Art Fair Returns To Governors Island This Labor Day Weekend

GOVERNORS ISLAND, NY — An art fair on Governors Island will return for its 12th year this Labor Day weekend.

Nearly 90 artists will display and sell their works beginning Saturday for the annual art fair, known as Portal, on the historic Colonels Row.

All of the artists featured are emerging or mid-career artists, who will display works from paintings and drawings to sculptures and video pieces, according to a release.

"We see our work in the arts community, and especially with the fair, as essential to helping level the playing field and provide opportunity fora greater range of artists to share their voices, visions, and works," said Antony Zito, the co-founder of 4heads, the non-profit that runs the art fair.

Artists who display their works keep 70 percent of the sales made at the fair.

This spring, 4heads renamed the art fair to Portal — saying that other fairs citywide are expected as the organization looks to expand.

"After 12 years, the landscape in which we operate has become smaller and more difficult to maintain, but 4heads remains committed to serving artists and to expanding opportunities for people to experience and connect with art and artists," Zito said.

Among the dozens of artists include Sherri Hay, of Toronto and New York, who will create an installation using sand, a counterweight and a balance; Anne Muntges, of New York, who will cover the walls of a room with line drawings; Aaron Li-Hill, of New York, who's outdoor sculpture will highlight climate change issues; among others.

The group of artists was chosen by a jury from about 800 proposals submitted this summer, according to 4heads.

"The quality of the applications this year was particularly strong, which made our jobs in choosing artists more challenging. However, this of course means that the experience for visitors will be exceptionally compelling this year," the 4heads team said in a statement.

The art fair, Portal, will run Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for free beginning Aug. 31 through Sept. 29.