Tag Archives: Pulse

Art Fair Trend: Writing on the Wall

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Santiago Sierra, No, 2009

No more! Like a two tone, blown up, gaudy portrait of a celebrity’s face is a tired take on Warhol, writing on the wall seemed like a similar convention by the end of the art fairs. I get it; it’s convenient to spit out your message, sardonic, mocking or inscrutable as it may be, then let the peons wonder. But I am no longer impressed–the same goes for cars being put in galleries (Gabriel Orozco, whoever you were at Independent, and especially you, overhyped BHQF at the Whintey) and for the raven trope (be they stuffed, cast, molded, silhouettes, or talking.) Maybe it was the art fair atmosphere, but I lost the distinction between signage and art about a day into it.

Peter Liverside, Little By Little

Walter Robinson, Worth, 2010

Tracy Emin, I keep belonging in you

Ivan Capote, Autumn all fall

Steve Lambert, Money Laundered, 2010

Ryan Gander

So I suppose it’s clear why Ryan Gander’s piece at Armory, of busted up signage, appealed to me, despite myself, just a little bit. On the whole though, it’s just become a boring way to convey something. All these photos were taken at Pulse and Armory on the last day of the fairs, when I was thoroughly sick of sayings, aphorisms, declarations etc, but Verge, Independent and Scope had their fair share. Does anyone else notice all the writing on the wall? What did you think of it?

New York Agenda: First Week of March

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There is never a bad time to come to New York and look at art. As it happens, my return to New York comes at the same time as the art fairs–what a pleasant coincidence. So many things are happening! This is my personal top 5 drool list;

  • Scope and Pulse Art Fairs: Lots of art and people crowded in together in order to completely overwhelm, or something like that. Come highly caffeinated.
  • The Armory Show: The prestigious, sprawling, and expensive ($30) forerunner of them all. Tip: start writing an art blog and then ask for a press pass, claiming you are revolutionizing the industry. Maybe someday they will believe you.
  • Independant: The new art fair that isn’t. Called a “hybrid model and temporary exhibition forum,” its showing work from some top notch galleries withOUT the lame entry fee. Here here.
  • Whitney Biennial: Never been to this historic show and looking forward to seeing the wide mix of artists. Bonus points for being less hectic than the fairs.
  • William Kentridge at MoMA: My friend was talking to me about the production Kentridge designed for the Met Opera, the NY Times article on exhibition design touches on it, Art:21 videos remind me of it. The whole world is whispering “go see this show.”

Luckily I can! I missed the art scene during this island time. It will be tough to squeeze all this into a week along with more humdrum bits of business. Then I’m off again.