The art fairs are upon us here in New York this week. Rows upon rows of flimsy booth walls display miles of art. Check out a concise guide to all 14 of them here. I’m taking a minimalist approach this year: I’ll be returning to the Armory to check out the African Perspectives Focus, and heading to Pulse on Saturday for a panel on Art & Revolution.

View of Ed Young’s work All So Fucking African at the Armory, past of the focus “African Perspectives”

• Focus: African Perspectives – Spotlighting Artistic Practices of Global Contemporaries is curated by Julia Grosse and Yvette Mutumba, founders of Contemporary And, an online platform for international art from African perspectives.  Moving beyond conventional ideas of the African continent and its “counterpart,” “the Western hemisphere,” this year’s Focus will provide a glimpse of international artistic production from contemporary African viewpoints: emerging curators, artists, galleries and art spaces that connect scenes and markets through global networks. From Lagos to London to Luanda – and presented together for the first time in one location – this year’s Focus will examine the artistic developments and manifold narratives arising from African and African Diasporic artists, emphasizing geographic fluidity and global connections.

At the Armory Art Fair – Pier 42 on Twelfth Avenue at 55th Street open now through Sunday, March 6, 12 pm to 7 pm.

• Panel on “Art and Revolution”– What role does art play in these times of political upheaval, has it changed the nature of the protest and art work? And, most importantly, what should our role as cultural producers be? Moderated by Hyperallergic’s editor-in-chief Hrag Vartanian, in conversation with writer and curator Ryan Wong, artist, writer, and teacher Chloe Bass, artist and activist Noah Fischer. Free with fair admission.

At Pulse Art Fair -PERSPECTIVES Lounge at 125 West 18th Street on Saturday, March 5 at 1pm.