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You can call me SL, this is about living.
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delivery boy sporting Union Jack sneakers, Gournes Crete, Greece from my 2012 archive April 27, 2012 "After Bill Cunningham" continued... The Swede and I are home, back to a chilly New York. It's been almost two weeks. (Can you hear me crying?) Admittedly, as we flew away from Crete toward our connecting flight in Athens, I teared up a bit. Crete is a special place, so for the conceivable future, let's pretend we are still there. Our favorite place to eat in the village near our hotel was Manousos Taverna, spelled MANOYΣOΣ EΣTIATOPIO. Did you catch that spelling? Completely confusing to a foreign eye. And to further complicate things; cities, towns, and villages are spelled at least three different ways. Driving in Crete requires some serious wayfinding skills and solid driving. Brush up on both before you go. Dichalo Taverna deserves the honor of creating the finest food we tasted on Crete. But one can't eat such fine foods everyday, so Manousos became our regular joint. And the food served there was plenty tasty. It had a varied menu, plenty of choices for both omnivores and vegetarians, a friendly staff, and a charming interior. On my list of favorites dishes were the lamb chops with rice and grilled vegetables, spinach and feta pizza, Crete salad, dolmades, roasted potatoes, marinated beans, and yogurt ice cream with honey and walnuts. Many tired nights, The Swede and I ordered in to our hotel. We became such regulars that on two occasions they gave us a complimentary bottle of wine with our order. Free wine, another plus for Manousos. All the cooks and waitstaff were mature men with the exception of a twentysomething delivery boy who sported these Union Jack sneakers. He was flattered I wanted to photograph his footwear, but quite shy with his older counterparts looking on. They seemed amused and something tells me they teased him after we left. archives: "After Bill Cunningham", Art, Food |
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sneakers Astoria, NY from my 2012 archive March 22, 2012 "After Bill Cunningham" continued... These sneakers and the subway floor are both Pollock(esque). The sneakers less so but whenever I see a splatter of paint Pollock comes to mind. The colors fondly remind me of the interior of an abalone shell, with the silvery shimmers of blue and pink. Similar to Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock's work has heavily influenced Pop Culture. A great amount of work has been produced that was inspired by them, particularly in fashion. It is completely fine by me, they are two of my favorite artists. They are gone but their influence continues. archives: "After Bill Cunningham", Art |
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Tracey Emin's "And I Said I Love You!" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive March 16, 2012 Magic numbers This post is overdue. The Swede and I celebrated our anniversary together one week ago. Eight years! It feels special, each year we add another number to the time we've spent together and each year seems like its own precious milestone. And now we're magically at eight, I can't believe it. The Swede gave me an artwork to commemorate the day. It doesn't get better than that for me. He commissioned a painting from Steve DeFrank. I am feeling very lucky, to be gifted with something so special, and to have such a lovely person for a husband. The painting is of a quarter, with the profile of George Washington, the word "Liberty" and the number 2004, the year we started dating. It is in the signature Steve DeFrank style, a faux wood background and the quarter painted as a faux wood carving. The Swede knows me well and fully appreciates my obsession with George Washington, so he chose to commission a quarter over a penny. Yes, I also have a thing for Abraham Lincoln, but the quarter trumps the penny. You need quarters for laundry after all. And parking meters. archives: Art, Miscellaneous |
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Eric Fischl's "Self-Portrait: An Unfinished Work" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Eric Fischl's "Saint Barts Ralph's 70th" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Eric Fischl's "Saint Barts Ralph's 70th" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Eric Fischl's (Untitled) Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Eric Fischl's "The Clemente Family" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Eric Fischl's "Portrait of a Couple: Steve and Anne in LA" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive March 15, 2012 Portraiture I would describe Eric Fischl as a painterly painter. His paintings possess a distinct style of their own yet feel comfortably familiar. Besides landscapes, portraits are one of the most common motifs in art. I never tire of them, whether in a painting, a sculpture, or a photograph. Faces are personal and deeply relatable. What differentiates a good portrait from a great portrait is the gaze and Eric Fischl does that well. He currently has an exhibition at the Mary Boone Gallery, one of my favorite galleries that I frequent, and where I saw Terence Koh's performance almost exactly a year ago. I stood quietly (and entered quietly this time) and looked at each of the portraits carefully. His use of strong light sources and soft hues transfixed me, and I became lost in the works, looking across the picture plane, my eyes skipping from section to section and back again. When you can lose yourself in an artwork, that's a great feeling. archives: Art |
