Among a multitude of pleasing yet unadventurous art, the standouts at this year's fair shone especially bright.
Independent, an art fair that frequently features some of the most inventive and stimulating work on New York's fair circuit, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. The current edition, on view through Sunday, brings together nearly 90 exhibitors for the occasion. But while the mood at the preview on Thursday was undeniably excited- the acoustics at Spring Studios in Tribeca provided a noisy echo of the bustling crowds venturing across several floors -the work here was less boundary-pushing than in years past.
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Finally, enchanting is the best way to describe Kutlug Ataman's photographs at Niru Ratnam, created while he made his whimsical film "Journey to the Moon," about a remote Turkish village that bands together to try to rise out of poverty by entering the space race. These striking images blend science and religion, surrealistic vistas and gritty everyday scenes. Everyone will have a favorite, but mine captures a group of villagers praying around the minaret they've repurposed as their rocket ship-its embodiment of hope in the face of adversity, the power of the communal spirit, and the friction between empiricism and mysticism is deeply moving. These photos show that, even in a season of safe exhibitions, adventure is out there for those who seek it.
