Wider aisles at ABMB fair

Overall I thought that the big fair, despite being enormous and overwhelming with some 250 galleries showing, was quite good. The work was of a high caliber and there was good energy both amongst gallery employees as well as fair visitors. But it was a serious energy, not the frenetic pace that has existed in years past. It appeared that people were more interested in the art than the scene. In fact, I got into every party and didn’t even have to wait in lines. As usual, the serious collectors were in and out and by Saturday and Sunday attendees were just browsing and had no intention of actually purchasing anything. It seemed that many galleries were doing well even though there was a general consensus that the works that sold were at a much lower price point than previous fairs (with the obvious exception of last year).

Subodh Gupta

Some highlights were the life-sized car made of aluminum by Subodh Gupta at Hauser and Wirth’s booth.

Marc Swanson, Black Fighting Bucks, 2009

A Marc Swanson sculpture of two bedazzled bucks fighting at Richard Gray (Swanson was selected for the 2009 Norton Family Christmas Project which is a huge honor as past recipients are: Kara Walker, Yinka Shonibare, Takashi Murakami, and Vik Muniz).

Mark Grotjahn

Anton Kern had two great red Mark Grotjahn works on paper.

Galeria Elvira Gonzalez had sold a work by Elena del Rivero a Spanish artist living in NYC that caught my eye. Her work has a marvelous textile quality, includes text, and acts as a personal diary.

Anton Henning

Rachel Whiteread

At John Berggruen Gallery there was a wonderful Rachel Whiteread work of a cabinet made of plaster from 2007 and a terrific Anton Henning painting and a stunning Martin Puryear bronze sculpture.

Susan York

Susan York, a Santa Fe artist who creates sculptures out of graphite had a room devoted to her work at Knoedler’s booth.

Donald Moffet

Tony Feher

Anthony Meier and Rhona Hoffman had pretty works by Donald Moffet. Meier also had glittery works on paper by Tony Feher in his closet for $5300 each (very affordable for the big fair).

Robert Miller’s booth included a Cy Twombly lithograph in 6 parts. An edition of 100 from 1970 was an affordable $350,000 for the size and popularity of the artist.

A Fred Tomaselli 48 x 24 inch resin and hemp leaf work was fantastic.

Wilhelm Mundt

I wanted to buy sculptures by Wilhelm Mundt, a German artist who began the series called “trashstones” in 1989. He takes leftover debris from his studio, compresses it and covers it with fiberglass. Each piece is unique and numbered. They come in colors and bronze.

Spencer Finch, Fire

Rhona Hoffman had a lightbox by Spencer Finch created as an homage to a painter from the Enlightenment who included fire in all of his work.

Spencer Finch, Dawn Troy

Lisson Gallery also had an enormous Finch work based on the colors of dawn in Troy, N Y.

Aldo Chaparro freestanding stainless steel sculpture

OMR Gallery from Mexico City had works on view by Aldo Chaparro though they were all sold out. One can commission a work for a decent price.

Aldo Chaparro Wall Hanging

Let me know if any of these works tickle your fancy.

A show stopper outside Jack Shainman's booth

The heading has the fairs ranked from my favorite to least favorite.

NADA

NADA, though some 40 blocks from the Convention Center was a terrific fair. Not only was it small and manageable, but the quality of the work (mostly emerging artists I was unfamiliar with) was excellent and not derivative at all. Many galleries completely sold out the work in their booths and much of the work I found interesting had already been sold. An artist from Seattle had two sold pieces in the booth of Ambach and Rice.

Ronvan der Ende

The artist, Ronvan der Ende, uses reclaimed wood to create familiar shapes such as a Citroen car or a diamond as relief sculpture.

Zipora Fried, Red, 2009

On Stellar Rays from New York is showing the work of Zipora Fried whose minimalist graphite drawings are velvety in texture. There is an article on her work in this month’s Art in America magazine.

Theaster Gates

Kavi Gupta from Chicago was showing the work of the fascinating artist, Theaster Gates. He uses wooden structures to mimic shoe shine stalls. Having grown up in a challenging neighborhood in Chicago, he investigates community and ways that people can help one another to be better human beings.

PULSE
Pulse was also very good having taken over the Ice Palace space which once housed NADA.

Kiel Johnson, Two Sides to Every Story: AKA Boom, Boom, 2009

I enjoyed the sold works of Kiel Johnson at Davidson Contemporary. A Kansas City artist working in different media such as foam, tape, and chipboard, he showcases pop culture items. Another favorite of mine is the Spanish artist Jordi Alcarez who had works at two pulse booths. Liliana Porter prints were available from multiple galleries as well.

Candida Hofer

Richard Levy from Albuquerque had a small Candida Hofer for $3500.

