As the great and the good of the New York art world gather for Frieze – the city’s most important art fair – there’s a new kid on the block: the Alternative art fair Esther, opening today (1 May).
Running concurrently to the Frieze frenzy, Esther invites collectors, dealers and art lovers to experience the architecture and history of the East Side’s Estonian House.
The choice of this elegant four-story Beaux Arts building, which has long served as an important gathering place for New York’s Estonian community, is no coincidence, with Esther’s founders hailing from Estonia.
Its founders are two wave-making gallerists: Margot Samel, founder of the eponymous Tribeca gallery, and Olga Temnikova of the Tallinn-based gallery Temnikova & Kasela.
Beyond Esther, the pair are on a mission to bring the creative prowess of their compatriots – and particularly women artists – to an international audience, with Temnikova & Kasela-represented artist Edith Karlson even representing Estonia at this year’s Venice Biennale.
Running from 1–4 May, Esther gathers 26 international galleries – from as far and wide as BANK Gallery in Shanghai, Latvia’s Kim? Contemporary Art Centre and Seventeen in London – alongside book launches, live music performances and opportunities to sample Estonian cuisine. Enjoy.
