Art Fairs - The New Populism in Art? WTF?

You heard it here first. Art Fairs as the populist alternative to museum exhibitions that are shrinking faster than a globally warmed glacier.

The diminutive size of this years 2010 Whitney Biennial speaks volumes:

#1: Museums are just as vulnerable to harsh economic times as other entities. The budget sensitive 2010 WB seemed like a regional museum exhibition when compared to those before it. Consequently, I found it unsettling how the 2010 WB attempted a "be all to all people" strategy considering these limitations. In addition, the "all things to all people" marketing strategy most likely came about as the Whitney attempts to expand on it's overall audience for the Biennial.

#2: I miss the Biennial being about NYC art! whaaaa. grumpy face. Don't get me wrong, ok, I might be a bit NYC-centric, not such a bad thing considering every culture in the world is represented in the Big Apple. However, going to past Biennials, one had the sense that the art represented was the most current, up to date, focused, edgy, New York "state of mind" art being made. Somehow, that New York City vibe has evaporated from the Biennial. It has become a politically correct, vanilla, power grab fest.

#3: Enter the Art Fair. Never really went to them before this year and have to admit, I enjoyed myself. For the most part, people were friendly, some of the art was good, drank some beer, ate some chowder, did some networking, and went home. Overall, I got a better feel for what was going on in the art world today through the art fairs then I did at a stuffy museum show. I bet ya if I did a survey of the 2010 WB artists, I would find that most of them were represented at one or more of the art fairs anyway. And one can buy the art right there! Do I smell an institutional intervention? You bet!

#4: The most tell tale sign that dealers are attempting to take more control over their brands/markets came to light at the Independent Art Fair, formerly known as the DIA Arts Foundation aka, a contemporary museum of art. The fair was free and had a Biennial feel to it. I concluded that for many new visitors to the New York art scene, they would not have known if they were at an art fair or a museum survey of contemporary art in New York City. Many of New York's most respected galleries took part in this show, i.e, Andrew Kreps and Winkleman Gallery, and I will go out on a limb and say that the Independent had more going for it than this years Biennial. There was an interactive element and a serious minded quality that I felt was absent from the WB.

#5 The future: We will have to wait and see how this all plays out. With this economy, it's every person for him/herself. If the economy picks up again, much of this art world jostling may come to an abrupt end as museums will once again have full coffers and galleries will not have to be so adventurous and creative with their community outreach.

Stay tuned and get ready for Art Basel Miami Beach. Sun screen anyone?



Takashi Murakami

image via L Magazine

2010 Whitney Biennial Top 10 - No. 8 David Adamo

Time to start whittling things down as I sharpen my pencil on this Top 10 list. Wait a minute, did I just say, "whittle?"

Alas, hometown Rochester, New York artist David Adamo cuts and shaves his way into the number eight slot on this Top 10 list. When I first walked by Adamo's wood "splinter sprawl" installation, I thought, "Did the Whitney let a beaver loose in here?"

Then it started, slowly at first, just like Bataille always said it would.

The evidence came first. Wood shavings on the ground, like those you might see in the front yard of a fruit stand installation. Hay bales, pumpkins, and apple cider come to mind.

Then it got creepy.

Next, my eyes caught hold of a few hand whittled, carved down to nothing, walking canes leaning up against the wall and an ax with it's handle substantially shaved, anchored into the wall.

Something bad happened here, something really bad.

David, your installation takes me back to childhood autumn field trips upstate: Lollipop Farms (animal rescue) followed up with a trip to the apple farm for some pumpkin picking and cider drinking.

I always wondered if the animals: goats, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, would stay alive, after all they were orphans looking for new homes. As the brown leaves fell from the trees, I became more self aware, conscious of my own mortality.

Thanks for the memories...David.

THIS IMAGE NOT FROM THE WHITNEY INSTALLATION

image via post.thing.net

2010 Whitney Biennial Top 10 - No. 9 Marianne Vitale

As I entered the smallish room, (approx. 100 sqr. ft.), where Marianne Vitale's work resided (middle/back), I couldn't help but to identify again (see No. 10 pick) with Storm Tharp's largish gloom-a-delic portraits which hung on the walls to the left and right of Marianne's video. Thought, "Wow, I feel like one of Storm's "spirit faces," give me some air please, I think I am about to suffocate."

Next, I started getting into Marianne's video and quickly realized she was addressing "the patrons of the museum" by barking orders at us all. A fellow patron stood to my left laughing hysterically. I wondered if he was on ecstasy.

Took another glance at Storm's portraits, focused again on Marianne barking orders, and became slightly uncomfortable. Thought about sitting on a single small chair situated directly in front of the video, then reconsidered.

Turned around, exited stage right.

"Bye Marianne, Bye Storm..."

Marianne Vitale, Patron, 2009
Video, color, sound, 8:36 min. Collection of the artist; Courtesy IBID PROJECTS, London

This work is on view in the Museum’s second floor galleries.