Pulse New York Art Now Fair Pier 40 March 27-30, 2008 Written and Photographed by Mindy Hyman Opposite Photo: Pharmaceutical Pills

Pulse New York participated in Art Now Fair on the last weekend of March 2008. The Art Now Fair occurs biannually in New York and Miami. Pulse presents international art galleries and artists in New York on an annual basis at this fair. This year, Pulse presented contemporary art at Pier 40. The view of the Hudson River coupled with the vast array of art made for an invigorating spring day in the city.

Black Licorice Shoe

One of the most unforgettable pieces of art consisted of giant black shoes, ten feet long and made of black licorice. The piece depicted the artist’s memories of eating black licorice as a child with his grandmother and of his father’s signature black patent-leather shoes. The shoes instill in the viewer a spatial and physical sense of “being in the artist’s shoes.”

Mary Coble Performance Art
"Bloodscript"

The most evocative portion of the event was a piece of performance art called "Bloodscript," by Mary Coble. Coble creates live art out of herself by having a tattoo artist inscribe derogatory words with inkless needles onto her skin, such as “bitch” and “lard ass”. The commitment this woman took to portray her art through the rupture of her skin was both thought-provoking and disturbingly admirable.

Another live performance that inspired was the dance troupe chez Bushwick. An additional standout was a framed picture of a flat screen featuring a view of a moving lake, which brought the movie Total Recall to mind.

A final favorite was a strand (or strands) of pharmaceutal pills. The colors were inviting and the whole design looked like strings of candy. It was almost as if the artist was suggesting that pills contribute to the adult’s candy play land.

Mary Carlson's Octopus

In addition to the live art, there was an abundance of paintings, photography, sculpture and mixed media. A life-sized octopus made out of yarn was particularly appealing.

Pulse’s massive exhibit proved to be an inspiring, artistic experience.


For more information about the Art Now Fair, log onto: http://www.artnowfair.com/