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Alexander Wang's spring/summer 2012 campaign video Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Alexander Wang's spring/summer 2012 campaign video Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Alexander Wang's spring/summer 2012 campaign video Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Alexander Wang's spring/summer 2012 campaign video Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive February 24, 2012 See It Move I did something for the first time that isn't considered a great feat when it comes to photography or animation. I didn't capture an African lioness giving birth, and I didn't create the sequel to Finding Nemo, so Pixar won't be calling. But I did do something that gave me great personal satisfaction. I like to think I'm Google savy, so understand my disappointment when I tried to research something and didn't find any information about it. The Swede and I came across this installation next to the Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, and I assumed the installation belonged to that gallery. I didn't look for information posted and didn't bother to ask the guard who was watching over the work. I figured, "I'll just Google it." It turned out the piece didn't belong to that gallery, and Google didn't turn up any results. I wondered how that could be, an outdoor installation in the Chelsea Gallery District and not a single mention on the internet. Then I recalled one of the photos I hadn't selected to share and remembered it had text running across the windshield. I made out Wang. "Hmm, Wang...Wang...does that look like Alexander to you?" The Swede replied, "Could be." Back to Google and again, no results. I persisted and two days later found it. I noticed the text photo was almost identical to a photo I had selected to share. As I toggled back and forth between the two reconsidering my selection, I noticed the animated quality the toggling back and forth created. I told The Swede, "I'm going to make a moving picture." He countered, "You mean an animation?" "No, a moving picture, a picture moving, " The Swede, "What's the difference?" My response, "I don't know, it's just different (in my mind)." archives: Art |
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feathered boots Astoria, NY from my 2012 archive February 22, 2012 "After Bill Cunningham" continued... I'm a person who enjoys repetition which often leads me to focus on a series of things. A series allows me to make connections between things over time. Inspired by Bill Cunningham, here I go with a series called "After Bill Cunningham." When you spend a good amount of time on the subway, you will find yourself doing one or all of the following: staring at your phone although you know it won't ring or receive texts because you're underground, staring above people's heads and reading the same advertisements over and over, reading something brought from home, reading something you were handed on your way into the subway, falling asleep, falling asleep on a stranger's shoulder, having a stranger fall asleep on you, holding onto a pole while standing and trying not to think about how many other people have touched the same pole, ignoring the person shouting at someone or shouting at someone not there, holding your breath, or staring at the ground. So this is where I'm at right now, staring at the ground. And inadvertently staring at people's feet. These boots caught me eye, not because I'm fond of them. But they are visually interesting and demonstrate a real commitment to one's wardrobe. If you're going to rock feathers on your feet, you are committed. archives: "After Bill Cunningham", Art |
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Emanuel Leutze's "Washington Crossing the Delaware" Manhattan, NY from my 2012 archive 
Emanuel Leutze's "Washington Crossing the Delaware" Manhattan, NY from my 2012 archive 
Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington" Manhattan, NY from my 2012 archive February 20, 2012 Happy President's Day Most people in The United States have today off because it's President's Day. Let's honor the Presidents for allowing everyone to have a day off, thanks George Washington...Thomas Jefferson...Abraham Lincoln...John F. Kennedy...Barack Obama. The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently opened the New American Wing. The undisputed attraction is the painting, "Washington Crossing the Delaware." I must say it is completely impressive. The scale alone is something to get excited about and that gold frame. Who doesn't love a little bling bling and American history combined. It is a painting that commands your attention. The composition, the light, the expressive determination of the people. I have a serious fascination with the images of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and non-president Benjamin Franklin. I find them interesting subjects to draw; Washington with his 18th century coiffure, Lincoln with his deep set eyes, and Franklin who graces the one hundred dollar bill, enough said. The Swede and I visited George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate on a whim a few years ago while on a trip to Washington D.C. The estate was vast and we were able to tour the main mansion, where Washington died, the kitchens, stable, animal paddock, gardens, mill, his tomb, and the slave memorial. We did miss one thing, the teeth, in the museum. Why we skipped the museum and headed straight for the shop, my fault. We had a limited amount of time, and I was on a mission to find a George Washington cross-stitch kit. archives: Art, Miscellaneous |
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Damien Hirst's "The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Damien Hirst's "The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive 
Damien Hirst's "The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive |
"The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive |
"The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive |
Damien Hirst's "The Complete Spot Paintings 1986–2011" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2012 archive February 18, 2012 Dot, Dot, Dot (A facebook status update I posted on my profile January 23) "I just read that if you visit all 11 Gagosian galleries to see Damien Hirst's exhibitions before the shows close in New York (3 locations), Beverly Hills, London (2 locations), Paris, Geneva, Rome, Athens, and Hong Kong, you will receive a signed spot print for free. I wonder how the cost of those trips compare to the value of one of his prints." It is called "The Complete Spot Challenge." What a great idea. I wish I had done it. I'm jealous of those who have. Details remain unknown, the print won't be produced until the challenge is over. The size of the edition will depend how many people complete the challenge. The number of prints will also determine the value of each print. Perhaps Damien HIrst should create a print with 11 spots, one for each location. Perhaps I should receive a print with one dot, I visited one location. I went to the Gagosian on West 24th Street here in New York. I didn't bother with the West 21st Street location. I was cold. Weather will cloud your judgement. archives: Art |
