September 17, 2026
There is a particular thrill in discovering an artist who seems to have been hiding in plain sight. At Independent 20th Century, that sensation is part of the premise. Now in its fifth edition, the New York fair has established itself as a destination for stellar examples of coveted blue-chip art, as well as remarkable finds by artists who have fallen outside conventional narratives—or whose reputations are only beginning to catch up with the quality of their work.
Taking place September 24–27, this year’s edition moves into Marcel Breuer’s former Whitney Museum building on Madison Avenue, now home to Sotheby’s headquarters. With a larger footprint than the fair’s previous location at Casa Cipriani, this year’s event brings together around 57 invited exhibitors and more than 130 artists, offering ample opportunity to add new names to your radar.
In vibrant, abstract paintings and works on paper, Marie Wilson developed a singular practice that eventually became defined by precision and symmetry. Wilson drew inspiration from the aesthetic and spiritual cultures of Northern California, where she grew up, and the intellectual currents of Europe, where she lived and traveled. While hints of Surrealism, occultism, and echoes of artists like Hilma af Klint appear in her practice, Wilson’s work is deeply personal.
At Independent, Gallery Wendi Norris is showing a stellar selection of Wilson’s work in a solo presentation that marks her New York and East Coast debut. “Marie Wilson was surrounded and influenced by some of the foremost artists of her generation, and yet, she did not make paintings or drawings with the intention of exhibiting or selling them,” says Wendi Norris. “Rather, hers was a deep, meditative practice honest to her own vision.”
