The Armory Show commissions pop artist

NEW YORK -- Artist John Wesley has been commissioned to create the visual identity for The Armory Show 2006, the international fair of new art, to be held March 10-13. Wesley is best known as a pop artist, painting erotic drawings of women and pop icons throughout his 50-year career. His work plays with comic book and mythical characters, depicting athletes, animals, the female form and intimate moments.

The Armory Show commission is an opportunity to use the fair's influence to give an artist broad exposure. The work of Jockum Nordstrom, the commissioned artist for The Armory Show 2005, was published multiple times in more than 100 international publications, reproduced on thousands of promotional materials and featured in 20 pages of the catalog, which is on display in museums, bookstores and the New York Public library.

"In the heat of this explosive market, established work can be lost in the quest for the newest, next big thing," says Katelijne De Backer, director. "There's such demand that artists who don't have a body of work yet are being actively collected. By choosing John Wesley, we are emphasizing that established work can still be fresh and new. John Wesley and The Armory Show are at the peak of their respective places in the art world."

Represented exclusively by Fredericks & Freiser Gallery, New York, Wesley has been featured in 57 solo exhibitions, including eight shows at museums such as P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, Fogg Art Museum and Stedelijk Museum. This year, Wesley received the Skowhegan Medal for Artistic Achievement in painting.

The presenting sponsor for the show is Clifford Chance LLP, a global financial services law firm. For more information on The Armory Show 2006, call 212-645-6440; visit www.thearmoryshow.com. For information on Wesley, call 212-633-6555; visit www.fredericksfreisergallery.com.