London/Paris October 2012 (Part 2 Paris)

Day 1

  

The action continued in Paris on Saturday evening October 13th with a sumptuous dinner hosted by the esteemed Austrian dealer Thaddaeus Ropac to celebrate his new glorious space in the Pantin district, northeast of Paris with a double exhibition of Anselm Kiefer and Joseph Beuys.  The site is 50,000 square feet with 22,000 square feet of exhibition space. There is also a multimedia room for performances. The architects Buttazzoni & Associates built the main gallery building comprising of 4 luminous halls 22 x 40 feet in a formerly early 20th century boiler work factory.  

Dinner at Ropac, Pantin

A new series of works by Anselm Kiefer entitled "Die Ungeborenen" (The Unborn) includes many monumental canvases and sculptures, "which reference the artist's interest in the origin and creation of life, referencing well-known myths and iconography. Through the new works, Kiefer explores the hybrid sphere of non-belonging, in which life and unborn life are in an intermediate world dominated by the question of why one is and where one belongs. Through this concept, the artist considers the theological concept of limbo, the region on the border of Hell, the abode of souls awaiting entrance into Heaven."

Joseph Beuys's show featured a "white horse stomping in a corner, echoing Beuy's historic 1969 'Iphigenie' performance in Frankfurt, where the artist appeared in a fur coat alongside a white horse, cymbals crashing together in a commentary of Goethe's eponymous myth."

Horse in Beuys exhibition at Ropac, Pantin

In his welcome speech to the art world glitterati, including forty artists and thirty museum curators, Thaddeaues said "We found we were limiting the vision of our artists, we couldn't take four-ton sculptures by Anthony Gormley. If you give them an ambitious space, they will produce their best work, and that is easier to sell."

Day 2 

Monday October 15th in the evening, we arrived after dinner at the The Palais de Tokyo, which conveniently stays open until midnight every night except Tuesdays. The new exhibition "Imagine the Imaginary"opened in late September in the museum's newly enlarged space. It is now one of the largest spaces devoted to contemporary art in Europe. The exhibition is spread out over all four floors of the museum and includes "Chloe.Attitudes," which is the first exhibition dedicated to Chloe celebrating it's 60 year contribution to fashion culture. It brings together artists from different generations whose works demonstrate and describe the processes involved in their development.  The outstanding artist Fabrice Hyber presents the solo exhibition titled "Raw Materials" where he creates "a mental spa composed of two paths one active and one contemplative" and a physical and virtual landscape.  Richard Baqui's "Untitled" 1985 (LE TEMPS DE RIEN) dominates and awes the viewers. 

Richard Baqui, "Untitled" at The Palais de Tokyo

Day 3

On Tuesday morning October 16th, I walked over to the Louvre Museum to join the curator of the new spaces of the Department of Islamic Art, which opened three weeks ago. He enthusiastically gave us the background of the project, marking the museum's greatest development since the iconic glass pyramid constructed 20 years ago. Created by architects Mario Bellini and Rudy Ricciotti, the new wing is encased in glass with an undulating roof spanning over 30,000 square feet.  Nearly 3,000 works will be exhibited, representing 1300 years of history and from an area crossing over three continents, from Spain to Southeast Asia. On display are some pieces never seen by the public.

Following this extraordinary experience, the group walked over to the Tuileries Gardens for a tour of the outdoor projects which are created annually in collaboration with the Louvre. Works were installed in the fountains, basins and all over the lawn.  Among my favorites, Marc Quinn's "Origin of the World" in the pond, Aaron Curry's "BBZ" on the lawn, Jeppe Hein's "Modified Social Benches" (where children were sitting) and lastly William Kentridge & Gerhard Marx's "Fire Walker." The project is magnificent in this exceptionally beautiful site!

