Archive for February, 2009
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Assume Vivid Astro Focus for NY Times
Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson, the driving force behind art collective, Assume Vivid Astro Focus, lent their design aesthetic to this past Sunday’s edition of T, The New York Times’ Style Magazine. Given only loose direction that the Women’s Fashion Spring 2009 issue would use Africa as a major trend, here are the results.
AVAF are also part of a current group exhibit at A Space in Toronto, alongside Terence Koh and Oliver Husain, and will be the subject of an upcoming Rizzoli monograph.
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Results in for Yves St. Lareunt Art Auction
In the weeks leading up to the landmark sale, Chrisite’s has conducted private viewings of auction lots in their original setting, the Parisian home of Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Berge.
Image: New York Times.
Yesterday marked the beginning of the highly anticipated three-day auction of the collection of the late Yves St. Laurent and lifelong partner, Pierre Berge. Christie’s spared no expense of the extravaganza, having spent over $1 million to rent and refurbish Paris’ famed Grand Palais, with seating for more than 1,000 potential buyers, 100 phone lines, and eight auctioneers working in shifts. In an event nothing short of spectacular, the sale of 733 lots representing fifty years of collecting, ranging from modern and impressionist masters, to decorative arts and even rare archaeological gems. The largest ever single sale of privately owned art was tactfully estimated to fetch a modest $250 – $380 million (significantly less than the pre-financial meltdown estimate of $600 million).
Results are in for the first two days of sales. Of particular interest are the final figures for the Feb. 23rd Impressionist and Modern Art sale, which realized a total of $266 million. The list of represented artists was unarguably astounding – Goya, Munch, Matisse, Gaugin, Degas, Mondrain, Cezanne, Brancusi, Leger and Duchamp were all here. While the most notable lot, a 1914-15 Picasso, entitled Musical Instruments on a Table (estimated at $31 -$38 million) failed to find a buyer, several other works seemingly fared quite well, outshining initial auction estimates. Matisse hit an all time auction record, when Cowslips, blue and pink carpet sold for $46.4 million, despite its original estimate of $15.5 – $23.2 million, and a prime example of Mondrian’s abstract paintings went for $27 million, with an initial estimate of only $9 – 13 million. However, it must be mentioned that in such a deflated market, intentionally low auction house estimates may have set the stage to guaranteed surface level success.
Read on for auction highlights. All sale prices include buyer’s premium. Read the rest of this entry »
Monday, February 23rd, 2009
Fairey on CBS / Live Debate in NY This Week
After debuting with a feature on KAWS last week, CBS Sunday Morning aired the second installment of their three-part series on graffiti artists-turned pro yesterday, this time focusing on Shepard Fairey. Watch the the video here or read a transcript here.
In other news, building off recent controversy surrounding the Associated Press’ claims of copyright infringement against Shepard Fairey, and the artist’s subsequent lawsuit against the news agency, The New York Public Library and Wired will host a discussion concerning intellectual property, and the legal and ethical concerns surrounding “remix culture” in the arts and commerce. The debate kicks off this Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7pm and will feature Fairey, legal scholar Lawrence Lessig and author Steven Johnson.
Remix: Making Art And Commerce Thrive In The Hybrid Economy
Feb. 26, 7pm
Celest Bartos Forum
The New York Public Library
5th Ave. at 42nd Street
Tickets: SmartTix
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
KAWS LA Weekend :: Royal/T + Honor Fraser
KAWS hit the bigtime in LA this weekend. After a VIP reception at Royal/T of artwork from Susan Hancock’s collection (covered nicely by Andrew Hosner’s Sour Havest), KAWS opened THE LONG WAY HOME at Honor Fraser. Among the offerings were KURF Product Paintings (smaller than the original series that included Chum and Kimpsons), a life-size Chum sculpture, bronze Chum sculptures, bronze severed heads and a multitude of large works on canvas.
