Haffendi Anuar at Volta NY Art Fair

Haffendi views the movement of such cultural relics as reflecting or echoing the movement of people who traverse geographical boundaries and political barriers, which highlights the constant search for a better life.

His latest work examines how culture in the region where he is based, has become oommoditized in the form of souvenirs and decorative objects as well as images and icons.

The Works are also an extension of the artist’s interest in developing a body of object-based paintings that borrow the aesthetics of geometric abstraction and native tribal art.

Contrasting against the hard-edged geometric designs of the masks, the smooth and sinuous forms of the sculptures are created from sanding. They exist between the realms of figuration and abstraction, displaying how meaning and values shift when physical modifications are made to existing objects.

Volta NY is  an art fair that invites projects by solo artists. It is the American incarnation of the original Basel Volta show, which was founded in 2005 by three art dealers as a fair "by galleries, for galleries".

Since its debut in New York in 2008, artistic director Amanda Coulson re-conceived the format as a rigorously curated, boutique event — along the lines of a sequence of intense studio visits versus a traditional trade show environment.

Since then Volta NY showcases relevant contemporary art positions from emerging international artists, from cutting-edge trendsetters to next year’s rising stars. Coupled with its approachable solo-booth format, the Volta team has created a fair that is both accessible to younger art-lovers and beloved by seasoned collectors alike. By spotlighting artists through primarily solo projects, Volta NY refocuses the art fair experience back to its most fundamental point: the artists and their works.

In 2017, Volta NY will present its decade edition as a solo-focused international contemporary art fair.