This Week Is My Superbowl

Spring is in full swing, May is nearly midway, and that can only mean one thing:

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NYC Art Week is upon us.

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This week is my Super Bowl.

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I prep for this.
I schedule for this.
I buy comfy-but-chic shoes for this.

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(Shout out to Aerosoles. IYKYK. I could probably climb a mountain in their wedges.)

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Frieze is in town, which of course means the city is about to be flooded with far more than just Frieze itself

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.Because while the fair may be the headline, the real magic of New York Art Week is often in the periphery.

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The satellite shows.

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The downtown pop-ups.

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The quick coffee between meetings.

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The strategic snack.

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The “I just popped in” moments that somehow become the thing you end up talking about most.

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For one very condensed, slightly chaotic, highly stimulating week, New York becomes even more of what it already is:

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A place where everyone is looking.

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At art.
At each other.
At what’s next.

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So, since today is Monday and everything really kicks off on Wednesday, I figured I’d do what I do best and get you prepared.

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Think of this as your go-to guide to navigating NYC Art Week.

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From the big guns…
To the fun ones…
To where to regroup, recharge, and quite literally recharge.

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Let’s do it.

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The Big Guns

Frieze

The polished power player.

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Where: The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, Hudson Yards
When: May 13–17, 2026

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The Shed.

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Where you’ll absolutely see something incredible… and where half of it is likely already sold before you even step foot into the exhibition hall.

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Frieze is the headline for a reason.

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Big galleries.
Big names.
Big money.
Big energy.

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This is where the heavy hitters play.
A little intimidating.
A little “I know someone on the board.”

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Frieze is less about discovery and more about pulse.

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It’s where you go to understand the temperature at the top.

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NADA New York

The downtown tastemaker.

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Where: Starrett-Lehigh Building, 601 West 26th Street, Chelsea
When: May 13–17, 2026

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If Frieze is the polished headline…

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NADA is where I go to actually discover.

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This is where things feel a little less intimidating.
A little more exploratory.
A little more “wait… who is this artist?” in the best possible way.

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Emerging galleries.
Unexpected work.
Real blue sky curation.

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And beyond the fair itself, NADA does genuinely great programming year-round, which says a lot.

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Honestly, some of my favorite finds from Miami Art Week this year came out of NADA Miami.

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NADA consistently feels like possibility.

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Less about what’s already been canonized…
More about what could be next.

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If Frieze is about understanding what’s already arrived…

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NADA is about spotting the spark before everyone else catches on.

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Independent

The cool girl.

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Where: Pier 36, 299 South Street, Lower East Side
When: May 14–17, 2026

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Independent has always felt a little more curated.

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A little more editorial.

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A little less “look how much” and a little more “look how well.”

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This year, after what felt like forever at Spring Studios, Independent is moving to Pier 36.

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And honestly?

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I’m very curious.

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Layout matters.
Flow matters.

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Especially for a fair where galleries are invited, not application-based.

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This isn’t randomness.

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This is selection.

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If Frieze is big energy and NADA is discovery…

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Independent is taste.

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TEFAF New York

The chic Upper East Side grandma… with auction taste.

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Where: Park Avenue Armory, Upper East Side
When: May 8–12, 2026

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TEFAF feels different.

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Less frenzy.
More pedigree.

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This is not the fair you sprint through.

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This is the one you stroll.

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And yes, it absolutely gives Upper East Side grandma… but specifically the kind with impeccable taste, a private advisor, and a Sotheby’s paddle.

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And trust me…

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You’ll need a very big paddle if you’re planning on buying anything.

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If Frieze is pulse…
NADA is discovery…
Independent is taste…

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TEFAF is inheritance.

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The Fun Ones

Fridge Art Fair

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The chaotic art school cousin.

Where: Hotel Alameda High Line, Chelsea
When: May 13–17, 2026

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A playful wink at Frieze.

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Less pressure.
More humor.
More experimentation.

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This is where art remembers it can still laugh.

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Future Fair

The ambitious younger sibling.

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Where: 535 West 28th Street
When: May 13–16, 2026

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Future feels ambitious.

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This is where younger galleries get room to breathe.

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If Frieze is now…

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Future is next.

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Clio Art Fair

The self-made hustler.

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Where: 511 w 25th Street, Chelsea
When: May 14–17, 2026

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Independent artists.

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No exclusive gallery representation.
A little scrappier. A little more raw.

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If Fridge is humor…
Future is next…
Clio is hustle.

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Survival Guide: Food, Feet, and Fully Charged Phones

Let me be clear.

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You cannot do Art Week hangry.

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It clouds your judgment.

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And you absolutely cannot have a dead-adjacent phone.

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This is a marathon, not a sprint.

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Chelsea / Hudson Yards Fuel

Cookshop

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Think farm-to-table in the heart of Chelsea.

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A longtime staple and a perfect stop for lunch, dinner, or a strategic meeting in between fairs when you need something dependable, fresh, and well executed.

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Reliable.
Fresh.
Always a good call.

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Tia Pol
A longtime favorite for tapas and one of those consistently excellent spots that never really misses.

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Warm.
Classic.
A great place to reset and refuel.

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Lower East Side / Pier 36 Fuel

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Don’t skip the dumplings.

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Bo Hai Dumplings
For a quick, easy, on-the-go bite when you need something fast and satisfying before your next fair.

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Sometimes efficiency is everything.

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Kiki’s
If you’re looking for something a little more sit-down, Kiki’s is always a solid move for Mediterranean and a slightly more civilized reset.

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Because occasionally, amid the chaos, it’s nice to remember you are in fact allowed to sit.'

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Upper East Side / TEFAF Fuel

Sant Ambroeus
If you’re leaning fully into the chic Upper East Side fantasy, this is the move.

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Polished.
Classic.
Excellent people-watching.

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The Mark
For when you’d like your Art Week lunch to feel just a little more “I may or may not know a collector.”

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Elegant.
Iconic.
Very on theme.

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Butterfield Market
And honestly? Sometimes the best move is grabbing something good to-go, heading to the park, and staring at a tree for a bit.

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Because occasionally, the nervous system needs shade and a snack.

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Most Important: Portable Charger

Your phone will die.

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This is not a drill.

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Between maps, tickets, screenshots, notes app artist names, and pretending to text while standing near expensive art…

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You need backup.

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Final Thought

NYC Art Week is a lot.

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A lot of walking.
A lot of looking.
A lot of opinions.
A lot of overstimulation.

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But it’s also one of the best weeks to remember how expansive the art world really is.

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From blue chip to scrappy.
From legacy to experimentation.
From polished to gloriously weird.
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So wear the comfortable shoes.

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Charge your phone.

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Leave room for surprise.

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And don’t just go where everyone tells you to.

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Some of the best things all week will probably happen slightly off schedule.

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💌 Elle

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P.S. If you see me speed-walking through Chelsea in sensible footwear with a matcha in one hand, and approximately fourteen tabs open in my brain… no you didn’t ;) … but also, say hi & stay tuned for my 2026 review next week!

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