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Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Maurizio Cattelan's "All", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive February 3, 2012 Looking Maurizio Cattelan's show at the Guggenheim is over and so is 2011. Some months seems to linger on and others fly by without notice, and January was cast into the group of the neglected. The Swede mentioned wanting to see Cattelan's show early last fall, but we didn't end up going until a bone chilling "Pay What You Wish" Saturday evening in December. I was the one who was dragging my feet, not that he needed to twist my arm to get me there, but there were other shows in the fall that had higher priority. But then I overheard, "Everything is hung from the ceiling". I typically avoid all forms of reviews, from critics, friends, or otherwise when it comes to exhibitions, movies, and books. No exceptions, not even for "Kung Fu Panda 2" which my six-year-old nephew had seen and began to reiterate once I told him I had not yet seen it. I stopped him and stressed that I didn't want to know what happens. He then proceeded to tell me everything that doesn't happen, "Po doesn't die...He doesn't"... The Swede opens "The New Yorker" each week on its arrival in our mailbox and heads straight for the movie and art reviews. I, on the other hand, read reviews after the fact, not wanting to be subconsciously influenced by someone else's opinion. So, as I walked into the Guggenheim, I had very little expectation. I was greeted by every piece of work Maurizio Cattelan has ever made, minus one whose owner declined to lend the piece, hanging from the Guggenheim's rotunda. I immediately ditched The Swede (who kindly didn't mind being ditched while getting our tickets) and started looking. It was overwhelming, an eye full and a neck full (a reminder I need to exercise and stretch more). We made our way up through the spiral ramps of the museum, stopping every few feet to look. Due to the massive number of works, they quickly began to cancel each other out, which forced me to look harder. I looked up, looked down, looked through, similar to the way one looks back and forth crossing the street, making sure that you haven't missed spotting an oncoming car. I didn't want to miss the details. The Swede and I debated about the meaning of the works and the exhibition as a whole. But that's the thing about art, it's subjective. Everyone sees something different and experiences things in different ways. By the time we made it to the top, my eyes were tired, and I left only remembering those works that really struck me. Just like reflecting on a year past, only those things that impact you follow you into the next year. And just like Cattelan's show, I had to weed out those insignificant events in 2011, big and small, that in the end don't belong in 2012. archives: Art |
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limited edition Urban Swift Clyde Pumas by Hussein Chalayan
New Canaan, CT from my 2011 archive November 12, 2011 Details On a recent tour of Philip Johnson's Glass House, the guide pointed to a set of nesting ashtrays and a malachite box on the living room table. She told my group that no matter where Philip Johnson was in the house, if someone moved the ashtrays and box, he would walk over and move them back. I liked that story and made a point to store it in my memory. It gave me validation, I am the same way. Since I am not Philip Johnson, when I do similar things in my place, people look at me like I am crazy or uptight. I simply explain it as "everything has its place." Some people see the whole, I see the details. After the tour, I sat waiting for my group to finish browsing the book selection when I spotted a visitor wearing an unexpected pair of sneakers. I had just finished watching "Bill Cunningham New York" and decided to channel my inner Bill. Since I was in a small town, inside a small shop, I decided to ask the man before crouching down and snapping away at his footwear. He obliged but instantly changed his posture and began posing with his feet. Similar to the way someone's face changes when they are aware they are being photographed. I coached him to be natural, but that never works. Bill Cunningham's photo essays not only document the fashion of clothing, footwear, and accessories that are on trend in New York, his work shows other connections in his subjects as well. In one essay titled "X Factor" he comments: "The look that dominates high fashion in New York is a long stretch of leg, ankle boots and a new posture. Every era has a defining stance, and at present, it is standing with your legs crossed, like a model or a dancer en pointe." I can really appreciate that observation, and next time, I will be sure to ask the man with the Pumas to cross his legs. archives: "After Bill Cunningham", Architecture, Art |
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exterior of Clinton Pottery
Clinton, NY from my 2011 archive 
pottery
Clinton, NY from my 2011 archive 
"Berry Bowl" line
Clinton, NY from my 2011 archive 
pitchers
Clinton, NY from my 2011 archive August 15, 2011 By Hand I needed a break from the city and a friend needed help moving, so I made the five hour journey on the train to Upstate New York to the Utica area. As soon as I disembarked the train, I knew I was in for an interesting weekend. Within minutes, I spotted an Amish family, the males wearing brimmed hats, the females wearing bonnets, and they were carrying luggage. Not rolling suitcases, but leather luggage of a reasonable size that you carry by hand. The little boy, probably three years old, kept curiously looking at me, and me at him. He was a real cutie with his blonde ringlets flowing out from under his straw hat. The highlight of the visit, obviously, was not the act of moving. But the many finds that my friend and I discovered just driving from one place to another. The local library was hosting their annual book sale where I picked up Paula Deen's "Living It Up, Southern Style" for $3, Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet" for $4, "Lowney's Cook Book" (inscribed 1914) for $1.50, and Roger Tory Peterson's "A Field Guide to the Birds" (1947 edition) for $1.50. Believe me when I say I could have bought many, many more books. At that point, I could foresee more finds in my future, so I withheld. On the way to a farm market and a farmers market, where I hoped to find unique types of garlic bulbs to plant, my friend and I found a roadside dish sale. There was a table set up with dishes, prices, a metal box for the money, and no one around. This was a "honor