Activist Artists Stage Die-in At The Armory Show in New York City.

Armory Show


New York City’s Armory Show is the premiere art fair to see art and to be seen, well — seeing the art. The show, though respected is often lampooned for many of it’s ostentatious qualities, including a rather pricey cost of admission.

While black artists definitely have a presence in the art world, the nature, the level, and the impact of the visibility of a select few black artists, has definitely come under scrutiny in recent years.

Many feel that black artists who create politically or racially charged works are used for shock value, while the core message of their works is completely lost or barely acknowledged.

Over the weekend, the Artists for Justice, staged a guerilla die-in at the event, which included spoken word, song, and Eric Garner’s last words. The group was led out by security.

Noah Horowtiz, the executive director of the Armory show, stated the demonstrators were removed for the venue “curatorial and safety concerns.”