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By Webmaster, October 13, 2011 5:19 pm

The Collector

Ran across this somewhere online and thought it aptly described my reason for starting Musee Magazine.

“By and large talent is in such short supply, mediocrity can be taken for brilliance rather more than genius can go undiscovered. The great majority of artists around the world don’t have dealers to represent or show their work. It makes it pretty well impossible to get your efforts seen, with most dealers too busy or too lazy to visit studios- and who can blame them. They have probably become a bit disenchanted from seeing acres of slides and transparencies of tragic work foist upon them by desperate artist. In reality, most dealers find new artists to show through recommendations from their existing stable- artists often urge their dealers to look favorably upon the work of their friends; furthermore, dealers usually believe artists are good judges of other artist’s work. All in all then, if you’re not in the right artistic social circles, didn’t go to a hip art school, don’t quite fit in, it can be hell to extract much interest from dealers and collectors”, which is the reason for Musee.

I had the good fortune to interview an art collector with an encyclopedia of contemporary art starting in the early 80′s with minimalists like Carl Andrea, Kiki Smith, Hiroshi Sugimoto, stretching through, Andreas Gursky, Cindy Sherman, Bill Viola, Tony Oursler, through the art stars of now like Kehndi Wiley, John Currin, and Vik Muniz, etc. The way in which the art is hung is equally impressive, salon style. Every room has a different theme; fantasy, aggression, heads, etc. There is art everywhere; the floor,  ceiling, walls, outside, inside, on the couch, a Cindy Sherman above the bed in the master bedroom.

Living with all of that art is an overwhelming experience for the senses almost an assault, one which I would love to have.

Then onto the galleries in Chelsea to see some work.

Impressive was Daniel Gordon at Wallspace which is the next show.

Lisa Yuskavage at David Zwirner

Lisa’s paintings are often considered soft porn. Her new works remind me of some of my photographs which many people also thought of as soft porn. I love this new exhibition.

“Yuskavage has developed her own genre of the female nude. They appear to occupy their own realm  while narcissistically contemplating themselves and their bodies. Rich, atmospheric skies frequently augment the psychologically – charged mood, adding to the impression of theatricality and creative possibility.  For this exhibition, Yuskavage takes her complex narrative to a larger scale, whose sheer vastness adds a cinematic component to the works. This new body of wok appears to merge the genres of landscape, still life and portrait painting.”

“The exhibition includes the three- part Triptych, the first time the artist has worked in this format. The triptych format adds an additional, unknown dimension to the narrative and the individual.”

Triptych Lisa Yuskavage

Boundaries Obscured at Haunch of Venison

“The inaugural exhibition is a group show of artists we work with.” – Emilio Steinberger (International Director)

“Boundaries Obscured respond to the growing trend of globalization and the blurring of cultural and geographical boundaries as use of technology becomes more prevalent. These works highlight the overwhelming difficulties and/ or advantages of being an individual in a relentlessly encroaching mass of information and external pressure. The Balcony,(a video) by Eve Sussman and Simon Lee, takes as its point of departure the prefabricated ‘Khrushchyovka’ built in the 1960′s and common in ex-soviet cities. The geometric purity of the Brutalist buildings has been disrupted as residences blocked in the open spaces that were once balconies, creating an extra room with vernacular architecture that marks the prefabrication with personal expression.”

“Patricia Piccinini, examines humans’ complex relationships with technology and animals in this featured work specifically comments on human impact on other life forms. Artist Joana Vasconcelos, is best known for her readymade sculptures inspired by Nouveau- realism and focuses on identity politics pertaining to gender and nationality.”

Boundaries Obscured

Elger Esser at Sonnabend

“These photographs and heliogravures were made in Giverny, France at the gardens of the Fondation Claude Monet. Esser took the images at night- creating prints in color as well as in shades of gray that make use of the diffuse light to suggest a disordered and abandoned world that is devoid of human presence.”

He writes: “I work quite deliberately with blurred images using long exposure times. The mobile in the picture- the water, the trees, the clouds- do things with the film which i can only influence in part. For me, this use of technology is only a background aspect. I concentrate more strongly on the contents of the images. What does it mean to stand at the water’s edge? What happens if the elements in the picture- trees, sky, or water- interact with symmetreies and surfaces, with harmony and disharmony?”

“I am interested in capturing and preserving subjective memories, time and tranquility.”

Elger Esser

Matthew Barney at Gladstone

“An exhibition of new sculpture. “Ancient Evenings” is a multi- part project structured as a site- specific opera in collaboration with Jonathan Bepler, loosely based in Norman Mailer’s 1983 novelof the same title. Barney enacts recurring cycles of reincarnation through the use of an automobile, creating a temporary allegory of death and rebirth with in the Americn industrial landscape. The sculptures on veiw are both formally and conceptually related to the 1967 Chrysler Crown Imperial from Cremaster 3.”

“Ancient Evenings” continues Barney’s program of the last twenty years, in which narrative sculpture is generated through a complex system of storytelling that intertwines personal, historical, and modern mythologies.

