The Press Release:
FOCUS Art Fair, the only NYC fair dedicated to the intersection of tech-enabled and traditional art, is announcing its third annual New York edition, taking place May 15 to 18 at Chelsea Industrial (535-549 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001). FOCUS will host a VIP Preview on May 15 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will be open to the public from May 16 to 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s edition features work from over 10 countries and off ers a special focus on the intersection of human creativity and technology as well as contemporary Asian art, accounting for nearly half of the fair’s exhibitors.
Curated around the theme Human Creativity vs. Machine Potential, the 2025 edition will explore how raw human creativity can be transformed and complicated by assistance from AI, robotics and other emerging technologies. As these innovations advance rapidly, humans are contending with their impact on our daily lives, economies and the creative sphere. FOCUS 2025 provides a timely platform to investigate and envision our shared reality amid these changes.
“FOCUS is delighted to return to NYC for our third edition in the city,” said Sungmin Hong, CEO of FOCUS Art Fair. “Artists have long been early adopters of new technologies that enable them to expand the boundaries of their work; the integration of AI, robotics and other forms of emerging technology is no different. We believe tech-assisted art offers new entry points to examine our collective futures and increasingly digital-first lives. For the first time, FOCUS NYC 2025 will exhibit the real-time creation of traditional and tech-enabled art, analogizing these forms of working through a series of immersive performances.”
FOCUS NYC 2025 is organized into four complementary sections that expand upon the theme Human Creativity vs. Machine Potential.
Section C—From Precision Machine Drawings to NFT Art—exhibits art created with AI and robotics, digital art and NFTs, highlighting the expanding role of machines and technology in artistic creation. Featuring collaborations between human artists and AI, as well as artwork generated solely by machines, these booths explore the future potential of tech-assisted art. Jinah Roh’s interactive, AI-driven robotic sculptures will headline Section C. Exploring the philosophical significance of relationships between humans and non-human entities, her installation raises questions about the definition of machines and life.
At the booth of Netherlands-based artist Florian Markus, visitors can watch ultra-fi ne drawings created by a robotic arm in real time, an opportunity to observe how a machine can produce lines with a delicacy rivaling that of a human hand.
Taezoo Park will exhibit his “Digital Beings”—sentient entities created by repurposing obsolete machines. His work challenges the concept of obsolescence, breathing new life into forgotten devices.
Rounding out Section C is Anna Laudel Gallery presenting artist Server Demirta?, who describes his moving sculptures as “mechanical fictions.” Demirta?’ meticulously crafted works are sensorial and evocative, often capturing brief yet significant moments, such as an embrace or an expression of grief.
Section P—A Deep Dive into the Artist’s Studio—provides contrast to the tech-driven art. Showcasing 16 booths replicating each participating artist’s studio, this section spotlights not only the fi nished pieces but the creative process itself. Visitors will see the building blocks of art—from the artists’ tools, canvases, paints, and sculptural materials— and can watch artists as they conceptualize, experiment and refi ne their works. The interplay between sections C and P creates a commentary on the converging paths of tech and human nature; as humans strive for perfection and the art market for prolific output, AI attempts to replicate the specificity, nuance and fallibility of the human hand and mind.
Sections A and B off er a dynamic blend of International and Asian artists. Over 40 booths feature galleries from around the globe and the best of contemporary Asian art.
FOCUS is working with several partners this year. For the VIP preview, Sopo, a new Korean fast-casual restaurant, will present Art on the Table, an installation of finger food inspired by the exhibited work. Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Pinkfong and Asia Society are programming partners.
EXHIBITORS
SECTION A
OPENING GALLERY (New York, US)
ORLAN (Paris, FR)
OPENART ADVISORY (New York, US)
GYAGYAGYA GALLERY (Tokyo, JP)\
ROJO GALERIE (Manila, PH)
1930 ESTUDIO (Taxco, MX)
ESC-YSC (Florida, US)
ANTICO CONTEMPO (New York, US)
HL PROJECT (Paris, FR)
A SPACE GALLERY (New York, US)
MITSUHIRO HIGUCHI (Tokyo, JP)
SECTION B
NYC CULTURE CLUB (New York, US)
SEBASTIAN PIAZZA (Florida, US)
ANTONIO GALVAN (New Jersey, US)
NEDKO WATER (New Jersey, US)
ARNION ART (California, US)
RIZLANE (Quebec, CA)
J. RUEL MARTIN (Georgia, US)
MEI-TSEN CHEN (Paris / Taipei)
ANGELA NIKOLAU (New York, US)
KKURATED CA (New York, US)
SAVE (Seoul, KR)
ASHLEY LONGSHORE STUDIO GALLERY (New York, US)
KANA (New York, US)
JAY CHUNG GALLERY (New York, US)
CROSSING ART (New York, US)
HL PROJECT (Paris, FR)
SECTION P
LARA KIM (Seoul, KR)
GEN ARTAINMENT (Incheon, KR)
STÉPHANIE POPPE (Tongeren, BE)
JOYCE POMMER (New York, US)
EUNYOUNG SON (Seoul, KR)
RICHARD GLICK STUDIO (Chicago, US)
OPENCALL MARY LAI (Los Angeles, US)
PEDJMAN MOHAMMADI (Charlotte, US)
AHYOUNG SOHN (Seoul, KR)
HYUNAH KIM (Seoul, KR)
ELSA MARIE KEEFE (Florida, US)
LEE.K (Seoul, KR)
JULLIA KIM (Hawaii, US)
JOSÉPHINE EKEDI (Normandy, FR)
ANTHONY TREMMAGLIA (Ottawa, CA)
SECTION C
A?DEN (London, UK)
JINAH ROH (Seoul, KR)
FLORIAN MARKUS (Haarlem, NL)
TAEZOO PARK (New York, US)
ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANY (London, UK)
ANNA LAUDEL GALLERY (Istanbul, TR)
About FOCUS Art Fair
Founded in 2019 in Paris, FOCUS Art Fair is dedicated to exploring the synergy, complexity and possibility at the intersection of tech-enabled and traditional art. Held annually at iconic venues such as Au Louvre (Paris), Saatchi Gallery (London), and New York Chelsea, FOCUS is more than a commercial fair—it is a curated exhibition platform that engages with critical issues of modern society. By connecting emerging artists, galleries, collectors, and brands, FOCUS continues to grow as a creative hub for cultural dialogue and global visibility.
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Piercing Ken Thoughts: This art fair is a new one for me but based on the press release and all these technological exhibitors I can say that I am very interested in checking this out but at the time of this posting, which I admit is on the late side, I am not yet scheduled to pay them a visit. It’s a busier bunch of weeks than I’ve expected it to be here at the Media Command HQ but we like that since it ends up keeping you readers engaged and up to speed with things that are going on around the city. Last week I attended the Future Fair for the second time and last month and before that were the Affordable Art Fair and Artexpo New York. In a bit of a shameless plug, I have videos premiering on a special New York City Art Fairs playlist that you can launch by clicking the hyperlinked text. What do you art lovers out there in the readership think about this announcement? Does it sound like an art show that you’d pay a visit to? Chime in down below in the comments section and I will see you all again soon. Virtually that is….