April 2007 Archives
Christian Patterson recently asked whether people care to have their photography listings mixed in with the "art." It's basically a functional question, though it always begs the question of whether photography is Art with a capital "A". Today, Artworld Salon has underlined why my preference is for separation. Basically it is a lament that artist "brand names" can turn trash to treasure, sometimes literally. Certainly this happens in the photography arena as well, but I'd suggest it isn't nearly as core to what contemporary photography is compared to contemporary art because of the latter's heavily reliance on concepts and fabricators.
Though, with photography, perhaps the "rubbish" is just easier to hide.
UPDATE: More on this at ArtKnows.
Just in time for the weekend, I've put together a little experiment. The new "My Maps" feature of Google Maps allows you to create your own customized maps and I've given it a little spin using the April gallery picks I posted earlier this week. Now you'll have a handy map to follow while running around the city looking at this month's great photography.
According to the price limits of the "Affordable Art Fair" affordable art is whatever sells under $5000. A lot of new photography falls under that price cap, even from the heavy hitters, which is nice if you can swing it. But, honestly, five grand isn't affordable.
For the rest of us, Jen Bekman is prepping an interesting new project, 20 X 200, that appears to be an outgrowth of the "Hey, Hot Shot" contests she's been running for a while. The basic premise is high-count editions equate affordable prices, so you can get a piece of art from an edition of 200 for $20. Get it?
The program will feature both photography and those "other" arts, with the photography being drawn from the Hey, Hot Shot photographers. More details on Jen's blog, Personism.
Jerry Saltz recently left the Village Voice for New York magazine. His first review has been posted to the New York site, covering the new show at the National Academy Museum and School of Art entitled "High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting 1967-1975". The show closes in a week, strangely.
Set the Wayback Machine for 1971, the midpoint of the show, and the place to downtown New York. The fast action and grand movements of the sixties are over. Art is living on its own, out of the limelight; artists are occupying cheap lofts and hustling odd jobs. Almost no one is making money from art, and anyone who does is considered a sellout or a critical failure. Video, sculpture, and performance are flowering, but painting is in trouble. Many say it’s through.
Wow, times have changed. (But painting is still dead.)
High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting 1967-1975
Through April 22 at National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts
1083 5th Ave at 89th St
(212) 369-4880
Some shows to see this month (which is almost over), in no particular order:
Stephen Pyke
New Portraits
Black and white portraits of Hugo Chavez, Henry Kissinger, Richard Serra (spot on as a reflection of reputation, at least), a totally goofy Nancy Pelosi, and the late Kurt Vonnegut.
Through May 5th at Flowers Gallery
1000 Madison Ave, 2nd Flr
(212) 439-1700
Osamu Kanemura
Spider's Strategy
Modern overcrowded Japan - piled high, multi-layered and tangled up in telephone wires.
Through June 2nd at Cohen Amador Gallery
Fuller Building
41 E 57th St
(212) 759-6740
Psalms 121:2, 2006, by Terri Garland
Terri Garland
The Good Books
A different take on the Katrina disaster, touching one of the most asked questions - where was God? Garland's collection of mud caked and water logged Bibles and prayer books provides a point of contemplation.
Through April 28th at Alan Klotz Gallery
511 W 25th St
(212) 741-4764
Lori Nix
Shadows of the City
Miniature imaginings of a decrepit and dissolving natural history museum, along with a selection of older works.
Through April 21st at Jenkins Johnson Galleries
521 W 26th St, 5th Flr
(212) 629-0707
Lisa Kereszi
Cheap Thrills
Peep shows, haunted houses, movie houses, cruise ships Coney Island and Poconos dinner theater, each with at an unconventional angle.
Through May 5 at Yancy Richardson Gallery
535 W 22nd St
(646) 230 9610
With its usual synchronicity, the NY photo-art world lines up all its auction business within days of each other, this time on the heels of theAIPAD Photoshow . Beyond the monetary hoopla and fears of a art boom gone bust, auction viewings are a great opportunity to see work that may not get publicly shown very often. And auction catalogs are good substitutes for those of us notprivileged enough to
27 Exceptional Photographs
April 24, 7 PM
Photographs
April 25, 10 PM and 2 PM
Viewing Times
April 11 - April 21 10 am - 5 PM
April 22, 12 PM - 5 PM
April 23 and 24, 10 AM - 5 PM
Christie's
Modern Photographs from a European Collection
April 23, 5:30 PM (Approx)
Horst Photographs from the Collection of Gert Elfering
April 23, 5 PM
Photographs
April 23, 6 PM (approx)
April 24, 10 AM and 2 PM
Viewing Times
April 20 - 22, 1 - 5 PM
April 23, 10 AM - 2 PM
Sotheby's
The main auction at Sotheby's is a bit obscure for those used to a steady diet of oversized German color works, so the house has created a handy little Web movie to introduce you to Eugène and Adalbert Cuvelier. All Sotheby's links below require registration (free).
An Important Collection of Photographs by Eugène and Adalbert Cuvelier
April 13, 10 AM
Viewing Times
April 12, 10AM - 1PM (Crud!)
Photographs
April 26, 2 PM
Photographs from the Private Collection of Margaret W. Weston
April 25, 6 PM
April 26, 10 AM
Viewing Times
April 19 - 24, 10 AM - 5 PM
April 25, 10 AM - 1 PM
The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) kick off the 2007 Photoshow today at the Park Avenue Armory. Show runs through Sunday and features over 90 dealers.
On Saturday at 10am, there's a lecture at the Guggenheim featuring collector Henry Buhl and curator Jennifer Blessing. Photography from Buhl's collection of hand-themed photographs was shown at the Guggenheim a while back. The lecture is free (not sure if you have to pay Guggenheim admission, though.) I'd prefer the lecture feature a photographer, but oh well. It is a dealer association after all.
Location:
The Park Ave Armory
67th St & Park Ave
Hours:
Thurs, April 12, 2-7pm
Fri, April 13, noon-8pm
Sat, April 14, noon- 8pm
Sun, April 15, noon- 6pm
Admission:
4 days, $40
3 days (any), $30
1 day (any), $20
Ticket price includes 360 page illustrated catalog (which is a great resource and worth at least a 1 day ticket)
