Don't you just love it when your day starts off well enough but somehow the gods decide you deserve a good surprise and the day goes into AWESOME OVERDRIVE?
Some of my colleagues and I went to lunch afterwards at a little dive around the corner that boasted "Spanish" food. No, not tapas, but excellent home-style Latino cooking that was, well, AWESOME. The tostones -- smashed, fried green bananas -- were a thing of beauty. Often they're more like lead pucks, but these were transcendent. Perfectly fried, crispy and strangely light. Accompanied with a garlic & oil sauce and salt -- magnifico, chicos!
From there I decided to cruise by Chelsea to check out a couple of galleries, since part of my job also includes curating content for our new space -- digital stuff as well as art work and other accoutrements. I'm putting together a proposal of art work I think would be fitting for our office -- smart, thought-provoking with a sly sense of humor. I don't know if it'll fly, but it was a wonderful excuse to look at art and get inspired.
Here are some notable shows I really urge NY folks to check out:
Gagosian: Picasso. It's on 21st Street, not their 24th Street space, which is featuring Yayoi Kusama. I'll get back to her shortly. If I have ever doubted Picasso's relevance (and I have), I take it back. This show was a revelation, a great look into the last years of a master who continued to push the boundaries, exploring the fragility of human love, relationships, and existence. The show features mostly paintings but also has some fantastic prints, including this one, which is one my absolute favorites, of a man and woman having sex.
It's all arms and legs ... and the gaze and caress of love. It's a perfect depiction of the experience of that passion.
Gagosian: Yayoi Kusama. What can I say? This artist makes my heart sing. She's got a (smashing) pumpkin piece that's semi-outdoors:
(I have no idea why this is so blue.)
And a host of eye-popping paintings and this wonderful, wonderful best-thing-ever room:
The title is "Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity," but she did something similar at Robert Miller several years ago called Firefly. "Aftermath" also captures that delight of a summer evening when the fireflies emerge and overwhelm you with their delicate displays of all-encompassing light. Maybe that's what the aftermath of the end of eternity is -- when it's just the ever-present moment.
PaceWildenstein: Chuck Close. Some nice paintings, but you've seen them before. The tapestries, however, are a perfect and unexpected translation of his work.
Rich in history, these pieces are phenomenal. Kudos to Don & Era Farnsworth at Magnolia Editions who worked with Chuck Close to create these. (This image of Philip Glass was takes from their website. Check out the link above for more info on this exhibition.)
Paula Cooper: Sophie Calle. Back in the land of broken hearts. I was prepared to walk out mid-yawn. (Oh, get OVER it already, honey!) but this exhibition was really interesting with moments of great humor. The show is based on a break-up email she received from a lover. She gave the letter to 107 women, chosen for their professional skills in a variety of areas, who then analyzed and gave their interpretations. I walked in as the great Jeanne Moreau was talking about the man's cowardice (a copy of the letter is available for visitors to take, and I kinda have to agree with Jeanne. The dude was kind of lame). In other rooms there were more videos -- here's a still from one of my favorite moments.
The dancer is Marie-Agnes Gillot, and her interpretation was to skitter backwards en pointe until she collapsed dramatically, arms splayed out, onto a pile of pink satin toe shoes. It was such an extravagant gesture! I loved it. (I also loved the purse the woman in front of me was carrying -- it was covered in vibrant blood red fabric roses.)
Anyway, ended up back in my studio and treated myself to some yummy Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies I have stashed in my freezer. A perfect, refreshing end to a damned fine afternoon. Hope yours was swell too!
Cheers!
