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VOLTA NY brings some of the world’s greatest contemporary art to one of the greatest cities in the world. With new leadership, new ownership, and a new venue, Downtown Magazine caught up with VOLTA’s director Kamiar Maleki to find out about what is new, and what attendees can expect.
Downtown Magazine: What excites you about being the fair director for VOLTA 2020?
Kamiar Maleki: 2020 is a great new chapter for VOLTA and it’s very exciting to lead this year’s fair. VOLTA has showcased in New York for 15 years and this year we are returning with new ownership by Ramsay Fairs and a new venue at Metropolitan West. It’s exhilarating to be back in New York City for 2020 and to experience the energy and art community of New York. VOLTA has always been about discovering art and emerging galleries and that’s one of the main reasons I love being part of this fair as fair director.
DM: What does Ramsay Fairs bring to the table for VOLTA 2020?
KM: The beauty of Ramsay Fairs is that it is such a large family. Ramsay Fair operates over 15 art fairs and has a huge team across the world. Having such a strong group allows everyone to really concentrate and invest in the fairs we are creating. It’s an exciting time to be part of Ramsay Fairs and VOLTA and to share Ramsay Fair’s passion for art with the world.
Courtesy of VOLTA
DM: What is a big change which you are excited for returning attendees to see?
KM: The biggest change that we are seeing this year is the change we’ve made to our solo project mandate. This new change will allow galleries to showcase multiple artists and have the freedom to create and prepare presentations similar to what they would stage at their home galleries without the solo project restriction, resulting in a more balanced fair.
DM: What is something which you are excited for newcomers to discover?
KM: VOLTA is a very engaging fair and we want each new gallery to have a personalized experience. As a director, my job is to create a platform for artists to showcase their art in the best possible way. We want them to fully experience the staff and incredible team we have here. They have worked hard to create this platform in an exciting new venue. We have worked to focus the entire fair on the artists and their works and are looking forward to welcoming several new galleries this year.
DM: How will debuting VOLTA 2020 at the Metropolitan West affect the atmosphere of the event?
KM: Metropolitan West is a very intimate venue and we are confident that this new location will promote an immersive fair experience and encourage fairgoers to interact with the galleries and spend time learning about the artworks. Fairs can become overwhelming quite easily. Debuting the fair at Metropolitan West this year creates a peaceful atmosphere that allows attendees to appreciate the art at their leisure.
DM: What makes VOLTA culturally important?
KM: The root of VOLTA is discovery and in any industry, discovery is what makes something culturally important. This year, we are excited to welcome a dynamic group of galleries from five continents that are showcasing artists from 22 nations. It’s incredible to give these international emerging artists a space to showcase their work in one of the world’s largest cities.
DM: What should attendees know before arriving?
KM: Come in and enjoy! We encourage attendees to take their time and observe what artwork they connect with and speak to the artists and galleries. The fair is built on artistic discovery and we hope that guests are able to learn something and enjoy their time at VOLTA.
If you are interested, check out more information at the link here.