Underdog THE(UN)FAIR Unveils The Underground

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For a second year, THE(UN)FAIR, an art exhibit unlike any other, brings its four-day celebration to Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood starting Wednesday, March 5, 2014.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140226/PH72205-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140226/PH72205-b )

Highlighting passion rather than fashion, THE(UN)FAIR this year features over 100 artworks, dozens of performances, and more than a few surprises tucked away in an unassuming, 19th century, former piano and lumber factory at West 52nd Street and 10th Avenue.

Created and produced jointly by renowned New York City artist Mikel Glass and James & Jennifer Wallace, co-founders of nAscent Art New York, the guerilla-style art show distinguished itself in an art-flooded Armory Arts Week last year, even garnering mention in the French national newspaper, Le Monde.

"Attendees really validated our faith in art and our efforts last year," said Mikel Glass, artist and co-curator for THE(UN)FAIR. "We're excited to do THE(UN)FAIR again—only bigger and better."

Taking performances to another level, this year's edition of THE(UN)FAIR has enlisted the help of events impresario Avi Werde and performance curator Jon Morris. Werde's Event Connection Source acquires and manages event needs from intimate to epic: event spaces, food, beverage services, entertainment, lighting, decorations. Jon is the founder and creative director behind the dazzling Windmill Factory, an arts collective based in Brooklyn. The Windmill Factory makes interactive installations, performances, and events, earning the trust of collaborators like musical group Nine Inch Nails, MIT, The New Museum, and the Burning Man festival.

Working with The Windmill Factory, singer and multi-instrumentalist Leah Siegel will perform a stunning audiovisual piece called "The Vocal Grid." With entrancing effect, "The Vocal Grid" features voice-activated, multicolored LED lights installed on a visual landscape. An indefatigable artist, Brooklyn-based Siegel also fronts indie bands Firehorse and Leisure Cruise, sings in cabaret collective Citizens Band, and contributes guest vocals for recording artists as varied as Sean Lennon and rapper Ja Rule.

Artist Brian Gonzalez returns to THE(UN)FAIR after wowing attendees with last year's marathon interactive performance artwork, "The Seeds That Release," featuring dancers elevated on slow-moving turntables and connected by bindings added and removed by audience members. This year, Gonzalez has created a new work, "In Between Light and Nowhere," debuting at THE(UN)FAIR. During Gonzalez's creation, a four-hour visionary journey, a performer immersed in a live, musical environment interacts with the audience in a unique way that must be seen to be believed.

"Siegel and Gonzalez's artwork are prime examples of how THE(UN)FAIR brings something different to this week of art," said Jennifer Wallace, co-curator of THE(UN)FAIR, and co-founder of nAscent Art New York. "As a platform, the entire collection should be fun, challenging, thoughtful, and should shed light on the theme of 'Exploring The Divide.'"

"Attendees of THE(UN)FAIR 2014 can expect paintings and sculptures from both established and emerging artists, along with a dynamic mix of installation, performance, and participatory art," said James Wallace, co-founder of THE(UN)FAIR. "People will see a cohesive, experiential environment that welcomes excitement and dialogue."

A not-for-profit event fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, THE(UN)FAIR exhibition promises a welcoming, exciting art experience—at once fun, wondrous, thought-provoking, and surprising.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Wallace
646-450-4216

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