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12.20.2011

Fair Play: Lean Times

The posts so far:

At Greene Naftali, New York, ABMB: Richard Hawkins
Long view after the text

Oh, it was lean times at the fairs. I'm not talking lack of sales. Indeed, all the dealers seemed to be doing pretty well. I’m talking about all of the art that was propped up against the walls. ABMB had the big numbers in this category until I went to NADA on the last day of the fairs. There I found an equal number of art works at a slant. The big difference: at NADA I couldn’t always tell if the work was leaning as an installation, just waiting to be hung--or, to be honest--waiting to be picked up by the janitor.
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Long view of Richard Hawkins installation at Green Naftali


At Annet Gelnik Gallery, Amsterdam, ABMB: Ryan Gander painted glass panels


At Galerie Ben Kaufmann, Berlin, NADA: Poule Gernes


At Galeria Omr, Mexico City, ABMB: Jose Davila ceramic panels


At Galerie Perrotin, Paris, ABMB: Claude Rutault

At Luttgenmejier, Berlin, NADA: artist unidentified

At Overduin and Kite, Los Angeles: ABMB: Marc Camille Chaimowicz


At Lautom Contemporary, Oslo, NADA: Oystein Aasan


At Kavi Gupta, Chicago, ABMA: Theaster Gates


At Francois Ghebaly Gallery, Los Angeles, NADA: Oscar Murillo


At Altman Siegel Gallery, San Francisco, NADA: Liam Everett


At Simon Preston Gallery, New York, NADA: Michelle Lopez


At Seventeen, London, NADA: Susan Coulis
Would it surprise you to know that the metal is silver, and the wood is set with gemstones and pearl? I'm not particularly enamored of this artist's work, but she does make me look

Detail below


At NADA: Not only could I not determine which gallery this work was connected to, I didn't know if the works were an installation, or well, you know 
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Perhaps my favorite leaners were the plywood sheets at Pulse. Painted in Dayglo orange and yellow, they were propped against walls here and there on the grounds. Seeing that first grouping, below, I experienced a brief moment of that is some great trash. Then as I looked around and saw more, I viewed them as the love child of Josef Albers and the Miami Sanitation Department. And I mean that as a compliment.

Above and below: At Pulse via Galerie Michael Sturm: Russell Maltz
(Maltz will have  a solo at Minus Space, Brooklyn, in March)


Big thanks to everyone who sent me to Miami. I am most appreciative of your help. To all my other friends reading and enjoying my coverage of the Miami art fairs, I'd welcome your financial support. I am a painter with a full-time studio practice; every post represents a significant expenditure of time, travel, photo editing, and writing, especially in December when my effort is focused exclusively on these reports from the fairs. A one-time annual donation of $20 (though any amount is welcome) will help support my effort. See the Donate button on the sidebar. Thank you.

9 comments:

Richard Bottwin said...

Really enjoyed this post!

Jason Hoelscher said...

This is the best post yet! I keep feeling like I should get tired of this type of presentation of paintings, but for some reason it keeps my attention riveted.

I'm particularly into the progression: from a few years back of paintings simply leaning against the wall, then to stacks of paintings leaning/overlapping (almost like a form of collage), and now to fairly elaborate constructs and platforms on which the paintings lean. Interesting stuff

Anonymous said...

"At Francois Ghebaly Gallery, Los Angeles, NADA: unidentified artist" is Oscar Murillo, who will have a solo at Francois Ghebaly in march (?)

Anonymous said...

... and that last, yellow piece = GREAT

Debra Ramsay said...

Great post! I saw Ryan Gander's work in Venice a few months ago, it was a stand out in a crowd of less organized work. I believe his approach has to do with deconstructing Mondrian...or so the wall text explained.

Nancy Natale said...

I'm not a fan of showing paintings this way. It seems kind of disrespectful. It actually reminds me of my own home or studio where I have lots of things leaning that are waiting to be hung or moved. Maybe that's the point - it's an insider look. But when they get to their final destination (the collector), do they get leaned or hung? They collect a lot of dog hair on the floor is all I'm sayin'.

Mark Warren said...

I am sorry but how can you deconstruct Mondrian?

Anonymous said...

This is my favorite round-up, but thanks for all of the walking and organizing and smart talk! What a service you provide to all of us stay-at-homes...

In this post, the floor seems to be the new wall, and I'm totally into that (use the floor in some of my own work). I think it must also be about a need to look "casual", not too studied, right out of the studio etc. Whatever works, I guess. Russell Malz seems to be the most cognizant and purposeful in the set-up.

Unknown said...

Although it is a delayed response, I really want to comment on this.

I feel that this is no way to show work. It just appears somehow unfinished, neglected, or rejected, like when I pick up my work at a show taken down or picking up rejected work. Furthermore, one can't really see the work this way. Maybe the artists didn't really want it seen? It just looks sad and unwanted.

Great post.