the art collectors

Archive for September, 2009

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Renewed :: MOCA Celebrates 30 Years with Massive Permanent Collection Exhibition

Franz Kline – Buttress, 1956, oil on canvas, 46 ½ x 55 ½ in., collection of The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, The Panza Collection, © 2009 The Franz Kline Estate/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

We’ve got to hand it to the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. After surviving near financial disaster and significant restructuring, MOCA is set to celebrate its 30 year anniversary with a new exhibition from its permanent holdings.

Opening November 15, 2009 at both of two of MOCA’s Los Angeles locations, Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years will be the most comprehensive exhibition of the museum’s renowned post-war collection to date, highlighting over 500 works by more than 200 artists, including Diane Arbus, Chris Burden, Willem de Kooning, Alberto Giacometti, Nan Goldin, Robert Irwin, Donald Judd, On Kawara, Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy, Piet Mondrian, Bruce Nauman, Chris Ofilli, Claes Oldenburg, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, and Mark Rothko.

The exhibition is a bold and appropriate reassertion of the recently troubled institution’s vital contribution to the field of public arts. Paul Schimmel, MOCA’s Chief Curator noted that the museum “is approaching this exhibition of works from its collection with the same level of ambition and depth that has characterized the museum’s most celebrated thematic exhibitions. MOCA is assembling its major holdings into an unprecedented installation that will occupy 50,000 square feet in two museum buildings. The scope and scale of Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years will enable the community to build relationships with individual works of art and develop a sense of long-term engagement with the collection and the museum.”

To commemorate the event, the museum has launched a clever email campaign. Every week for 30 consecutive weeks members and mailing list subscribers will receive an image of a featured work from the museum’s permanent collection. Sign up here

Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years
Nov. 16, 2009 – May 3, 2010
MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., L.A., 90012
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, N. Central Ave., L.A. 90013

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Daniel Johnston’s Jeremiah Now an iPhone Game

Cult musician and artist Daniel Johnston can now add iPhone app to his growing list of commercial endeavors. The 99¢ Hi How Are You game lets players navigate Johnston’s iconic Jeremiah the Frog through a series of 27 levels, accompanied by his songs. We couldn’t resist giving it a try and must admit – it’s actually quite fun whether you are a Johnston fan or not. Download it from iTunes here

This certainly isn’t the first time Jeremiah has been used for commercial products. In the past few years the character has been licensed to numerous products including vinyl figures (yes, developed by yours truly), a line of Medicom backpacks and accessories, and countless t-shirt designs as accessible as your nearest Urban Outfitters. Earlier this month Activision released the Guitar Hero 5 video game, featuring an avatar of former Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain sporting a Jeremiah t-shirt.

Monday, September 28th, 2009

New York Art Book Fair to feature Richard Prince and Japanese Pop Exhibits

Brendan Fowler of ANP Quarterly at past NY Art Book Fair. (Image: NY Art Book Fair)

The New York Art Book Fair opens later this week at P.S.1 Arts Center in Long Island City.  After last year’s overly crowded gathering at Phillips de Pury, we hope the change of venue lends to a less hectic visit. The weekend-long event plays host to over 200 international presses, booksellers, antiquarian dealers, and independent publishers, as well as a conference and several special events, including signings by photographers Ryan McGinley and Peter Sutherland. This year, Printed Matter curates a special exhibition of the books and posters of artist Richard Prince, from the 70s to today. We are also looking forward to Gallery 360’s project room, where they will present Japanese Pop, Then & Now, with works by Kiyoshi Awazu, Suzy Amakane, Keiji Ito, Erika Kobayashi, Yutaka Kuriyama, Keiichi Tanaami, Tadanori Yokoo, and Aquirax Uno. A preview night benefit takes place this Thursday and includes entrance to a party at Deitch Studios, Long Island City. Tickets(available via Printed Matter) begin at $20 and include limited artist editions by Elmgreen & Dragset, Jutta Koether, Tom Sachs, and Mungo Thomson.

NY Art Book Fair
Oct. 2 – 4
Preview + Benefit Night: Oct. 1
P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center
22-25 Jackson Ave.
Long Island City, NY 11101

Monday, September 28th, 2009

A NY Minute in Rome

(Image: Francesco Demichelis/MACRO Future)

Photos from NY Minute have finally surfaced. The inaugural museum exhibition at the newly renovated MACRO Future museum in Rome was organized by DEPART Foundation and curated by Deitch Projects’ Director, Kathy Grayson. Grayson selected a group of sixty artists connected to the young New York art scene, including Aaron Bondaroff, Asume Vivid Astro Focus, Aurel Schmidt, Ben Jones, Barry McGee, Chris Johanson, Dan Colen, Dash Snow, Matt Leines, Ryan McGinley, Taylor McKimens, Scott Campbell, Steve Powers, Tauba Auerbach, Terence Koh, and Tim Barber. The exhibit is on view through Nov. 1. Read on for more images. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Ari Marcopoulos :: A Survey of 30 Years at Berkeley Art Museum

In 1979 Dutch born photographer Ari Marcopoulos migrated to New York City, quickly submerging himself in the downtown art scene. Sill in his twenties, Marcopolous found work printing photographs for Andy Warhol, and then as a studio assistant to photographer Irving Penn. He credits these early experiences with teaching him that anything is worth taking a picture of, as well as the importance of technical skill and a simple approach. These dual virtues are clearly evident throughout the body of work on view in Within Arm’s Reach, Marcopoulos’ first U.S. mid-career museum survey, which opened this week at The Berkeley Art Museum. The exhibition spans three decades of the artist’s photography, including his documentation of 80s street and music culture in New York, emersion into the early 90s skate and and later snowboard scenes, and recent autobiographical depictions of his family, often reflecting back on his own youth through images of his children.

