May Fair launches July 2020

A new addition to the region’s art fair circuit, May Fair, is set to launch its inaugural iteration online late July 2020. The project is a COVID-safe alternative to the new fair’s physical edition that was due to launch in April 2020, but will now open in 2021.

Running until 30 August, May Fair online promises to showcase the best of the emerging art practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific. Using the latest digital technologies to build its fair experience, May Fair plans to go beyond what could be conventionally realised at a physical fair.

This year’s edition will include 20 dream-like virtual booths hosting independent curators, artist-run initiatives and project spaces, as well as 10 solo artists. Among them are ARIs play_station and RM, curator Balamohan Shingade, and artists Biljana Popovic and Amy Unkovich. Each booth has been designed by the artists and curators, fittingly displaying the works in tailor-made digital spaces, with the fair accompanied by an online public program.

May Fair provides a unique opportunity for collectors to discover up and coming talent outside a more traditional commercial gallery or art fair context. Collectors can explore an online building and view its virtual exhibition spaces, as well as high-quality photographs of the featured works.

May Fair online 2020 participants include:

play_station (artist run space) presenting Owen Connors
noLips (artist run space)
RM (artist run space) presenting Ziggy Lever and Tui Harrington
Furniture Gallery presenting Olyvia Hong, Chris Peckham, Georgia Arnold and Nick Pound
Wet Green (Gallery Project) presenting Jenny Takahashi Palmer, Lilian Paige Walton & Wai Ching Chan
Sosâge (artist run space) presenting Arisa, Mia Brailey, Nick Jamieson, Liley Loh & Rainer Weston
Parasite (gallery) presenting Ali Senescall, Tash Keddy, Samuel Te Kani
Strange Goods (independent book shop & project space)
Balamohan Shingade (curator) presenting Chervelle Athena
Victoria Mcadam (curator) presenting Sholto Buck

As well as the 10 independent artist booths presented by May Fair:

Sione Tuívailala Monū
Alex Laurie
Nââwié Tutugoro
Biljana Popovic
Lucy Meyle
George Watson + Tyson Campbell
Amy Unkovich
Blaine Western
Joseph Nerney
Peter Simpson

Fair launches 30 July 2020. For more information, head to May Fair’s website here.

Image: Balamohan Shingade presenting Chervelle Athena. Courtesy: the artist and May Fair Art Fair.