Petar Mirkovic, BMW

Lukasfeichtner had a polyster painting by Petar Mirkovic of a BMW. The work was truly different in technique than any other paintings I have have encountered before.

Masao Yamamoto installation

Some beautiful and delicate photos by Masao Yamamoto were on view at Yancey Richardson ranging from $800-3500.

Gary Ross Pastrana

And Silverlens Gallery had Gary Ross Pastrana’s works from “Stray Bullets” on view. An artist from the Phillipines, he paints and collages on index cards and groups them. A steal at only $1800.

AQUA

Aqua, which I am usually a huge fan of, was a little more conservative in feel this year. When it was held in the hotel in previous years, I found it to be a bit edgier with a number of California artists I had never heard of. Now it includes galleries from all over the US, but lacks some of its pizazz of previous years. However, it is also the fair where I found a Simon Evans piece I purchased– so there were some gems to be had. And of course there was a great gallery from DUMBO there run by my friend Randall Scott. He has some great affordable works. Check out his website for more information.

Art Miami has some very nice galleries showing at it as well as some that make me scratch my head. It appears to have not quite figured out what kind of fair it wants to be and what its niche is. There was a curated video section at Art Miami which was well done and a lovely idea. David Klein had a beautiful Morris Louis work at his booth. There were affordable photos of everyday objects but on a large scale by Stephen Inggs at Hackelbury Gallery.

James Drake, Chandelier, 2009, pencil and tape on paper, 96 x 70 in.

And a gorgeous and huge James Drake work in pencil and tape at William Shearburn.

Having shrunk from the entire Dorchester Hotel to just ten spaces the Ink Fair saddened me and it used to be one of my favorite fairs. There is still good work on view, my favorite a work from a sold out edition by John Chamberlain at the University of South Florida that sold for $5000.

Scope had a few decent galleries but most of the work on view was really not so good. Oddly enough it was very crowded when I visited. Cirrus gallery had a nice Matthew Brannon print as well as a Baldessari and some other works, but nothing I even found interesting enough to take notes on.

Art Asia just seemed like an extension of Scope I am sad to report.

Photo Miami was small, hard to find, and not worth going to in my opinion.

And Red Dot Fair was not even worth writing about. Keep in mind that I am sure there are treasures to be found at some of these fairs I was not so fond of, but the majority of the work on view was not worth having in my humble opinion.

Urban Art, Graffiti Gone Global and the Fountain Art Fair

Street Art in the Miami Wynwood District

I was lucky enough to get to spend some time in Miami with a local artist who is a friend of mine. He pointed out the tagging going on all over the Wynwood and Design districts.

Shepherd Fairey

In addition to scheduled projects by Shepherd Fairey and Swoon, there were installations spontaneously being created on almost every wall in that area during the run of the fair. I stumbled upon the exhibition Grafitti Gone Global one night on my way from Art Miami to dinner. Sponsored by Sushi Samba the show was curated by two NY based photographers and included two floors of street art.

Edgier than its counterparts, Fountain Miami houses galleries that showcase alternative and urban art. Works may include popular imagery, political commentary or be created with spray paint instead of traditional works on canvas. Not only do I own works by an artist who had created an installation in an entire booth (Greg Haberny), but I found works I wanted by the artist Swoon who is represented by Jeffrey Deitch at a great space called Glowlab which is based in New York. I really enjoyed the work displayed as well as the chill vibe created. It was a welcome change from the traditional and conservative stodgy idea of what an art fair is supposed to be.

It was my first visit to the Rubell Collection and I was not disappointed. The exhibition Beg, Borrow and Steal was inspired by conversations that the Rubell family had with the artists Walker and Guyton about artists who use appropriation as a key element in creating their own unique pieces. On view from their permanent collection are 260 works by 74 artists including McCarthy, Koons, Wool, Kruger, Prince, Matthew Brannon, Haim Steinbach, Jim Lambie, and Cindy Sherman. Some highlights for me were:

Cady Noland

Cady Noland’s installation made of beer cans called “This piece has no title yet” from 1989.

detail of Noland work

Jim Lambie works

Colorful works by Jim Lambie did not disappoint.

Jason Rhoades installation

Jason Rhoades work, Untitled Chandelier, 2004 on the first floor.

Ai Weiwei's Ton of Tea, 2005, 39 x 38 3/4 x 38 1/2 in.

Ai Weiwei created Ton of Tea in 2005, a ton of compressed tea on a wooden base.

Jennifer Rubell, Old-Fashioned, 2009

Detail of Old-Fashioned

Jennifer Rubell hung old fashioned plain donuts from nails on a painted white board outside the main gallery space. Visitors were unsure quite what to make of this interactive work. After being reassured that the donuts are replaced every morning, even I grabbed one to nibble on for lunch. A great show to check out.