system" yard sale. As we perused the offerings, a woman came out of the house and asked us if we were looking for anything specific, she hinted she had many more dishes. Naturally curious, I asked to see the others. She led us down the driveway to a small barn and opened the barn's doors. Gasp. The entire barn was stacked thigh high with dishes. Her late husband was a dishware dealer. She joked the stockade was her inheritance. I walked away with eight Syracuse China dessert plates for $0.50 a piece and a smaller creamer, made in India. The uncontested discovery of the trip was a visit to Clinton Pottery. Upon walking into the studio, I was in awe. The English Potter, Jonathan Woodward is a true craftsman. He clearly has been honing his craft for years. His business card reads, "Twisting Clay for 38 years." At one point, he even impressed himself. While I compared pitchers, he was suddenly struck at the consistency in the form and size of his works. Each piece is thrown by hand, no molds, including the plates. I purchased the "Berry Bowl" and the middle pitcher in the photo above. If you were to visit my apartment, you would find the bowl alternately filled with garlic or tomatoes from Plot95, and the pitcher filled with iced tea every day, without fail. archives: Art |
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 Glenn Ligon's "Rückenfigur" Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive July 26, 2011 I have not spent as much time as usual this summer going to the galleries or museums. In my defense, I have seen Alexander McQueen's "Savage Beauty" exhibition twice. My time has been spent tending the garden, which is extremely demanding during these hot months, I am working on a creative endeavour, and I have been catching up with friends (before it turns cold and everyone is in hibernation again). Yesterday, while browsing at Strand Book Store, a collection of Glenn Ligon's writings and interviews caught my eye. I went to his exhibition, "America" at the Whitney Museum of American Art back in April. This book was printed on occasion of the show, but for some reason I did not notice it at the time. I bought the book and spent some time reading it last night. I have a feeling it is going to be a great read throughout, and I am hoping inspirational as well. archives: Art |
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Mark di Suvero's work (Title Unknown), Socrates Sculpture Park
Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive 
Mark di Suvero's work (Title Unknown), Socrates Sculpture Park
Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive June 21, 2011 The largest outdoor exhibit of Mark di Suvero's work in New York City since the 1970's is up at Governors Island. I took my sister a few weeks ago when she was visiting, and the forecast predicted a day of fair weather. I managed to snap two photos of his work before it started to rain. I have no idea why I even bother checking the weather. Last time I was at Socrates Sculpture Park, I noticed a new work of di Suvero's out on the grounds. There is a fenced area to the left of the sculpture where he houses works in progress. (That is an assumption.) It was nice to view the work unobstructed, peeking through a fence is not the ideal way to view sculptures. Fortunately, there will be another chance to see the exhibit at Governors Island. My sister is coming back in August, this time with my nephew and niece. Since we were rained out, she wants to go back. It should be interesting to see how my nephew and niece interact with Di Suvero's work. I have witnessed kids walking up to his sculptures and instinctually climbing them. I am sure my nephew and niece will not be permitted to climb the work, but they will get a chance to ding a bell that is installed on one of the pieces for the purpose of interaction. I should bring an umbrella this time, just in case, and earplugs are not a bad idea either. archives: Art |
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Robert K. Otani's "Transformative Kayak"
Governors Island, NY from my 2011 archive June 9, 2011 Hammock Geez, it was hot yesterday. It was roughly 93 degrees with 30 percent humidity. By 10am, it was already 86 degrees...it was a long day. All I needed was a hammock and a shady tree. In that dream, an imaginary outdoor air conditioner would have also been nice along with a bottomless glass of iced tea. I went to Governors Island this past weekend and spotted a set of hammocks in an art installation from afar. As I approached, there was a preteen with a football physique also approaching the same hammock. I was slightly faster than him, so he diverted to the next hammock. He stepped up his gait, then excitedly plopped into the hammock. Rip! He immediately sprang to his feet and walked towards his family blushing and waving his hands warning them not to sit in the hammock. I felt bad for him and really bad for the artist. But--I could not stop laughing. I tried hard to hold it in, but sometimes funny is funny. archives: Art, Miscellaneous |
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Kara Walker and friend
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive April 21, 2011 A sighting and two openings I had my third Kara Walker sighting about a week and a half ago. I went to check out a show at the gallery that represents her, and she was there checking out the show with a friend. Last time, I spotted her waiting in line at the Paula Cooper Gallery. Tonight she has two concurrent show openings. One in the Chelsea Gallery District at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. which will be drawings, and the other at Lehmann Maupin's Lower East Side location which will be videos. The exhibitions are titled, "Dust Jackets for the Niggerati-and Supporting Dissertations, Drawings submitted ruefully by Dr. Kara E. Walker" and "Fall Frum Grace, Miss Pipi's Blue Tale," respectively. Her titles are works in themselves, something to think over carefully. I plan to go see the drawings tonight, that way I can cruise around and pop into other openings as well. Looking forward to another mini gallery run. archives: Art |
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studio of Steve DeFrank
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive 
gouaches, studio of Steve DeFrank
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive |
detail, Steve DeFrank's "Diga, Diga, Doo"
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive |
Steve DeFrank's "I Was Here"
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive |
Steve DeFrank's wood and paper plank works
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive April 12, 2011 A studio visit with Steve DeFrank The first time I met the painter, Steve DeFrank was several years ago when I was sitting and waiting for The Swede in a sculpture workshop. Steve came up to me and asked, "Do you have any chocolate?" I was without chocolate and Steve moved on. The question was innocent enough but it caught me off guard, he did not know me. On the way home, I told The Swede the story, and he chuckled, "That's Steve DeFrank." Fast forward a few years to late March of 2011. The Swede and I went to visit Steve's studio in Brooklyn. We arrived toting red velvet cupcakes topped with raspberries hoping to satisfy Steve's penchant for chocolate. When we arrived, he greeted us in Spanish. My instinct was to reply, "Como estas?" but I stalled, a bit embarrassed that my Spanish was not up to par. (It once was, in high school.) Steve is an avid student of Spanish and that is the thing about him, he does everything with enthusiasm and with openness. He is an artist and an educator. And very funny, an opinion many people share. His 500 square foot studio is spectacular. It is spacious and filled with natural light from a set of large windows on one end. Scattered throughout the space are works in progress and finished works hung on the walls. Steve is gifted with the ability to be a great conversationalist and an even better listener. He can speak endlessly about any subject. We were able to move from talking about his artistic process, to politics, to Powerpuff Girls, to families, to religion, and to travels. Steve draws inspiration from Pop Culture; referencing song titles, graffiti found on bathroom walls, cartoons, NPR, and other forms of media. He plays with the idea of faux, with layer upon layer of simulacra. He paints wood grain and carvings upon real wood and on pieces constructed from heavyweight paper made to look like wooden planks. Adding to the playfulness and attention to detail, Steve added to one work, faux planer marks, further challenging the viewer to guess what is real and what is fake. After being in the studio awhile, the enjoyment, passion, and satisfaction the artist feels became evident to me. I was able to see it in the work. This is not an easy place for an artist to reach. Steve agreed, he spoke about being in a place where he feels he should be and how it feels good to be there. This fall, Steve will have a solo exhibition at the Margaret Thatcher Projects. I am already looking forward to another studio visit and to his show, whichever comes first. We spent the last half hour of our visit saying, "We should go, let you work," but continued to chat. In the end, we did peel ourselves away from Steve and his work, after a four hour visit. archives: Art |
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Collection of Joanna S. Rose, "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts"
Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive 
Collection of Joanna S. Rose, "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts"
Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive |
Collection of Joanna S. Rose
Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive |
Collection of Joanna S. Rose
Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive |
Collection of Joanna S. Rose, "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts"
Upper East Side, NY from my 2011 archive March 31, 2011 Red and White Speaking of collections, can you imagine owning more than one thousand quilts? Joanna S. Rose has such a collection of red and white American quilts. I cannot imagine owning more than one thousand of anything. Not that I would not love to have a large collection (artwork), but the issue is how to store and care for those items. Six hundred and fifty quilts in her collection were on display at the Park Avenue Armory for six days. I wish it had been on exhibit longer, but the admission was free as a gift to New York City, so I understand it could not have gone on forever. Thank you. The Park Avenue Armory is an incredible space. It has a 55,000 square foot drill hall, perfect for massive installations. When the space is used effectively, it has a jaw-dropping, wow factor. I could have spent hours looking at each quilt, each pattern, each stitch, at each arrangement of quilts, and at the installation as a whole. The installation had so many visual layers and was an artwork in itself. It was great to witness so many people excited about quilts. I am sure they will never look at one in the same way. Quilts are one of the forgotten craft objects that you do not spend much time with in a museum, unless you are genuinely interested. I saw a show back in 2006 at the de Young Museum that I credit for bringing this art form back into the spotlight. After we returned home, I mentioned to The Swede that I thought it was amazing that only red and white quilts were on display, what restraint by the curator and the collector. He said, "Well no, I did see one quilt that had small yellow squares on it, about thirty to forty of them." What? Where was I? I wish I had seen that quilt and to of course, photograph it. I wonder how many other quilts had surprises on them. archives: Art |
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photo credit: I.Theorin, Maira Kalman's "Herring and Philosophy Club"
Upper East Side, NY from 2011 |
photo credit: I.Theorin
Maira Kalman's "Crosstown Boogie-Woogie" Upper East Side, NY from 2011 |
photo credit: I.Theorin
Maira Kalman's "Abraham Lincoln" Upper East Side, NY from 2011 |
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March 28, 2011
