ART L.A. RECAP
02.02.08
Good art usually has something to say, while great art always has something significant to say. In a given space that is filled with a cacophony of voices vying to be heard over one another, all relevance is lost. Such was my experience while attending Art L.A. this past weekend. In my opinion, art needs proper space in which to be experienced, not stifled in a 10′x20′ box while competing for the attention of the masses. I will say however, that the amount of work to be taken in was impressive, you just needed to block out a lot of spacial and auditory distractions in order to appreciate it.
Of all the things I saw at Art L.A., the most profound was the way Bortolami Gallery chose to use their exhibitor space. Crammed inside was a crushed subway car, nothing else. For me, this was a narrative on the whole art fair experience I was taking in, a literal train wreck. Unfortunately we live in an era where art has become product and is marketed as such. Now more than ever art is accepted and sought after because if there is one thing society understands, it’s brand identity and it seems the majority of art being produced right now is generated towards this particular paradigm. So the next time you attend an “art” event at a venue that tends to use the art as vehicle for marketing and selling something else, do yourself a favor and make up for it by visiting an institution that exists for the purpose of showing art in a space that lets it be heard.
While most of the exhibitors had their faces buried in their MacBooks and became annoyed that you had distracted them by coming into their space, the girls from Reena Spaulings Fine Art were really engaging. Carrisa and Emily are the same ladies who showed the “Die Collector Scum” painting at Art Basel, Miami and their irreverence to the contemporary art world is funny as well as refreshing. Thanks you two for hanging out with me and making me (black on black) laugh. I hope to visit you in NY soon!
One last thing. If you’re the girl from Zurich that sat outside and had a smoke with me and talked for awhile, call me. You are quite amazing!!!
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Tags: art commentary, Art L.A., joseph shaeffer
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