Linda, Louis and Doreen in front of Kentridge/Marx "Fire Walker" at Tuileries Gardens

At 4 PM, I arrived at the Pompidou Museum for a private visit of the Adel Abdessemed's exhibition titled "I am Innocent," where his gigantic bronze statue of two soccer players, titled "Headbutt" stands roughly 16 feet high. This major survey includes 25 works from 1990-2012.  Abdessemed uses shock tactics to make an impact on the viewer and to cause visceral reactions. He takes us on a journey through art history, including references to 18th century Goya works and minimalist works of the 1960's. He uses imagery such as burning helicopters, monstrous skeletons, the carcasses of burned-out cars to show the waves of destruction that shake our contemporary existence as well as the violence of western history. 

Abdessemed, "Headbutt" at Pompidou

Day 4

Wednesday morning, October 17th, the art enthusiasts crowded into the early 10am opening of the 39th edition of FIAC at the Grand Palais. Of the 184 galleries, 41 participated for the first time.  The fair sizzled with excitement as the viewers were directed to the second floor where the younger artists were being shown. The new sculptures of Hugh Scott-Douglas at the Jessica Silverman Gallery (no relation) caught my eye.  On the main floor, which was more spacious, collectors quickly spotted their favorite  dealers and sought out their artists.  A few of my favorite works include: David Altmejd's "Mirrored Wall Panel #3" at Xavier Hufken's, Thomas Bogaert and Wang Du's "Post-Image 003" at Albert Baronian, Berlinde de Bruckere at Continua, Katharina Fritsch's umbrellas at Matthew Marks, Theaster Gate's "Flag"(Tricolore) at White Cube, Pierre Huyghe's "I DO NOT OWN SNOW WHITE" at Marian Goodman's, Annette Messager's "Chaos" at Marian Goodman and the kinetic Takis installation at Xippas.  

Day 5

Early Thursday morning, October 18th, I went to view Michael Werner's collection of 900 works at the Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris for a private viewing which opened earlier this month. It is a tribute to Michael Werner and his achievement as a gallerist and collector for fifty years. 127 paintings and sculpture were donated by Werner to the Museum.  He opened his first gallery in Berlin in 1963, Werner and Katz with the first exhibition of paintings by Georg Baselitz. One of my favorite rooms was the Baselitz installation with beautiful paintings from the 1980's. This gift is the most significant since the bequest made by Dr. Maurice Girardin in 1953 which led to the creation of the institution. 

Next on my agenda was the Louis Vuitton Cultural Space on Rue Bassano to view the current exhibit "Journeys: Wanderings in contemporary Turkey." Upon arrival, the guests were taken down the Olafur Eliasson elevator and there was total blackness for approximately 30 seconds. Luckily no one fainted! The guide discussed the various artists' struggles documenting the challenges and issues facing the transition to life in Turkey today.

Walked to the Champs Elysee and over to the Gagosian Gallery on rue de Ponthieu to view the stunning Rudolf Stingel exhibition which opened Tuesday.  His practice concerns the passage of time by both celebrating and memorializing it.  In this show of eight new works, he uses large sections of graffiti-covered celotex insulation panels that were shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art 5 years ago, where the viewers were free to further transform the works by scratching and writing on the surface, thus becoming part of the work. In the current exhibition he has cast and plated them. They are glistening and absolutely exquisite!  "the new panel paintings are a new form of luxurious abstraction borne of humble materials and mundane gestures." 

My final visit involved traveling to Le Bourget airport in the north of Paris to view Gagosian's new exhibition space designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. This industrial 17,760 square feet on two levels is the 12th gallery for Gagosian and is indeed well located, as it is next to the private jets' hangar. One stop shopping for his illustrious collectors! For the inaugural show of Anselm Kiefer's "Morgenthau Plan," the gallery was filled with a sculpture of a golden wheat field, enclosed with a 16 feet high steel cage.  Four domestic size paintings graced another space. Kiefer's installations in both new spaces outside of Paris are a must see!

Kiefer's installation at Gagosian 

Day 6

Off to the airport!!!!!!!!!! 

