NEW YORK— Noah Horowitz, formerly director of the online-only VIP Art Fair, has left the virtual world after less than two years to direct a fair in real life. The Armory Show has announced that Horowitz will become the marquee New York art fair's new managing director, starting today.                                                               

It has been a fall full of changes for the Armory Show, which will hold next year's edition from March 8-11. In September, Katelijne De Backer stepped down as director after 11 years at the post, and Paul Morris, who co-founded the Armory Show in 1994 and currently serves as the vice president of art fairs at MMPI, its the parent company, stepped in to fill the vacancy. (He also continues to hold his VP position at MMPI.) Beyond the leadership shifts, the Amory announced plans to redesign its home at Piers 92 and94 with a new look from architecture firm Bade Stageberg Cox,add a restaurant, and trim its lineup by 50 galleries. The changes may be motivated in part by the impending arrival of — and increased competition from — the Frieze Art Fair, which is planning a New York edition on Randall's Island next year from May 4-7.

Horowitz, who holds a PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art, joined VIP from London's Serpentine Gallery and has also served on the faculty of Sotheby's Institute of Art in New York. He is the author of the book "Art of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial Market." Horowitz will work alongside Morris and the fair's other two managing directors, Deborah Harris and Michael Hall, to "help shape the creative vision of the fair and cultivate relationships with galleries, partner institutions and collectors for Pier 94, the contemporary section," according to a statement from the fair.

Morris told ARTINFO he approached Horowitz a couple of months ago after considering a few other possibilities for the position. "With Katelijne leaving and me taking over as director, I knew I needed some help on the fair. I wanted somebody who knew the art world and knew the art dealers," he said. He and Morris will work collaboratively to create the Armory Show's 100-dealer roster. "It's great to work with people who understand the dynamics of the art world as well as all the people within it," he said.

In a statement, Horowitz called the Armory Show "one of the most important cultural events in New York and the international art world as a whole" and said he was "honored and excited" to join the team. 

Meanwhile, the VIP Art Fair has said it will begin looking for a replacement for Horowitz as soon as its new CEO, e-commerce entrepreneur Lisa Kennedy, begins her new position on November 10 and can assist in the search.