In a recent conversation with Art+Auctions Sarah Douglas, Armory Show director Katelijne De Backer admitted that some long-time Armory exhibitors were skeptical about the fair’s decision to expand and open a new section this year. “It’s so funny, but in general people are scared of change,” De Backer said of Armory Modern, a new 68-gallery section dedicated to modern art and photography. “We’ll see if it is a success or not.”

Like it or not, change has already come to the art market in the form of a frightening and at times paralyzing recession, and in this new climate the Armory’s experiment looks better than ever. The 68 galleries on Pier 92 are more likely to offer blue-chip works than the contemporary-focused galleries in the Armory Show’s main section on Pier 94, and blue-chip means safer investments for nervous collectors. At the very least, Armory Modern seems like a smart hedge against a diminished market for contemporary work on the part of Merchandise Mart, which owns the fair.

Like the main event, Armory Modern runs March 5–8 with a preview evening on March 4. It’s a fair full of greatest hits and familiar faces, but also, as this slide show preview shows, plenty of surprises.

Click on the photo gallery above to preview 26 highlights from Armory Modern. Click here for a preview of works in the Armory Show.