[ad_1]
DJ Marcus Glitteris, 2024, Satellite Art Show, Brooklyn NY
By KENDALL KRANTZ July 3, 2024
On the fifth floor of a gutted warehouse in Williamsburg, a freshly printed roti whizzed past my knees like a frisbee. My assailant, local comedian Aakash Sariyah, lounged on a pile of sand dressed in only an orange apron, a jewelry crown, and a mermaid tail formed of plastic. He rolled fresh dough as the printer whirred, overheating. Pieces of clear, laser-cut acrylic were scattered around him, a blur between the aestheticization of water and environmental commentary.
This somewhat chaotic, interactive performance by Sly Designs was typical of this summer’s Satellite Art Show, an alternative and sometimes controversial fair looking to democratize contemporary art. Satellite’s curator and founder, Brian Andrew Whiteley, encouraged the designers to push their ideas into a new territory after accepting them into the show. Whiteley explained, “We push people to extend past the object, to think of the show as more than a trade booth.”
“We had to haul the sand up the stairs ourselves,” said Leslie Scherger, co-founder of Sly Designs, “but it’s so worth it to see how the performers are interpreting the theme.” Leslie’s counterpart, Evana Marisa Flores, chimed in: ”We wanted to merge the mermaid aesthetic with reality. It’s also our nod to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, which is also today.”
Moisturizer Gallery, photo by Brittany Wherry
Whiteley worked with a number of artists, both early career and established, to craft experiences within the show space. On one floor, Jarid Blue’s tent offered surreal self portraits bathed in projected patterns. On another, Joe Square set up an interactive story experience, “Find U,” where visitors could use headphones and a touchstone to literally listen to the paintings.
Some of Satellite’s showcased work was extremely provocative. Graphic VHS screen tests of BDSM shoots played before an empty bed in the Bound Leather booth, Moisturizer Gallery boasted work prominently featuring dildos and disembodied nipples, and a handful of displays centered violent images of clowns.
Life is Drag Brunch
“I’m looking for a diversity of perspectives,” said Whiteley, commenting on the show’s curation. “There’s something for everyone.” Despite his art world controversies, the recent opening of Satellite’s Lower East Side gallery proves something is going right with approach.
In my opinion, Satellite Art Show provides a much-needed outlet for art lovers either uninterested in or unable to attend legacy shows like Art Basel and Art Miami. Established groups like Tiger Strikes Asteroid and Particle Play find resonance with emerging artists and designers. At least three booths sold something work priced below $100, and shopping here felt like an investment in myself and my art community. The eclecticism of the collection can be off-putting, but it’s also refreshing.
Satellite was also a fun event experientially. Live performances included DJs, raves, and drag shows without asking for an extra ticket. I really enjoyed the electricity of mingling with folks both at the fringes and center of the art world.
Whitely put it best: “We keep doing these shows to let the people with money know that there’s an alternative. They’re getting the pasteurized version, but there are other options.”
I ended my Satellite Art Show experience in a $12,000 Particle Play chair made of recycled athletic material, watching Sariyah print another roti. This time, he dipped it in the sand, which shed like glitter when he launched the flatbread across the concrete floor. WM
[ad_2]
Source link
