NADA To See Here: Our 6 Favorite Things at the NADA Art Fair

This week, even more so than usual, art aficionados are really spoiled for choice in New York. Not only is Frieze Fair going on, but NADA (the New Art Dealers Alliance) returned to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side today. With 105 exhibitors showing through May 8, the selection can be quite overwhelming, so we went ahead and did the work for you and picked out six of our favorite exhibits.

1. These gleeful crocheted exhibitionists.

New York-based transgender artist Caroline Wells Chandler’s work, which can be found in the booth of the Roberto Paradise gallery, features a host of multi-colored crocheted figures of almost Dadaist aesthetics. They’re occupied in your average multi-colored crocheted figure activities, which include running around, peeing, and exposing yourself. All with a big smile.

2. This very realistically looking fake food.

Chloe Wise’s strangely upsetting mounds of fake pasta, complete with dripping urethane parmesan and pesto, are strangely compelling to behold in their extreme realness. This is definitely still-life taken to another level. Located in the Galerie Sébastien Bertrand booth, the Canadian artist’s work will either make you oddly hungry or put you off food for a good while (I inclined toward the latter).

3. A very close look at a jet engine.

The list of materials used to create Benjamin Reiss’s cross-dissected jet engine are almost as complicated as assembling an actual jet engine (I’m guessing it’s pretty complicated, I wouldn’t know). With the help of acrylic, polyester, epoxy, wood, cement, and a host of other materials, he created a sophisticated model that reveals loads of tiny easter eggs once you take a closer look. The centerpiece, for example, is a reference to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album, on the cover of which two robots are clasping hands. There’s also a Passover scene hidden in there, but you’ll have to find it for yourself. Find Reiss’ engine at Twentyfourseventhreesixtyfive’s space.

4. This “How to Get Ahead” guide.

Talon Gustafson, a Bushwick-based artist represented by Good Weather Gallery, decided to embrace the Donald Trump spirit that seems to be stinking up the air lately and created this conceptual piece, entitled “How to Get Ahead.” There are plenty of clever references hidden throughout the installation, including two framed photos of Abraham Lincoln and John C. Calhoun, which are considered to be the first “photoshopped” images in history (Lincoln’s head was placed on Calhoun’s body to then create a supposed portrait of Lincoln). The frames of the two images feature the designs of hipster-darling Mast Brothers’ chocolate wrappings. Well, tell us how you really feel, Gustafson.

5. This indictment of bad, bad capitalism.

German artist Timo Seber uses plexiglass-like posters to create cheeky yet compelling charts and drawings questioning our attitudes toward money, Internet usage, and online gaming. There are also shirts made out of leather featuring scenes from multiplayer games, if that sounds more like your thing.

6. These 3D-printed geometric creations.

The American Medium booth is displaying some works by Portland-based artist Brenna Murphy that are sure to please the tech and design nerds among us. Murphy creates futuristic, geometrically intricate cityscapes and designs out of 3D-printed sandstone. She also created a virtual reality environment which can be explored with an accompanying Oculus, in case anyone wants to really get up close into the shape-scape.

NADA, Pier 36 Basketball City at 299 South St, Lower East Side. May 5, 4pm – 8pm; May 6 and 7, 11am – 7pm; May 8, 11am – 5pm. $20 single entry, $10 for students.