Installation view of Esther II at the New York Estonian House, May 6-10, 2025. Photo: Mathew Sherman

Esther Art Fair returned today for its second edition—straightforwardly titled Esther II—and while it’s still a relatively new entry on the crowded New York fair calendar, this salon-style fair has already established a clear identity. Founded by Margot Samel of the eponymous New York gallery and Olga Temnikova of Temnikova & Kasela in Tallinn, Estonia, Esther isn’t trying to compete with the bigger players. Instead, it offers something more focused: a collaborative exhibition model with no booths in a distinctive atmosphere that offers an alternative to the bustling commercial sprawl that defines so many of New York’s May art fairs.

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“For visitors, that interconnectedness shifts how the work is experienced—there’s more fluidity, more unexpected connections,” Samel told Observer. “It encourages slower looking, which is something we really value.”

Returning today (May 6) to the historic Estonian House on East 34th Street, Esther II expands on last year’s debut without scaling up just for the sake of it. Two new upstairs rooms and a redesigned basement level open up space for a fresh lineup of galleries and a new lower-level “showroom,” where Estonian designer Laivi has set up a t-shirt design area. Fairgoers can choose from among various fabrics that she will incorporate into the front, back and sleeves of a custom shirt.

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Esther returnees should keep in mind that any and all differences they spot between this year’s fair and last year’s are more than likely intentional. Most of the 2024 participants aren’t returning—only three galleries are back: Kogo from Estonia, Kim? Contemporary Art Centre from Latvia and Shanghai’s BANK, which recently opened a temporary satellite space in Nolita. That turnover isn’t accidental, according to Samel and Temnikova. Esther was created specifically for younger and smaller galleries often priced out of the city’s major........

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