Language Take advantage of Free Saturdays at The Jewish Museum and see Maira Kalman's first museum survey. (Note: the gift shop is closed because of the Sabbath, no cash transactions.) She and I have something in common, a fondness for Presidential Portraits and language. During a critique in graduate school, it was debated whether language and visual art could or should be combined. Some people argued yes, and others no. Maira Kalman illustrates that it can be done and should be done if you can do it like her. Everything is deliberate, each letter, each line break, each bit of punctuation. One room in the exhibition is dedicated to a collection of items from her home that she curated herself. In a glass case sits an assortment of rags with a typed index card that reads: on linens taken quietly from hotels. I stared, reread, reread again, smiled, reread, then immediately ran around looking for The Swede and our friends to show them. "It says quietly, isn't that so clever?" They did get a kick out of it, but not as much as I did. I learned of Kalman through a Colleague while browsing through a bookstore to pass the time while waiting for a train. I instantly forgot her name, but not her work. Lucky me, I came across her books again and again until her name stuck. Her latest book is generously filled with works of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, two Presidents I use as inspiration in my own work. On a separate work trip to The Capital, I debated for far too long about whether or not to buy a George Washington cross-stitch kit for $12. I decided against it, never forgot about it, then bought it one year later when I returned. Maira would be proud. archives: Art |
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Tara Donovan's (Untitled) Mylar, 2011
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive 
Tara Donovan's (Untitled) Mylar, 2011
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive 
Tara Donovan's (Untitled) Mylar, 2011
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive March 23, 2011 "...greater than the sum of its parts" It was either last year or the year before last when I saw a piece by Tara Donovan at The Armory Show. I never forgot the piece because (1) the work was by Tara Donovan (2) the piece failed to impress me. I remember being so disappointed because normally her work resonates strongly with me, emotionally and intellectually. Now I understand why. As soon as I walked into the gallery on West 22nd Street, everything became clear. The piece that previously failed to impress was a very small fraction of a larger installation that is now on exhibit. The work is breathtaking. The Mylar (like the other materials she uses: toothpicks, tape, Styrofoam cups, pencils, buttons) was transformed until it became something else. The reflective surface on the piece gives a great illusion of depth, and the installation as a whole reminds me of mercury drops. I witnessed many people enter the gallery, turn to their companion and just smile. Love that. It is a piece you want to stay with and remember forever. At one of The Pace Gallery's other locations on 25th Street, Tara Donovan's "Drawings (Pins)" were on exhibit. Unfortunately, that show has closed and another show is in its place. Her pin drawings are equally impressive and were a hit with the crowds. Each large scale drawing is covered with hundreds/thousands/tens of thousands of nickel-plated steel pins. The work reminds me of Agnes Martin but still uniquely Tara Donovan. There were a large number of school groups (which I think is great and educational), and I saw a few teens getting up close and personal with the work. They were touching the pins in one drawing, pulling and pushing the pins in and out. Oh no! I had to say something and I did. I glanced around for their chaperone who was nowhere in sight, and the museum guard was texting on his cell phone. I cannot really blame the students for wanting to touch the work. The materials are familiar, and Donovan's work always plays exactly on that--the viewer's familiarity with the materials. She then surprises the viewer by transforming everyday materials into something unexpected, precious topographical landscapes that are great works of art. archives: Art |
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José Parlá's "Order, Pattern, Organization, Form and Relationship"
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
 José Parlá's wall installation (Title Unknown)
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
Hope Gangloff's "Vio et Livres"
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
 Hope Gangloff's "Land's End (Vic Masnyj)"
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive March 17, 2011 Gallery Run The Chelsea Gallery District is home to several hundred galleries. I typically keep to 19th Street north to 26th Street between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue. I head out to do a "gallery run" with one or two shows in mind, then weave back and forth, up and down the streets going into any gallery that catches my eye. This time it was Hope Gangloff's show at the Susan Inglett Gallery that initially piqued my interest. There are no doubt amazing shows happening at any time of the year. However, I do find certain times more exciting (and inspirational) than others. This visit was one of those times. I caught Hope Gangloff's show on its final day so it is no longer on exhibit. The scale of her paintings are large enough to command your attention, but are small enough where you feel an intimacy to them. The subjects in the paintings have a bluish green tint to their skin and initially I thought these subjects were sad characters. After a longer look, I realized they were not. They are comfortable with themselves and what they are doing (or not doing). Gangloff's paintings are beautiful and personal, and I hope to see many more. On the other hand, José Parlá's "Walls, Diaries, and Paintings" Exhibition is still up and will remain so through April 16, 2011. Parlá is certainly an artist I will be following. His works are richly saturated with color, calligraphic strokes flow freely throughout the plane, and some works are heavily layered with found papers. Each work is powerful in its elegance, and they are interesting to view from both afar and from close range. But the scale of his work left me wanting. His work has a strong relationship to Street Art, and I wanted to feel immersed by their scale. There is one larger than life installation in the corridor from the entry to the larger exhibition space in the back. This installation has the scale I desired for the other works but lacks the intensity and richness of those works. Go figure. Even so, José Parlá has a fan in me! If you have the chance, check out his show. P.S. When in the neighborhood, I always try to pop into Printed Matter to check out my favorite zine and see what other interesting publications are on offer. archives: Art |
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Terence Koh performing "nothingtoodoo"
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
Terence Koh performing "nothingtoodoo"
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
45 tons of rock salt (sans armature)
Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive |
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March 14, 2011