London/Paris October 2012 (Part 1 London)

Day 1 

Arrived in London on Monday October 8th and headed straight over to Sotheby's to view the contemporary auctions. The highlight of the evening sale was Richter's Abstraktes Bild, 1994 (809-4) being offered by the musician Eric Clapton. It sold on Friday evening for $34.2 million, which set the record for a living artist. It was sold at Sotheby's in November 2001 for $3,415,750 as a triptych when it was offered by the Berlin collectors Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch. There was much discussion about the other two works. However, Richter's dealer Marian Goodman claims it was never a triptych merely a part of a group of 4 paintings (809-1, 2, 3, 4).

The next stop was the new Pace gallery in the west wing of the Royal Academy's Burlington Gardens Building to view a remarkable show of eight Mark Rothko paintings from 1969, the year before his suicide, with the beautiful seascape photographs of Hiroshi Sugimoto. At the end of his life, lush colors were abandoned by Rothko and a mostly palette of black and gray remained. Sugimoto has chosen to depict his seascapes in similar colors. He was inspired by the Rothko show in 1978 at the Guggenheim in New York which set him on the path to abstraction through photography. Indeed an extraordinary pairing!

Around the corner I went to view Hauser & Wirth's extraordinary show of UK born artist Thomas Houseago on Savile Row. He continues to create works which are mysterious and unworldly yet brutally straightforward. "His unique combination of graphite sketches on the plaster combines the 3-dimensionality of sculpture with the 2-dimensionality of drawing." His debut with the gallery includes two exhibitions with new monumental figures, relief wall panels and abstract, columnar lamps. Houseago's practice continues to push the boundaries of contemporary sculpture all the while looking back at art history. The work is highly energized and menacing at the same time. Indeed one of the most important sculptors working today! 

Houseago exhibition at Hauser & Wirth

Tate Modern opened that evening with a dual retrospective of New York photographer William Klein and Japanese contemporary photographer Daido Moriyama. (William Klein + Daido Moriyama). Although separate in presentation, both photographers who rose to fame in the 1960's,

document modern urban life. Klein is not only one of the great American photographers, but also a painter, filmmaker, documentarian and graphic designer. His range of work includes portraits, books, magazine covers, film posters, fashion shots, abstractions and painted contact sheets. He has embraced the new technologies and digital printing techniques.  Moriyama discovered Klein's New York photobook when he was an assistant to the photographer Takeji Iwamiya who influenced him enormously. It's an exhilarating exhibition!

Later that evening, Princess Alexandra was in attendance at the Royal Academy Now Exhibition and Auction benefit. Many artists were among the hundreds of guests including Tracey Emin who shared her excitement for her upcoming show at MOCA, opening in Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach fair this December. She is thrilled to be working on it with Bonnie Clearwater, the director.

Day 2

On Tuesday, October 9th, the Victoria Miro Gallery on Wharf Road had a brunch for the second solo exhibition of Elmgreen & Dragset's "Harvest."  One could also view Yayoi Kusama's "Narcissus Garden", which is a permanent installation of amazing floating silver balls in a lotus pond. What a

beautiful sight it was, glistening in the sunshine.

Kusama "Narcissus Garden" at Victoria Miro

There were two exhibitions of E & D. The downstairs gallery showed a series of new unique monochrome works entitled "The Named Series." Michael Elmgreen who I was introduced to explained the works he and his partner Ingar Dragset had worked on for over a year. The surfaces resulted from professionally removing white wall paint from prominent museums and public galleries and using techniques used to restore frescoes and murals. The thin layer of removed white wall paint was then applied onto raw canvas and framed. The artists have transformed the background wall paint, which has no value into new paintings with new significance and worth. The title of each painting, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Serpentine Gallery London show the subtle variations in texture and shade of color and quality of painting which shows the self- presentation of each institution.  Elmgreen was thrilled to see all the museums together in one space. Indeed an extraordinary concept! He was most charming and articulate.

In stark contrast the upstairs gallery, inspired by the rustic interior architecture space, E & D presented a playful humble farmyard version of the hayloft, with hay, stag antlers, sculpture of a young farm boy including abstract paintings referencing the 1950's. Their practice explores the basic process of growing in the personal and shared cultural sense of identity and memory. 

