Downtown for Democracy at Frieze New York

New artists editions by Paul Chan, Rashid Johnson and Richard Prince - whose 18 & Stormy (2018) is a composite portrait formed from the faces of the woman who have publically accused President Trump of sexual misconduct and adult actress Stormy Daniels (who alledges being paid off by Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen) - will be launched at the upcoming Frieze New York, as fair exhibitor Marian Goodman Gallery makes a presentation on behalf of Downtown 4 Democracy.

‘Art fairs offer a unique opportunity for creative activism,’ a statement by Downtown 4 Democracy commented, ‘lending a platform to share its message and optimize fundraising efforts over the course of a few short days.’

18 & Stormy will be sold in a variety of editions with different prices, starting at $100 for a limited edition poster. Alongside Prince’s edition, Paul Chan - an artist long engaged with activism, protest and direct action in the United States - offers DARKER GAYER DIFFERENT, from his ‘New Proverbs’ series, which repurposes the controversial characterisation of the 2018 US winter Olympic team by Fox News’ John Moody in a - since redacted - column published on the Fox website.

Meanwhile, Rashid Johnson’s Anxious Man Tee, building on Johnson’s ‘Anxious Men’ and ‘Anxious Audiences’ bodies of work, addresses the climate of anxiety around police shootings of the unarmed, k, series - a topic which resonates with artist Hank Willis Thomas’s memorial to the victims of gun violence, which will be unveiled at the South Entrance of Frieze New York as part of the fair’s Live program.

Alongside the new works, existing editions for Downtown 4 Democracy - by artists Katherine Bernhardt, Cecily Brown, Joanthan Horowitz,  Marilyn Minter, Guy Richards Smit, among others - will be available at the booth at Frieze New York. The editions will be displayed on the outside wall of Marian Goodman Gallery’s booth (C21), which surrounds the gallery’s solo presentation of Pierre Huyghe’s 'Expédition Scintillante Act II (Light Box) (2002). A wallpaper produced by artist Marlene McCarty serves a backdrop for the editions. Part of a seires of ‘Save the Date’ works by the artist, the wallpaper reminds the viewer of the upcoming election days: 11.06.18 and 11.03.20. ‘The voting booth is where we can decide our future’, McCarty states.

Frieze New York 2018 runs May 3-6.

^{Main image: Richard Prince, 18 & Stormy, 2018 (detail), offset poster, 84 x 67 cm. Courtesy: the artist and Downtown 4 Democracy}