"nothingtoodoo" This is the last week Terence Koh is performing "nothingtoodoo" at the Mary Boone Gallery. This is the fifth week of his performance which began February 15, 2011 and ends on March 19, 2011. This was the second time I embarrassed myself at that gallery. The first time was when I walked into an exhibition and said very loudly to The Swede, "Who is this artist?" The Swede quickly shushed me (which he never does). The Artist, Jacob Hashimoto (whose show it was) was standing nearby talking to someone. It was not a huge faux pas, but nonetheless embarrassing. Back to the second time. Immediately upon entering the gallery, I noticed something was different. The reception area is devoid of anything. There is not any text on the wall announcing the exhibition, press release literature that typically sits out is not there, all artist publications on display are gone, and the walls have a faux concrete finish on them. The entrance to the large exhibition space is draped with two overlapping white curtains. I felt something special was behind those curtains. As I parted the curtains, I said enthusiastically, "Oooooh, I wonder what's behind here?" All eyes turned to me...I walked into the middle of Terence Koh and his excruciatingly painful-to-watch performance. For the five weeks of his performance, he shuffles on his knees around a 45 ton rock salt pile (sans armature), Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm without taking a break. The setup is bare and silent. As a viewer, watching a person clothed in a plain white garb moving knee by knee slowly around a pile in the middle of a gallery is a humble experience. I immediately felt sad for him which I did not feel when I watched Marina Abramović perform at MoMA. Sitting (as Abramović) versus being on your knees (as Koh) is the difference to me. The performance took me through the emotions of begging or being inferior. Koh is reduced to a wretched state, and he willingly succumbs to the dominance of the pile. And we, the audience are the voyeurs watching him do it which is what I suspect--what he wants. archives: Art |
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Mark di Suvero's "For Mother Teresa"
Cranbrook Academy of Art Bloomfield Hills, MI from my 2005 archive |
Mark di Suvero's "Pyramidian"
Storm King Art Center Mountainville, NY from my 2008 archive |
Mark di Suvero's work (Title Unknown) in courtyard of MoMA PS1 Museum Long Island City, NY from my 2007 archive |
Mark di Suvero's "The Calling"
(adjacent to Milwaukee Art Museum) Milwaukee, WI from my 2009 archive |
exterior of Mark di Suvero's Studio
(adjacent to Socrates Sculpture Park) Long Island City, NY from my 2010 archive |
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March 5, 2011
Honored The Sculptor, Mark di Suvero was honored on March 2nd at the White House (by the President himself!). He received the National Medal of Arts. Can it get any better for an artist? Well--maybe getting the MacArthur "Genius Award" (and the $500,000 that comes with it), but getting an award from the President is a BIG deal. What an honor. I first learned of Mark di Suvero in 2005 at a lecture he gave at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Not only did I find (and still find) his work impressive; I was touched by his story. He was born in China in the 1930's as Marco Polo Levin. His family later moved to California and he then eventually found his way to New York. Fast forward to the 1960's and he was paralyzed in a freight elevator accident. Through rehabilitation (and I imagine a strong will) he was able to walk again. His artwork requires such physical strength in its making due to its scale and materials that I cannot imagine how he does it. My guess is through an intense passion and commitment to his work. Across cities in the U.S. and in many other countries, you will find a Mark di Suvero sculpture. Each sculpture is unique in its own right, and it becomes easy to spot "a di Suvero" after you become acquainted with his work. Some of his works are interactive (you can play them with a mallet or sit and swing on them) while others have pieces that move/sway with the wind. The latter you notice when you stare intently and patiently. His sculptures are beautiful and a little scary. If you have ever stood underneath one, you know what I mean. Although he uses incredibly heavy materials such as steel, there is still an intimacy to his work. The massive steel beams are welded and bolted together in a way that allows the work to become visually lightweight. Last year, I had the fortune of spotting Mark di Suvero when I walked past his studio en route to the sculpture park he founded. I only saw him for a few seconds through a large open door as he went up a scissor lift. I wonder what he was working on... archives: Art |
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Ursula von Rydingsvard's "Ocean Floor" Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive |
Ursula von Rydingsvard's "Elegantka"
(cast in resin) Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive |
exterior of SculptureCenter
(a mix of old and new) Long Island City, NY from my 2011 archive |
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February 28, 2011
Wood This past weekend, I went to check out Ursula von Rydingsvard's exhibition in Long Island City. The SculptureCenter (S.C. for short) is a short trek from the Court House Square subway stop and MoMA PS1 Museum. The exhibition space at S.C. is simply amazing. It reminds me of Smack Mellon in Dumbo, Brooklyn; industrial, raw, and expansive. Ursula von Rydingsvard's work situates itself perfectly within the architecture of the space. I have previously experienced one of her pieces outdoors in Upstate New York. This exhibition shows a wider breadth of her work, and the potential of wood as a material. Her monolithic works resemble geological formations (think Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon) which upon closer examination reveal their machined and hand made parts. The immense scale of each piece potentially threatens to overpower the next, but they do not cancel each other out due to the space. The natural light coming from a skylight overhead casts a glow throughout that gives subtle shadows enhancing the depth in the undulations in the material. It is a breathtaking exhibition, well-curated with each piece allowed to have its own breathing room. archives: Art |
