Aug. 23, 2005 

ART OF 9/11, ACCORDING TO DANTO
Philosopher and art critic Arthur C. Danto is organizing an exhibition of nine artistic responses to 9/11, in a show that is conceived not as an ordinary art exhibition but as "an act of piety." Titled "The Art of 9/11," the show is on view at Apexart in Tribeca in Manhattan, Sept. 7-Oct. 15, 2005. "Even non-artists respond to tragedy with art," Danto writes. "Among the many unforgettable experiences of the early aftermath of the attacks was the unprompted appearance of little shrines in public spaces everywhere. By nightfall, New York was a complex of vernacular altars." Participating artists are Audrey Flack, Leslie King-Hammond, Jeffrey Lohn, Mary Miss, Lucio Pozzi, Ursula Von Rydingsvard, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Westman and Robert Rahway Zakanitch.

9/11 CULTURAL SUMMIT IN NEW YORK
The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has organized "What Comes After: Cities, Art and Recovery," Sept. 8-11, 2005, a "cultural summit" featuring over 60 artists, architects and intellectuals marking the fourth anniversary weekend of 9/11. Six roundtable discussions are slated for the Tribeca Performing Arts Center at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on Chambers Street; exhibitions include "book" at 15 Nassau in the Financial District, "After Effects" at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, and artist Chang-Jin Lee’s "Homeland Security Garden" at the World Financial Center in Battery Park City. Other events include a performance by Diamanda Galás at Pace University by City Hall and a night of political cabaret at Joe’s Pub on Lafayette Street. For details, see www.lmcc.net/recovery

The two events, by the way, should also stand as the beginning of a strong art-world reproach to the disgraceful anti-art posturing of New York Republicans in the debate over the Ground Zero memorial [see Artnet News, July 20, 2005].

WITH CAMERAS BANNED, ARTISTS TAKE UP PENCILS
As a matter of policy, visitors aren’t allowed to take photographs of the artworks in "Greater New York 2005," Mar. 13-Sept. 26, 2005, the vast survey exhibition of emerging art mounted at the P.S.1 in Long Island City. In response to this "Stalinesque ban" -- to use the words of critic and artist Tom Moody -- the collector James Wagner launched a special "Free the Art" web gallery on his popular art blog, featuring drawings and sketches of works in the show contributed by other artists. So far, eight drawings have come in the e-mail. See www.jameswagner.com

ART INVESTORS SKITTISH?
A word of caution for those thinking about trading in their IRA for A-R-T: A story in the Aug. 22, 2004, Wall Street Journal reports that "art funds" are having increasing difficulty in attracting actual investors. The report takes as its starting point the recent retreat of the Dutch financial group ANB Amro Holding NV, which had hoped to launch a "fund of funds" to underwrite a variety of art-as-investment schemes, but recently scrapped the proposal after its advisors, the London-based art consulting firm Seymour Management, found that interest is lagging among investors.

This fiduciary ennui flies in the face of skyrocketing auction prices for art. The explanation? The WSJ report lists several possible causes, including a lack of reliable information about art values, given that most art is privately sold, and high sales commissions for middlemen like auction houses and galleries, which cut into the profitability of the sector for potential investors. The story ends on a positive note, however, reporting returns of 10-15 percent for London’s Fine Art Fund, run by former Christie’s exec Philip Hoffman. Stay tuned.

EAST VILLAGE HOSTS "ART IN ODD PLACES"
The Howl Festival of the Arts, currently under way in New York’s East Village neighborhood, has its very own art exhibition -- "Art in Odd Places 2005," Aug. 21-28, 2005, a show of works by 28 artists in 50 public sites throughout the area. Among the works are a soundscape by Hong-Kai Wang at the Mr. Dumpling restaurant at 100 St. Mark’s Place, a gumball machine that dispenses sculpture by REPO History collective member George at the Spin City laundromat at 180 Avenue B, and post-it-note installations on street furniture throughout the East Village by Peter Adamski.

Maps showing the locations of the artworks are available at Mr. Dumpling, Spin City and Enchantment, Inc. (341 East 9th Street). Other participating artists are Oscar A. Alzate, Jennifer Bainbridge, Jolanta Bielat, Ethan Crenson, Eileen Doster, Sarah Ferguson, Angus Galloway, Jorge Garcia, Terry Hardy, Jander Lacerda, Ben La Rocco, Jen Mazer, Samuel Perry, Bianca Sanchez, Shoshana Polanco, Shabd Simon-Alexander, Jan Lynn Sokota, Sarah Ottinger Stout, Aaron Thompson, Chris Twomey, J. Kathleen White, Lili White, Wendy Wong and Alexandra Zevin. For more info see www.artinoddplaces.org

"POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE" BENEFIT
Artists are invited to contribute works to Visual AIDS’ eighth annual "Postcards from the Edge" benefit, to be held Oct. 18-19, 2005, at Robert Miller Gallery in New York. Last year, over 1,400 works were submitted; all artworks were $50 and sold -- anonymously -- on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s submission deadline is Sept. 30, 2005. For details, click here.

TRACEY EMIN NEWS
Scandal-friendly British artist Tracey Emin made waves earlier this year when she signed on as a columnist for the Independent newspaper in London, confessing much about her drinking and sexual proclivities. Now, the irrepressible Emin has turned up as the author of a short story printed in the London Times tabloid. "So thank you for the love letter," it begins, "you don’t know how happy it made me to hear from you." It turns out that the tale was commissioned by model Elle Macpherson as part of a marketing campaign for a new line of underwear; Damien Hirst, Elton John and Sandra Bernhard are also taking part. For more, see www.intimate-stories.com

NEW PARTNER, NEW NAME FOR C&M ARTS
C&M Arts, the celebrated Manhattan gallery founded in 1993 by Robert Mnuchin with Los Angeles dealer James Corcoran (who left the firm long ago), is taking on a new partner and changing its name. Beginning after Labor Day, the gallery becomes L&M Arts, reflecting the addition of new partner Dominique Levy, a New York art dealer who previously was in charge of private treaty sales at Christie’s auction house. Jennifer Vorbach, who had been a partner at C&M, moved to Christie’s earlier this year.

LONGO TAKES KAISER RING
New York artist Robert Longo has been awarded the Goslar Kaiser Ring 2005, an honor that consists of a simple golden ring with the seal of German Emperor Henry IV engraved in an aquamarine. The prize jury cited Longo, who exhibits in New York with Metro Pictures and in Germany with Galerie Hans Meyer, as a "radical and compelling grappler with the destroyed world of yesteryear." In conjunction with the award, an exhibition of Longo's work is to be mounted at the Mönchehaus Museum for Modern Art in Goslar, Germany. Other winners of the prize have included Henry Moore, Max Ernst, Joseph Beuys and, more recently, Jenny Holzer, William Kentridge and Katharina Sieverding.

PATRICIA STILL, 1919-2005
Patricia Alice Garske Still, 85, wife of the Abstract Expressionist painter Clyfford Still and executor of his estate since his death in 1980, died at Carroll Hospital Center in Maryland on Aug. 21, 2005. Just last year, the city of Denver agreed to build a new museum to house 750 paintings and 1,400 works on paper from Still’s estate. Patricia Still is survived by her stepdaughters, Diane Still Knox and Sandra Still Campbell.

-- contact wrobinson @ artnet.com