CIFO (The Ella Fontanals-Cisneros Collection)

The Ella Fontanals-Cisneros Collection

At CIFO was a wonderful video exhibition called “Being in the World” curated by Berta Sichel. I am starting to really dig video art. I like that you really need time for it. Most people feel like they don’t have the time but I really think they just don’t have the patience for it. I know I didn’t when I was first introduced to it. It takes time to sit with it and digest it. Included in this show (which examines the way an individual understands his position in the world) are works by Bill Viola, Markus Muntean and Adi Rosenblum, Chantal Akerman, Shirin Neshat, Francesca Woodman, Robin Rhode, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. If you are a regular reader of this newsletter, some of those names should be familiar.

In Viola’s work a crowd of people are suddenly inundated by water on both sides”reveals the strength of those who, despite suffering, gather the will to survive.” The slow meditativeness of his work draws the viewer in. Disco by the team Muntean and Rosenblum explores the disenchantment of modern day youth. The video makes art historical references to Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa from 1819 as well as religious references.

Chantal Akerman's D'est: au board de la fiction

Akerman’s work is shown on 25 video monitors in a darkened room. In this work she explores her Jewish roots and the work focuses on themes of displacement and transition. Shirin Neshat’s video on view, Zarin, from 2005 is a narrative and becomes almost too difficult to watch at times. It is the extremely powerful story of a young woman working in a brothel whose fear and torment takes over as her clients become faceless, missing eyes and mouths. Neshat creates a child-like creature who looks as if she has raided her mother’s make-up drawer. She flees to the public baths to cleanse herself. As she disrobes one sees a gaunt girl whose bones protrude. Her appearance mimics her fragile emotional state. As one healthy woman tries to help her, she pushes her away and begins to rub her skin until it bleeds. Robin Rhode’s work is playful in its exploration of space and territories in the urban experience. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s work always has an interactive component which I like. This work is political and memorializes the 40th anniversary of the student massacre in Mexico City on October 2, 1968. The video shows people speaking into a megaphone. As they speak, the words are transformed into a sequence of flashes. There is a similar set up in the gallery so that the visitor can try it out. I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibition and recommend it to anyone visiting the greater Miami area.

Margulies Collection

I am so sad to say this but I was disappointed in my visit to one of my favorite spaces for contemporary art in Miami. The majority of the work on view was exactly the same as when I last visited and that was two years ago. If you have never been it is a wonderful space and has a tremendous collection but if you have been there before, you can skip it this time around.

de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space

Interior of de la Cruz Art Space

What a fabulous new space for contemporary art in Miami! This new three-story, 30,000 sq. ft. space designed by John Marquette houses the personal collection of Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz and will serve as an extension of their home, which has been available for public viewing for the past fifteen years.

Felix Gonzales-Torres work

The opening of the inaugural exhibit coincided with Art Basel/Miami Beach 2009. One of the project rooms will provide a forum for local artists to display their works. The beautiful and spacious building looks like a museum. On view is work by a number of artists including:

Jonathan Meese

a Jonathan Meese room,

Guyton/Walker

a Guyton/Walker installation,

Rudolf Stingel

and 3 beautiful Rudolf Stingels for starters. This is definitely worth a trip and bravo to them for putting an emphasis on an educational component in this new collection space.

BASS MUSEUM

I was able to sneak in a visit to the Bass Museum on my very last day in Miami. On view was an exhibition called “Where Do We Go From Here?” with selections from La Coleccion Jumex which I had been lucky to see parts of on my trip to Mexico City last spring. The exhibition that I didn’t know about which was a pleasant surprise was “Dzine” The Chicago former street artist was born Carlos Rolon and is best known for using elements from pop culture, Baroque designs as well as the Arts and Crafts movement in his varied works as well as his use of bling in the form of neon, rhinestones and gold. This allows him to “develop his own language which he translates into sculpture, painting and installations.” He investigates his Puerto Rican heritage and high versus low brow art.

His work The Love Below was my favorite piece that dangles like a chandelier from the ceiling and plays audio of Buddhists chanting “Om” which creates a low meditative drone. He also created a mural for the walls of the once bland cafe. He was the recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Award for painting and sculpture and his work is included in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum of Art as well as El Museo del Barrio.

Jumex Collection at Bass Museum

The Jumex works on view included Rudolf Stingel pink and white styrofoam works as well as an insulation board piece all oozing with beautiful texture. A wall of photos by Louise Lawler and sculptures by Sherrie Levine melded well together in their theme of appropriation. A work entitled “Carretilla (Wheelbarrow) IV” by Mexican artist Gabriel Kuri was whimsical and consisted of a wheelbarrow filled with Christmas ornaments. Other artists whose work was on view: Orozco, Gober, Judd, Pettibone, Warhol, Koons, Baldessari, Ruscha, and Douglas Gordon.

Gabriel Orozco's Pool Table