ART SHOW UNROLLS IN SNOW-LOCKED NYC
Neither rain nor snow nor dark of night can stop the Art Dealers Association of America from unveiling its 15th annual Art Show, featuring choice artworks from 70 U.S. galleries at the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue at 67th Street, Feb. 20-24, 2003. As usual, the show is something of a contest in Modernist elegance, with dealers striving to one-up each other with art-historical rarities. Ameringer & Yohe Fine Art, for instance, fills its booth with bright paintings and works on paper from Hans Hofmann's Provincetown period, in what is a sparkling illustration of the dawning esthetic of Abstract Expressionism. Barbara Gladstone Gallery presents something of a surprise with a collection of classic Surrealist works by Magritte, Man Ray, Bellmer, Hugnet and a ca. 1909 drawing by Odilon Redon, Tete Auréolée. PaceWildenstein also devotes its booth to a single artist, in this case Alexander Calder, filling the space with whimsical maquettes and tiny sculptures that seem guaranteed to be the fair's crowd-pleaser.
The Italian modernist Lucio Fontana has a strong presence, with ceramics at Garth Clark (whose overall theme is "In Praise of Holes!"), a cadmium orange painting at Achim Moeller and no less than two booths totally dedicated to his work -- glazed and polychromed ceramics (including a 67-inch-long Crocodillo) at CRG and a variety of pierced and slashed paintings and works in copper at Sperone Westwater. Black-and-white elegance is the theme at Brent Sikkema, whose space is filled with serene color-free works by Josiah McElheny, Vik Muniz and Arturo Herrera.
Star of the booth of American paintings dealers Martha Parish & James Reinish, Inc., is the clear-eyed Slaves, a six-foot-tall oil by Thomas Hart Benton that was originally done as part of a never-finished 75-panel cycle called "The American Historical Epic" (ten of the 18 completed works are at the Nelson-Atkins Museum). At L.A. Louver are several works by East L.A. painter Gajin Fujita, who is at 30 perhaps the youngest artist in the fair. Gallery director Peter Goulds said that a large five by eight foot painting, Crew (2002), had already sold for $26,000 to the Ulrich Museum in Wichita, Ka.
Seven galleries are participating in the Art Show for the first time, adding a bit more contemporary panache to the proceedings. In addition to CRG and Brent Sikkema, they are Danese, Paul Kasmin, Mitchell-Innes & Nash and Michael Rosenfeld, all from New York, and Anthony Meier Fine Arts from San Francisco.
Among the special events at the Art Show is a presentation by Museum of Modern Art director Glenn Lowry on "A Museum Director's Vision" at 3 pm on Feb. 20 and a panel discussion led by playwright Wendy Wasserstein and featuring Jennifer Bartlett, Peter Plagens, Clifford Ross, Michal Rovner and Pat Steir at 3 pm on Feb. 21. Tickets for these events are $30, and include Art Show admission, which is $15.
GEARING UP FOR THE SECOND BIENAL DE VALENCIA
When you make your plans for the summer -- the Venice Biennale and the Basel Art Fair are coming up! -- don't overlook the Bienal de Valencia 2003, June 6-Sept. 30, 2003. The second installment of the new international show has the theme of "The Ideal City" and promises to be both a celebration of and investigation into social diversity. The show is spread out through the city, and includes "A & M (Department Stores of Proper Behavior)," organized by Will Alsop and Bruce McLean at the Convento del Carmen; "The Museum of the Imperfect Past," curated by Mike Figgis at the Palace in Calle Exarch; and "The Face, Mirror of Society," put together by Sebastiâo Salgado at the MUVIM.
"Solares (or On Optimism)," organized by Lóránd Hegyi in 37 vacant lots in the historic city center, includes works by Txomin Badiola, Danica Dakic, Clay Ketter, Matthew McCaslin, Oleg Kulik, Javier Tellez, Richard Nonas, Sergio Belinchon, Dennis Oppenheim, Kim Sooja, Bertrand Lavier, Mihael Milunovich and Gilbert and George. "Micro-Utopias," curated by Francisco Jarauta and Jean Louis Maubant at the Reales Atarazanas, features works by Daniel Buren, Jordi Colomer, Wang Du, Tadashi Kawamata, Atelier van Lieshout, Leonel Moura, Rita McBride, Gordon Matta-Clark, Tobias Rehberger, Jason Rhoades, Jeff Wall and Dan Graham.
Also on tap are theater pieces by Peter Brook, Bigas Luna and Carlos Santos, a show in the city's train stations, bus stations and airport called "Ephemeral Architecture," and an exhibition by 500 children at the Edificio del Reloj called "Can the Children Save Us?" Art-worlders who want more info can take in a special presentation at Exit Art (475 10th Avenue at 36th Street) at 6:30 pm on Feb. 21, or email info@bienaldevalencia.com.
THE ART OF EATING WITH PETER HALLEY
Chicago's celebrated art-laden restaurant TRU (at 676 N. St. Clair Street) and its chefs Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand have teamed up with Chicago dealer Alan Koppel and artist Peter Halley to present a fantastic $250 feast on the theme of synesthesia -- in this case, experiencing color as taste and smell. The seven-course meal, which begins at 6:30 pm on Mar. 11, 2003, includes a yellow grand amuse-bouche, a red hot appetizer course, a green fish course, a black and white meat course and a blue dessert. Halley, whose art already appears in the restaurant gallery, is involved with the plate presentation -- brushing on an intense orange carrot reduction, for instance, before the chefs finish the dish. Dinner includes an autographed menu with reproductions of the Halley works that inspired each course. For reservations, contact judrengberg@aol.com.
