VOLTA New York 2024: A Celebration of the Power of Art
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The Contemporary Modern Art Project booth at VOLTA New York 2024
A Visionary Fair Led by Lee Cavaliere
Led by Artistic Director Lee Cavaliere, for his inaugural edition in the city, the 16th edition of VOLTA New York brought a wave of excitement and success, highlighting both commercial and cultural impact. Held from September 4 to 8, the fair showcased 52 galleries from 18 countries, continuing VOLTA's mission since 2008 of championing emerging artists and galleries in key art market hubs. This year, VOLTA also highlighted the importance of cultural diplomacy through its Ukrainian Pavilion, demonstrating how art can transcend boundaries even in times of conflict.
Standout Sales and Exhibitors
The Land Before Time(2023) by Gary Armer. Oil on canvas. 76.5x102cm. Courtesy of Thomas VanDyke Gallery
VOLTA has long been a go-to destination for collectors looking to discover “what’s next” in contemporary art. The 2024 edition continued this tradition, establishing itself as a vital platform with dynamic presentations, significant sales, and new collaborations. A standout this year was Ireland’s Stone Step Gallery, featuring the work of Paul Hughes. After debuting at VOLTA New York in 2023, Hughes garnered attention from Sotheby’s Institute of Art and was invited to exhibit at Art Week in Miami last December. His return to VOLTA New York 2024 proved equally successful, with eight of his pieces selling for nearly $10,000 each. Other notable sales came from emerging gallerists and artists presenting diverse mediums, including Christian Marx Gallery, who featured a striking collaborative piece by Tim Okamura and Wildcat Ebony Brown. First-time exhibitors like Wolf and Nomad and Mandy Zhang sold impressively, while Thomas van Dyke made a strong debut, with sales and holds for works valued at up to $35,000.
The Prodigious Wildcat Ebony Brown by Tim Okamura and Wildcat Ebony Brown. Installed at VOLTA New York 2024 with Christian Marx Gallery.
“The journey began long before reaching New York. We chose VOLTA and hoped they would be on that journey with us and are grateful we travelled together. A relationship was formed that we are confident will last for a long time. The help and guidance received from the team went beyond generous, navigating logistics, revenue systems and all requests were welcome and dealt with expertly.
The connections and opportunities we made through our time at VOLTA went far beyond monetary value. Introductions to collectors, and new relationships formed, invitations to exhibit, are just some of the wonderful experience we took away from VOLTA New York.”
The Ukrainian Pavilion: Art as Diplomacy
The Ukrainian Pavilion was another powerful highlight of VOLTA New York 2024, drawing attention from key art publications such as The Art Newspaper, Elephant Magazine, and Hyperallergic. The pavilion underscored art’s role in diplomacy, with ArtAxcess selling out a solo presentation by contemporary painter Feros and Dymchuk Gallery selling four pieces by SYNCHRODOGS. Other significant sales came from Ya Gallery and Mriya, underscoring the global demand for contemporary Ukrainian art. The pavilion’s impact went beyond sales, highlighting the country’s challenges, as gallerists from Ya Gallery and Dymchuk Gallery were unable to attend due to conscription requirements. Thanks to VOLTA’s educational partner, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, sales assistants were provided to represent the absent galleries. In addition, the Metropolitan Museum’s Watson Library requested catalogues from these galleries, ensuring documentation of Ukrainian contemporary art during the ongoing conflict. A highlight of the week was a donation from Ukrainian artist Ola Rondiak to the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, where her piece joined the Democracy Collection, honoring efforts to advance democracy through art. This donation was followed by a roundtable conversation with esteemed figures like Alice Gray Stites, Kathy Nalywajko, and Chase Robinson, discussing the intersection of art and diplomacy. This will be published as part of VOLTA’s upcoming conversation series.
(Left to Right) Lee Cavaliere, Ola Rondiak, Megan Beyer, Maya Rondiak.
Tatyana Okshteyn. Founding director at Black & White Gallery/Project Space
(Left to Right) Lee Cavaliere, Chase .F. Robinson, Sheila Arora
A Look at the Future of Art Collecting
Rounding off the week’s events was an engaging discussion on the future of art collecting, hosted by Sotheby’s Institute of Art. This special Friday evening event featured insights from industry leaders such as Lucius Elliot, Head of Contemporary Sales at Sotheby’s, FORMAH Gallery Director Maryana Kaliner, and art advisor Rob Fields. Together, they explored the shifting dynamics of the art market and how collectors are adapting to new trends. This thought-provoking conversation was a fitting conclusion to VOLTA New York 2024, a fair that continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art and forge meaningful connections between artists, collectors, and institutions both in New York and globally.
Founder of FORMah Gallery, Maryana Kaliner at her booth in VOLTA New York 2024.
“VOLTA is about discovering the new, and this year saw amazing opportunities for collectors to acquire works by emerging and established artists. But this year there was also a moment to reflect on the future they are helping to support by this investment. Through our program and the conversations with galleries, VOLTA showed the power of art and the collecting community.”