Matthew Barney

Barbara Probst at Murray Guy

Interesting conceptually, quiet and meditative.

Barbara Probst

And then I was invited for a night of wine and tango by my friend Alexandra Cicognani  of  A Cicognani Communications; promoting Argentina’s Malbec wine and tango. It was an unexpected evening of elegance romance and wine, which made me want to get on the next plane to Argentina.

Tango Dancers

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By Webmaster, October 10, 2011 1:32 pm

Two Weeks

I read this morning how Richard Avedon’s portfolios went for the most money at Phillips Photography Auction last night. And to think many of my interns and students don’t know who he is, shocking!

It has been a hectic two weeks. Every time we thought Musee was almost completed another wonderful surprise occurred. Musee is expanding before the first issue is launched and it is very exciting.  Main Content: guest artists, interviews, and emerging writers. I am very excited. Musee will be launched very soon.

The first class at ICP was a great success. The photographer, Sebastian Kim and Mazdeck Rassi, owner of Milk Studios were the speakers.  Rassi came early while Sebastian was speaking and sat down and listened to him. After Sebastian finished he stayed to hear Rassi talk. The students were so impressed with Sebastian’s work and listened intently to his advice on how to start and maintain a career in photography. Rassi spoke about the new media, how the business has changed and what a young photographer must do to be current. The students were inspired. Rassi and Sebastian leaving together made me feel good seeing the camaraderie they have. After all, its all about relationships you make, build, and keep!

Sebastian Kim

Recommend: Jenny Saville at Gagosian Gallery. Always loved her work and technique.  This show is outstanding. I love women artists when their work has to do with women’s issues and it works. They express themselves and their point of view better than any man ever could.

Jenny Saville

The Mill and the Cross:

“Casts a transfixing spell…(with) ambitions as sweeping as the vast canvas that Bruegel fills. In this lush and hypnotic examination ?of a painter’s work and the times in which he lived, Mr. Majewski presents an extended contemplation of the creative process itself.?It isn’t the artist, it’s the art that’s the star here, and (the filmmaker) lavishes sophisticated, enchanting detail on its re-creation. He’s painting cinematically… ?an inspiring, alluring meditation about imagery and storytelling, the common coin of history, religion and art.?– Daniel M. Gold, The New York Times

A slow paced movie without much dialog, interesting conceit and a visual feast for your eyes worth sitting through.

Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life:

Comic book artist Joann Sfar interprets the life of ’60s pop star Serge Gainsbourg (née Lucien Ginsburg to Russian-Jewish parents),1921–1991, beginning with his childhood years in Nazi-occupied Paris, through his early years as a painter and jazz musician (brushing shoulders with Boris Vian), to his life as a wildly popular singer-songwriter, notorious bon vivant, and lover of some of the world’s most glamorous women. Gainsbourg’s two-sided personality (narcissistic and self-loathing) and his over-the-top antics with Brigitte Bardot (Laetitia Casta), Jane Birkin (Lucy Gordon), and beatnik icon Juliette Gréco (Anna Mouglalis) share the screen with a giant puppet alter-ego: a scary, libidinous bad-boy who personifies all of Gainsbourg’s worst proclivities. Featuring many of the musician’s greatest hits, with Eric Elmosnino as Gainsbourg and, in a cameo, Claude Chabrol as his record producer. Never have so many Gauloises been smoked to such great effect. – Film Forum

I photographed Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg’s second wife, and thought she was his only wife. I learned much more about this fascinating and uber talented individual.  The movie uses a puppet as his alter ego. The idea was clever, amusing and it worked.

Jane Birkin

Bob Dylan: The Asia Series, worth seeing if only to see how prolific and multi- talented he is. Can’t say I was moved by all of the work, but the paintings do have a point of view and some draw you in.

Bob Dylan

Off to the Big D for the weekend- Have a good Columbus Day!

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By Webmaster, September 22, 2011 1:11 pm

The Salon

Last night I was transported back to the 18th century. Sam Waksal (ex-chairman for the New York Council for the Humanities) had a cocktail, dinner, and salon with Andre Aciman (writer extraordinaire of  ”Out of Egypt,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “8 Nights,” “False Papers,” and editor of the Proust Project, etc.) Several years ago I met Andre at  one of Sam’s other salons. He complimented me on my scent (perfume) which he said was his favorite and that few women wear it. So we bonded instantly. Unfortunately, I forgot to wear it last night ( I was in the mood for a change).  Andre took a whiff and disappointment washed over his face; “you’re wearing nothing,” he said. “Not true,” I responded, “just something else.” Feeling terrible his olfactory sense was not stimulated and that I let  him down, I promised I would be wearing it the next time we met. Andre, of course, spoke about his writing, his process, the hows and the whys of his craft. Andre says he writes about paradoxes. Sam commented that true neuroses is called “oughtness,”  I ought to be there not here, I ought to have done this and not that. To Which Andre added that he thinks most people are “messed up,”  and so on. It was a stimulating evening and hope there will be more soon.

