Six Unforgettable Artists at the Biggest Independent Fair

Independent takes a big leap this year: With 76 exhibitors, most of them bringing solo or two-person shows, it’s now bigger than Frieze (about 68 galleries), and it’s moved to Pier 36, a hangar-like space on the far end of Chinatown, to accommodate the change. (They even hired the architects So-Il, who previously did Frieze’s tent on Randall’s Island.) The fair remains tightly curated and esthetically consistent. The downside is that it can be hard for work that breaks the mold to stand out, like Johan Samboní’s carved-brick figures in an installation at SGR Galería (110) or Chakaia Booker’s recycled rubber-tire sculptures, paired with Miguel Rio Branco’s vivid photographs of street scenes presented by David Nolan and Almeida & Dale (303). But the upside, which is considerable, is that you can count on a broad vista of strong, tasteful, harmoniously colorful work.

May 14, 2026