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Takashi Murakami sculptures in the front window of the Gagosian Shop Upper East Side Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive 
Pharrell Williams for Domeau & Pérès (yellow bike) in the side window of the Gagosian Shop Upper East Side Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive February 26, 2011 Mixed Finally went INTO the Gagosian Shop on the Upper East Side today. I have walked by it many times when visiting "The Met" (the real name is too long, The Metropolitan Museum of Art--just call it "The Met" or "Guggenheim" (also has a long name, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) but have never gone in. I made the trip to the Upper East Side today specifically to visit the Gagosian Shop hoping to score a copy of an exhibition catalogue from a show I saw last week. They were sold out and the desk clerk said I would find the catalogue in stock at the Gagosian Shop on the Upper East Side. So as the story goes, went to the Shop today and no catalogue to be found! Disappointed to say the least but it can be purchased online...so life goes on. The Gagosian Shop is a mix of artist editions, one of a kind originals, knickknacks (key chains, postcards, mouse pads, plates, "Gagosian" inscribed pencils), posters, clothing, skateboards, books, catalogues, and magazines. You will find work by: Yayoi Kusama, Damien Hirst, Elizabeth Peyton, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, Takashi Murakami, and the list goes on and on. Some works/items for sale that stick in my memory are a Jean-Michel Basquiat candle, a signed catalogue by Keith Haring ($10,000), an Elizabeth Peyton painting with a bright light shining on it (is that archival?), a Visionaire Edition 50 magazine (described by some as the non-magazine magazine), and all the Damien Hirst works. Damien Hirst definitely ruled the Shop with various wallpapers ($1,000), his famous dot paintings ($6,000), skulls, posters, and butterfly paintings and prints. If you find yourself in the Upper East Side, it is worth a stop. The Shop in itself is colorful, bright, and eye candy for Art Enthusiasts/Collectors/Artists/or however you define yourself. archives: Art |
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gallery visitors waiting in line to see Christian Marclay's "The Clock" Chelsea Gallery District, NY from my 2011 archive February 12, 2011 "The Clock" Recently, The Swede and I have been hearing from friends and reading in the media that Christian Marclay's piece, "The Clock" is a must not miss New York art event. It is showing at a gallery in the Chelsea Gallery District. The Swede and I plus our artist friend ventured to Chelsea to check it out (brrr, it was a chilly day and very light flurries started to fall). We arrived fairly early on a Saturday morning and the usual amount of people were cruising around to visit galleries. We spotted the line from afar but were not sure what people were doing in a line (not typical for a gallery show). We waited twenty-five minutes just to get in the door to wait another ten minutes in line before entering the expansive room where the video was playing. We watched "The Clock" in real time from 1:15-1:45pm. There was no time limit but we had a tight schedule and other shows to see. I have to say that "The Clock" is quite a feat. It is a 24-hour video montage including audio. As an artist (or not), it is impossible to see this piece and not think about the process of its making. Marclay uses thousands of excerpts of film footage to illustrate the passage of time using snippets of clocks, watches, alarm clocks, and the list goes on and on. The segments span all decades and genres of film. The film also happens in real time (verified it with my cell phone) meaning that around lunchtime the actors/actresses in the piece may be having lunch too and when a clock in the film says 1:15pm, it really is 1:15pm. I will try to go back to see another segment of it, preferably some time at night. I spoke with a woman in line for the restroom (YES! Paula Cooper Gallery has a restroom that you can use which is rare/non-existent and when you live in NY you become overly concerned about where the restrooms are that you can use) that watched the video from 2:00-3:00am on Saturday morning. She mentioned there was still a line at those early hours! Upon exiting, I spotted Kara Walker (with her daughter) waiting in the front of the line about to enter the viewing room. This is the second Kara Walker sighting for me, the other was at her own show opening with Mark Bradford at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. I did meet Mark Bradford at that opening but lost my nerve to meet her. Arturo Herrera is also represented by that same gallery and has a show up now, check it out. More on Arturo some other time. archives: Art |
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Deborah Butterfield's "Põhina" SFO aiport, CA from my 2011 archive January 26, 2011 I have walked by this piece of Deborah Butterfield's countless times at the SFO airport. I FINALLY remembered to document it. I first came across her work years ago in Chicago's gallery district. I remember the piece as being small in scale and being drawn to it because of the materials. At first glance it seems to be made from driftwood pieces, but they are in fact bronze cast to look like driftwood. They are cast in a foundry (they also casts pieces for other artists such as Lynda Benglis, Maya Lin, Roxy Paine, Louise Bourgeouis [RIP, love you], and Kiki Smith) in Walla Walla, Washington. The second encounter with her work was at a not widely known (or maybe it is) sculpture park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Meijer Gardens" (for short) is one part garden and one part sculpture park. While in graduate school outside of Detroit, a few of us ventured to Grand Rapids to visit the Tropical Butterfly Exhibit there (phenomenal). The sculpture park was the unplanned pleasant surprise of the trip. The sculptures have an ample thirty acres of breathing space (not as much as Storm King but enough). The second surprise was that the garden and park is possible due to the generosity of Frederik and Lena Meijer who are behind the supermarket chain, Meijer. The supermarket reminds me a bit (but not as sophisticated) of a European Wal-Mart. Well, if you can even use the word sophisticated and Wal-Mart in the same sentence. When you find yourself in Grand Rapids, go visit. It is a must. Give yourself plenty of time. archives: Art |
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