What Sold at The Armory Show 2022

While sales were strong and appeared to counter the declining economic climate, the true highlight of The Armory Show this year was the return of in-person sociality. Artist Helina Metaferia—who presented a solo booth with Addis Fine Art and sold two works from her photo collage series “By Way of Revolution” (2018–present) — deeply appreciated the conversations she had between collectors and curators alike. “It was great to hear feedback [from new audiences] and know that the work resonated with them because my work is so political…audiences were able to see themselves in it,” she said.

“Fairs like this provide artists with a concentrated, international audience that a standard gallery show cannot provide, so I really appreciated having a physical presence here,” she added. The artist also noted that this audience was important because, to her, there was an increased visibility of women artists and artists of color whose work presented a variety of important political issues.

“Artists are influenced by their environment and what’s happening in the current situation,” Metaferia continued. “[Artists] are inspired by their lived experiences, and there is a lot of shared anger and grief that is expressed through the artworks at the fair. But thank God, we have art to help us get through this!”