The museum has published an exhibition catalog, designed by Marcopolous and available in their online store. Ari Marcopolous – Within Arm’s Reach in on view till Feb. 7. See below for details.

Read on for our extensive set of photos from the exhibit and visit Interview Magazine for a new interview with the artist. Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Twentieth Century Boy :: A new exhibit by Sashie Masakatsu celebrates T.Rex, supports arts school in Sierra Leone.

Masakatsu Sashie – Born to Boogie, oil on canvas. (Image courtesy of the artist)

It’s been nearly 40 years since Marc Bolan and his band released their first album under the T.Rex moniker. Next week, a new one-night exhibition will celebrate the late pioneer of glam-rock’s 62nd birthday, while raising funds to continue his legacy with a new school of arts in Sierra Leone, South Africa.

Taking place Sept. 30th, Twentieth Century Boy will unveil new T.Rex inspired paintings, created by Japanese artist Sashie Masakatsu . As a long-time fan, he has incorporated images of Marc Bolan into his signature culture-dense hovering orbs. A portion of sales will support Light of Love Foundation’s (founded by Bolan’s son Rolan and his mother, Gloria Jones) mission to build the Marc Bolan School of Music and Film in Sierra Leone.

The event is curated by Darren “Dr.” Romanelli and Giant Robot founder, Eric Nakamura, who presented Sashie’s first U.S. exhibit in 2006. Sashie won a Scout Award at the tenth annual edition of Kaikai Kiki/Murakami’s GEISAI fair, and is represented by Mizuma Art Gallery in Tokyo. The gallery quickly sold out all available paintings by the artist during last year’s PULSE Miami Art Fair.

We interviewed Rolan Bolan to find out more about  Light of Love Foundation and the upcoming event. Read on for more. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Barry McGee at Galleria Alessandra Bonomo

(All Images © Galleria Alessandra Bonomo)

Just in are these images from Mr. Brown, Barry McGee’s new solo show at Galleria Alessandra Bonomo, Rome. As previously reported the show opened yesterday with no prior announcement, and coincides with McGee’s participation in the New York Minute group exhibition at the Macro Future museum.
McGee has also completed a storefront installation as part of the current Armory Center for the Arts’ 20th Anniversary celebration in Pasadena, California. Images can be seen on Sour Harvest, via our friend Andrew Hosner.

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Bonhams Post War + Contemporary Auction to feature Parla, Banksy

(All Images © Bonhams)

Bonhams will host its fall Post War and Contemporary Art and Design auction next Wednesday, Sept. 23. We are particularly interested in this 2007 Jose Parla painting estimated at £25,000 – 35,000. The mixed media on board piece measures 48 1/16 x 72 7/16 in. with provenance via Christina Grajalaes Gallery in NY, where Parla presented his Layered Days exhibit late last year.

Also up for sale is this 2002 Banksy original canvas measuring 23 5/8 x 19 11/16 in., estimated at £25,000 – 35,000.

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Sacred Monsters at Tufts University, MA

Just in from our friend Tomokazu Matsuyama, are these images from Tufts University Art Gallery’s current exhibition, Sacred Monsters: Everyday Animism in Contemporary Japanese Art and Anime. Matzu appears in the eight-artist exhibit along with Chiho Aoshima, Nobuhiro Ishihara, Kenjiro Kitade, Mahomi Kunikata, Mr., Oscar Oiwa, and TOKYO KAMEN. For more info, see our previous report.

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

McGee x3

Barry McGee prepares his installation for NY Minute at Macro Future in Rome (Image: © Francesco Demichelis/ Depart Foundation)

With virtually no warning, Barry Mcgee opens a new solo exhibit at Galleria Alessandra Bonomo in Rome tomorrow. McGee has also been in the capital city preparing his installation for NY Minute (pictured here), a group exhibition curated by Deitch Projects’ Kathy Grayson, set to open this weekend at the new Macro Future museum.

Aside from his presence in Italy, McGee is also participating in the 10th annual Lyon Biennale, on view in the French city now through January 2010. Images from opening night can be seen with our friends at Guillotine and video of his installation can be seen in this euronews report.

McGee pieces for the artit’s NY Minute installation. (Image: © Kathy Grayson)

Barry McGee – Mr. Brown
Sept. 17 – Oct. 19
Galleria Alessandra Bonomo
Via del Gesu, 62
Rome, Italy 00186