Born in Tehran in 1971, Aryanpour is known for his use of mirrors in sculpture. This practice draws from Iranian traditions and reflects both spiritual and aesthetic dimensions.

**Pooya Aryanpour**, *From "Fruit of Elysian" Series*, 2024

Since the early 2000s, his mirrored works have explored themes of multiplicity, reflection, and unity. By fragmenting and multiplying images, Aryanpour’s pieces challenge viewers to see beyond themselves.

His career spans over three decades with exhibitions in Tehran, London, and beyond. His art remains both local in reference and global in appeal, resonating with contemporary audiences worldwide.

Details of **Pooya Aryanpour**, *From "Fruit of Elysian" Series*, 2024

Flora Yukhnovich at Victoria Miro Gallery

British painter Flora Yukhnovich continues to build momentum this fall. Beyond her Armory Art Week presence, she has launched a major museum commission titled Flora Yukhnovich’s Four Seasons at The Frick Collection in New York.

From September 3, 2025 to March 9, 2026, she transforms the Frick’s Cabinet Gallery with a site-specific mural. The work reimagines The Four Seasons by François Boucher. Yukhnovich uses pastel tones, sweeping blooms, and lush weathered elements to blur figuration and abstraction.

Her mural fills the space once occupied by Boucher’s panels—so it acts both as homage and as reinvention. She shifts the historic composition into something immersive and atmospheric.

Flora Yukhnovich at Armory Show in NY 2025

This exhibition adds to her growing profile. It complements her small oil on board works like Spring, 2025 and Summer, 2025, shown via Victoria Miro during Armory Week, and signals her increasing recognition in institutional spaces.

MeSo Ventures x Frieze New York: Private Collection Visit

During Armory Art Week, MeSo Ventures partnered with Frieze to host a private collection visit at the home of collector Priya Karani. The evening brought together artists, gallerists, and collectors for an intimate look at works by Xu Yang, Mary Pye, and Alicja Kwade.

Karani has been an early supporter of Kwade, with one of her sculptures displayed prominently in the residence. The setting highlighted how private collections continue to shape the dialogue around contemporary art, even as the market slows. By creating space for conversation and connection, MeSo Ventures and Frieze highlighted New York’s ongoing role as a nexus between collectors, artists, and institutions.

Sep 21 A Look Into New York Armory Art Week This September