While the CBS spot on Sunday Morning last week seems like ages ago, the article on the cover of the LA Times Calendar section helped build hype to a massive crescendo, along with the buzz of a new ‘toy’ – the Dissected Be@rbrick set to drop at OriginalFake. The show sold extremely quickly and in the words of TAC forum member and good friend, Everlast, “there was damn near a riot.”
The exhibition at Honor Fraser marks a clear turning point in the career of KAWS, with the highest pricing for his art in a gallery setting thus far. Putting him in the major leagues, the show defied the current economic anemia with a performance that was nothing short of spectacular. Next solo for KAWS is a museum show at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in 2010.
Detailed pics follow, courtesy of TAC forum member and friend, Buddy Bee:
Thursday, February 19th, 2009
Maya Hayuk’s Sexy Gazebo @ Cinders
Maya inside Sexy Gazebo
Brooklyn based artist, Maya Hayuk, has been know to explore many styles, ranging from the figurative to her recent focus on abstract imagery. In Sexy Gazebo, Hayuk presents a new mixed media installation of bright prisms of color, vivid rays of light, and life-bearing fauna. The focal point of the exhibit is its title piece – upon entering Sexy Gazebo visitors can relax in tranquility, make-out inside a glowing neon kaleidoscope, or blast off into space.
On view till March 15 at Cinders, Brooklyn. Click through for more pics from opening night. Read the rest of this entry »
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
Anthony Lister Print Release Today
Paper Monster is releasing a new print by Anthony Lister at 12pm EST today. Midnight Man includes hand finished elements and was produced as a signed/numbered edition of 45.
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
KRUNK :: The Wonderful World of Donny Miller
KRUNK ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DONNY MILLER
In addition to its founding partnership with the legendary artist FUTURA, KRUNK is proud to be undertaking the next evolution of in the world of Donny Miller.
Miller, known as a brazen rule-breaking anomaly within the global art scene, is a perfect match to the rogue art showmen that are behind KRUNK. Spectacle, controversy and general destruction is to follow.
Most can only reflect on the history that FUTURA created. Now, the opportunity to witness history-in-the-making is upon us. Things will never be the same.
Keep an eye on http://madkrunk.com for further developments.
Contact: info@madkrunk.com
Friday, February 13th, 2009
ZEVS Messes With Google
ZEVS (thats “Zeus”) just launched a new site in complete disregard of Google’s intellectual property and trademarks. We think its a nice addition to his many conceptual graffiti projects.
Go check out Gzzglz
Friday, February 13th, 2009
Valentine’s Day Message From ESPO
Steve Powers just dropped this new print, released via Pictures On Walls. Entitled “Everything Is Shit, Except You Love,” this twelve color screenprint is the perfect gift for that special someone.
Available in a cream edition of 100, or black edition of 200, both priced at £160. Buy it here
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
GLIMPSE :: Matt Furie @ New Image Art
Matt Furie participates in New Image Art’s upcoming show, The Fucking Crap of Life (alongside Megan Whitmarsh and CF), opening this Saturday, Feb. 21. We’ve been admiring Matt’s darkly humorous illustrations since our friend Cheryl (shameless shout out) first introduced us to him through the Giant Robot NY group shows she regularly curated. Rendering up the nostalgia of childhood movies, television, and even fast food, Matt has created a fantasy world where bat boys ride BMX, luck-dragons get their fur tagged, teenage monsters smoke cigarettes while playing video games, and Skeletor can bring out his feminine side.
Matt was nice enough to answer some questions for TAC, so on with the Q+A.
For those not familiar, who is Matt Furie?
I’m that kid in the back of the class half listening to the teacher while drawing swords and creatures in his notebook. Except nowadays I roll out of bed and draw pictures at my own desk in my underwear while listening to skinny puppy or terry riley or the smiths. I just bought this album called “Trans” by Neil Young and it’s pretty amazing. Listening to loud music and drawing weird shit all day is a gift from god.
Click through for the rest of our interview: Read the rest of this entry »