Italian Galleries Report Mixed Results at The Armory Show 2020 Amid COVID-19 Fears

The 26th edition of The Armory Show closed Sunday, March 8, 2020, in New York. Despite coronavirus concerns, the fair saw generally positive business. About fifteen Italian galleries participated across sections, with no dropouts. In the main section, Mazzoleni presented a booth featuring works by Vincenzo Agnetti, Alighiero Boetti, Jannis Kounellis, Mimmo Rotella, Salvo, Mario Schifano, Rebecca Moccia, David Reimondo, and Melissa McGill. Director Jose Graci noted strong collector response to the mix of historic and contemporary artists. Vistamare (Pescara/Milan) showed Joseph Kosuth, Tom Friedman, Bethan Huws, and Rosa Barba, reporting satisfactory sales and new contacts despite some attendees wearing masks. A arte Invernizzi (Milan) missed some American collectors who stayed away. Galleria d'Arte Maggiore g.a.m. presented a dialogue between Joan Miró and Antoni Clavé, drawing crowds. P420 (Bologna) featured Irma Blank, Riccardo Baruzzi, Adelaide Cioni (sold out), and Victor Fotso, but noted slightly lower energy. In curated sections, Montrasio Arte (Milan) showed Antonio Ottomanelli with Dennis Oppenheim and Gordon Matta-Clark, among others, reporting positive sales for young artists but fewer visitors. Officine dell'Immagine sold a major installation by Marcia Kure on opening day. The fair will move to the Javits Center and shift to September 9–12, 2021, due to ongoing issues with the current piers.