ART HITS MISS SIXTY
The Italian jean company Miss Sixty, whose New York flagship store recently opened on West Broadway in SoHo, has installed three artist's commissions in its experimental boutique at 246 Mulberry Street in Little Italy. The works include a wall-size painting by Katherine Bernhardt based on Mario Testino's Miss Sixty fashion shoot, a geometric lavender and magenta mural by the Belfast-born New York artist Allyson Spellacy and "a dreamy documentary/animation" film installation by Eve Sussman. The art projects are the work of A Kinetic Corporation, a business launched by SoHo art dealer Bronwyn Keenan and partner Jacqui Millar to promote artists outside of the gallery framework. A Kinetic has also arranged for artists to design covers for Flaunt magazine (the March issue is Marlene McCarty), and has commissioned Eli Sudbrack aka Assume Astro Vivid Focus to put together a compilation of indie music for a Universal Music CD. Bronwyn's gallery on Crosby Street continues as well; a show of works by Andre Razo opens there Mar. 1.
LA MOCA ACQUISITIONS FOR 2002
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles added over 90 works to its collection in 2002. Among the gifts received by the museum are a monumental six-panel painting by Alfred Jensen from the estate of Sam Francis, and a 1984 3D relief by Donald Judd from Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Jonathan Borofsky's 1991 Walking Man sculpture was donated by David Bohnett. Purchases from MOCA exhibitions include a photograph by Thomas Struth, a video installation by Douglas Gordon and three drawings by Liz Larner. The museum also purchased works by Olafur Eliasson, Jeroen de Rijke and Willem de Rooij and Damián Ortega. The Buddy Taub Foundation provided funds to buy works by Michaël Borremans, Marlene Dumas, Sarah Lucas, Neo Rauch, Catherine Sullivan and Luc Tuymans.
Among the L.A. artists whose works were added to the collection are Lisa Lapinski, Jacci den Hartog, Mark Grotjahn, Dave Muller, Roy Dowell, Mike Kelley, Jim Shaw, Kevin Hanley, Markus Muntean and Adi Rosenblum, Lucas Samaras, Ronnie van Hout, Llyn Foulkes, Martin Kersels, Jason Rhoades, John Sonsini, Robert Overby, Pae White and Lincoln Tobier. Among the artists donating works by their fellows was Edward Ruscha, who gave a 1985 painting by Kenny Scharf, and Robert Gober, who gave a 1989 Juan Muñoz sculpture. Museum trustees gave works by Hannah Wilke, Sharon Lockhart, Chris Finley, Donald Baechler, Mark Leckey and Lawrence Weiner.
The museum curators used their discretionary fund to purchase works by Rika Noguchi, Tunga, Walter Niedermayr, Ron Terad and Judy Ledgerwood. The photo department acquired works by Grant Mdford, Anthony Hernandez, Sam Durant, Nikki Lee, William Wegman, Susan Lipper and Miles Coolidge. The museum's drawings committee bought works by Chris Burden, Marcia Hafif, Fred Tomaselli, Andrea Bowers, Nigel Cooke, Victor Estrada, Lecia Dole-Recio, Carlos Garaicoa and Monique Prieto; gifts were made of drawings by Jim Isermann, Julia Fish, Lucas Samaras and Raymond Pettibon.
NEW ART IN TEXAS
The Dallas Museum of Art kicks off its centennial year with a survey of 11 emerging Texas artists in "Come Forward: Emerging Art in Texas," Feb. 23-May 11, 2003. And in recognition of the art-world's affection for the young and the new, the show features work by artists who are either still in graduate school or recently graduated. Organized by DMA curator Suzanne Weaver and Northwestern U. art prof Lane Relyea, "Come Forward" includes Augusto De Stephano, Adrian Esparza, Joey Fauerso, Robyn O'Neil, Robert Pruitt, Juan Miguel Ramos, Chris Sauter, Brent Steen, Marshall Thompson and Brad Tucker. The show is accompanied by a 120-page catalogue that sells for $24.95.
L.A. CRITIC FOR GREENBERG LECTURE
The annual International Association of Critics of Art/USA Clement Greenberg lecture is given this year by Los Angeles critic Hunter Drohojowska-Philp. The presentation is titled "The Art vs The Life: The Critic as Biographer," and focuses on her work on her forthcoming biography of Georgia O'Keeffe. The lecture is open to the public; it is scheduled for 6:30 pm, Mar. 19, 2003, at the New York Studio School on West 8th Street in Manhattan.
PEARLSTEIN NAMED PRESIDENT
Famed realist artist Philip Pearlstein, 78, has been elected president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, becoming the fourth painter to head the organization in its 105 years. Other new officers include Robert Pinsky (secretary), Robert Ryman (vice-president for art), Francine du Plessix Gray (vice-president for literature) and Olly Wilson (vice-president for music). The executives serve three-year terms.
BEAU MONDE CATALOGUE Site Santa Fe in New Mexico has announced the publication of the catalogue of cantankerous critic Dave Hickey's "Beau Monde: Toward a Redeemed Cosmopolitanism," the fourth Site Santa Fe biennial that was held July 14, 2001-Jan. 5, 2002. The 160-page book, which comes out more than a year late, can be ordered for $75 at www.sitesantafe.org.
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