Art Update: Studio Visit with Tom Sachs, Giuseppe Penone at Marian Goodman, Massimiliano Gioni and Jeffrey Deitch at the NY Public Library

Linda, Tom,  Hella

On March 9th, we returned to visit Tom Sachs in his studio to see “Institutional” an iconic Cabinet that was in progress for a couple of years.  Tom proudly took us through his "Tea Ceremony", which has fascinated him and was first showcased in his “Space Program Mars” installation at the Park Avenue Armory in 2012. At first glance, “Institutional” looks like the back of a truck, in fact a dirty truck. When the doors are opened, the viewer is offered a glimpse into the artist’s practice whereby he reinvents cultural icons and everyday objects and transforms them into his very own “obsessive” world. To see more of Tom’s work check out: Tom Sachs: Boombox Retrospective” 1999-2105 at the “Contemporary Austin”.

  Images courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery 

On March 18th, I arrived at Marian Goodman’s breakfast for Giuseppe Penone’s new exhibition, "Indistinti confini/Indistinct Boundaries” as well as a guided tour of the exhibition led by curator Dieter Schwarz. The quality of the new sculptures made from marble and bronze, which is exquisite, provoked me to touch them.  When I mentioned my desire to do so, while conversing with Giuseppe in French, he gave me permission and was pleased that his works caused this reaction. Much of his work deals with the sense of touch.

Photo Jori Klein/ NY Public Library

On March 25th, I attended the lecture at the NY Public Library where Massimiliano Gioni interviewed Jeffrey Deitch. It was a fascinating exchange between two colleagues and friends.  Jeffrey and I go way back to my years as head of the Contemporary Department at Sotheby’s when he started the investment program at Citibank. When the bank obtained a client for contemporary art, the deal was they received a complimentary appraisal from Sotheby’s. We made several trips together including a visit to Paul Anka’s wonderful home in Carmel, California. Jeffrey’s journey in the art world is unique. When he opened his gallery, “Deitch Projects” his wish to provide the platform for artists “to do their thing”, whatever that entailed and not to be criticized was launched. The openings attracted huge audiences and offered many new people a glimpse into the art world.   Jeffrey's concept of "art as spectacle" was launched. This paradigm shift led to the stardom of many artists, most notably Jeff Koons. With his finger on the pulse of the art world, Jeffrey continues to embrace the artists that resist conventionality.