Michael Elmgreen

Inspired by my conversation with the artist, I headed over to see the "Powerless Structures, Fig. 101" in Trafalgar Square which won the "Fourth Plinth Commission" as well as their project at Louis Vuitton New Bond Street Maison entitled "Omnes Una Manet Nox" (One night awaits us all). On the second floor, an over sized fairytale bed with a dangerous looking golden vulture on one of its bed posts encourages the employees of the famed retailer to take a nap and become part of the artwork. According to the director, many employees found the bed comfortable after a long day!

E & G "One Night Awaits Us All" at LVMH

The inaugural Frieze Masters art fair opened at 3 PM in Regent's Park, a 20 minute walk from Frieze Contemporary. Ninety galleries participated. It was a pleasure to feast the eyes on works ranging from the 4th millennium, 12th century, 17th century Romney portrait, 18th century Persian miniatures to an entire stand of Giacometti sculptures to Picasso prints, photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Brancusi and Richard Avedon. The atmosphere was relaxed, elegant and not crowded. It was a delight to chat with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg who was with his partner Diana Taylor and Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris. 

Stopped by Beth Rudin de Woody's curated show "Bad For You", which was opening at the Shirazu gallery on Mount Street with 68 artists. Included in this amusing exhibition are works by Will Cotton, Robert Longo, Ryan McGinley, Marilyn Minter, Steve Miller, Ed Ruscha, Aurel Schmidt, Cindy Sherman, Rob Wynne, Dustin Yellin and Andy Warhol. 

My favorite new space in London remains White Cube's Bermondsey Gallery, which held a posh dinner in honor of the Chicago artist Theaster Gates as well as a moving performance with the musical ensemble Black Monks of Mississippi. Jay Joplin, the ever congenial host opened the gallery to present Theaster's first exhibition. His practice includes sculpture, installation, performance and urban interventions whose goal is to bridge the gap between art and life. His projects aim to inspire cultural communities to engage in awareness that will lead to political and spatial change. He collaborates with architects, researchers and performers. He appeared in the 2010 Whitney Biennial where he transformed the Whitney's Sculpture Court. His real estate project known as "The Dorchester Project" in the South Side of Chicago is ongoing and is called "real-estate art" by the artist. The renovations of the buildings are financed entirely by the sale of sculptures and artworks from materials saved from their interiors.

Day 3

A long line of eager art addicts eagerly waited for the doors to open at the 11am VIP opening of the 10th Frieze Art Fair on Wednesday morning. The atmosphere was electric and exciting as collectors, museum directors, art advisors and dealers moved about to view over 170 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. In contrast to past art fairs, this year, galleries opted to show more domestic scale works and various crafted art.  At Salon 94, the porcelain, glaze sculpture installation by Matt Merkel Hess was selling fast. Gavin Brown showed one of my favorite artists Martin Creed's works as well as several paintings by Jonathan Horowitz inspired by Roy Lichtenstein. Gavin Brown Enterprise was awarded the "best stand" prize at Frieze!  

Matt Merkel Hess at Salon 94

Day 4

Walked over to Berkeley Square to view the sixth edition of the Pavilion of Art and Design (PAD) fair. The vision of this fair is the mixing of fine and decorative arts. It's exciting to see the inclusion of design as well. New US galleries joining PAD for the first time include L&M Arts, Kasmin, Castelli and Skarstedt. Luxembourg & Dayan gallery's exhibition of Rob Pruitt's "Panda" paintings along side Chinese archaeological objects shows a renewed interest in creating a dialogue between the old and the new as seen at Frieze Masters. This seems to be an ongoing theme as I went to Pilar Ordovas' gallery on Savile Row to see the Caracci Freud exhibition. The Dulwich Picture Gallery has lent three major Annibale Caracci (1560-1609) head studies to pair with a series of Lucien Freud's (1922-2011) head portraits, presenting the never before explored connections between the two artists.  By this juxtaposition, many affinities in technique, style and subject matter are revealed.

Now off to Paris...