Met my friend and went to see the Willem de Kooning exhibit at the MOMA. I read that Anna Wintour doesn’t like adjectives, but I do and de Kooning’s show is not only overwhelming but bursting with exuberance, enthusiasm, and monumental talent. Willem de Kooning was prolific spending all of his time painting. You would think he would be veracious sexually but one wonders, with his tremendous productivity, where he had the time. Willem de Kooning said, “the reason for paint is skin,” and this is shown over and over and over again; one never tires of de Kooning’s skin.

Woman- Willem de Kooning

Just when I thought I was over fashion, I saw Daphne Guinness’ exhibit of her clothes at F.I.T. But first, before entering there was a brief film and interview on her. Waiting for a friend I viewed it four times and could have watched this mesmerizing creature even more. What is amazing to see is Daphne’s transformation from a wealthy bourgeoisie  housewife to an artist and muse. While there are many who imitate her, Daphne’s extraordinary beauty and creativity is unique to her and everyone else seems to pale in comparison. The exhibit itself is well done, to see how someone who is fortunate enough to have the means to buy anything and is exposed to everything (high and low), makes the choices she makes with such cohesiveness and focus, clarity of vision, and such exquisite taste, is a delight. Thank you Daphne.

Daphne Guinness

On to Mary Boone to see Luis Gispert’s “deception.” Love when the concept of an exhibition encompasses social commentary with high art and humor. This exhibition has it all. I loved it!!

Luis Gispert

Thought I forgot a lot of my art history until I saw the “El Greco” exhibit at the MET (I love this museum). Viewing just a few paintings of his work I realized how far ahead he was compared to the other artists of his day. Precursor to impressionism, in fact, looking at one painting, I was reminded of Picasso, so I read the description which said when Picasso painted “The Young Ladies of Avignon,” he was influenced by El Greco’s work.

El Greco

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By Webmaster, September 21, 2011 1:03 pm

RUN BLANCH RUN

Started the week going to a few of the many gallery openings. Hellen Van Meene &  Amy Elkins at Yancey Richardson, Vik Muniz at Sikema Jenkins, Nick Cave at Mary Boone, Luis Gispert also at Mary Boone, Do Ho Suh at Lehman Maupin, Leandro Erlich at Sean Kelly, Sarah Rafferty at Rachel Uffner Gallery, Anthony Goicolea at Postmasters, Social History: The Jet Set at Staley Wise ,and of course Remembering 9/11, Harper’s Bazaar: A Decade of Style, Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer at ICP and these are the ones I really liked. Below are images from some of the shows:

Vik Muniz

Vik Muniz

Nick Cave

Do Ho Suh

Sara Rafferty

Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities

Fashion Night Out was a no show for me, but while walking the Highline,  going home, I took this magical image below ( hey, thank god for accidents ).

Of course I walked down 14th street  in the midst of the crowds of people coming & going into the shops, dancing on the streets, shopping, drinking, having fun….  it was a spectacle of human flesh & I was glad to be on my way home.  Over the weekend I went to Chelsea, once again, & to The Museum of Art & Design. There I saw an exhibition called “Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities,”  which consists of magnificent dioramas & miniatures; they were incredible. The detail, craft, inventiveness, & originality is not only inspiring but it overwhelms one sense of possibilities. I  loved it!  Once there, I discovered Simon Doonan, brand ambassador for Barneys, was curating a fashion & film weekend hosted by Vanity Fair & sponsored by the likes of L’oreal, BMW, etc.  Saturday night I saw The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ( I cried listening to the beautiful soundtrack ) & that time when life was simple & sweet.  The following day I went to a panel of  fashion pundits & experts which included, Simon Doonan who was the moderator of the discussion panel, Freddie Lieber: Fashion Sage, Matt Tyrnauer: Director of “Valentino The Last Emperor”, the fashion designers Costello Tagliapietra & Valerie Steele: Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at  F.I.T.   The group discussed the influence of film on fashion & vice a versa.  Afterwards, there was another party, upstairs on the seventh floor of the museum with champagne, wine, and great food; all catered by Roberts the restaurant located on the ninth floor of the Museum of Art and Design.  I went home happy, satiated, and went to bed.

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By Webmaster, September 8, 2011 6:03 pm

Welcome Back!

To more bad weather, Fashion Night Out, Fashion Week, gallery and museum openings, and the omnipresent 9/11.  Let me start wishing you all a new beginning and a less stressful time.

Labor Day weekend I found myself once again as a guest, at my friend Gaby’s Magnolia Mae Farm. Saturday, Gaby gave a book party for Vicky Tiel; who had a huge article in the New York Times, talking about her saucy book “It’s All About the Dress: What I Learned in Forty Years About Men, Women, Sex, and Fashion” and important alliances, incredible adventures, and good advice. I liked Vicky a lot; who turns out is smart and wickedly funny. With so many stories, Vicky mesmerizes you with her humor and wisdom. The book, “It’s All About the Dress: What I Learned in Forty Years About Men, Women, Sex, and Fashion” is a fast, fun, and juicy read.

Then it started raining, Gaby recommended we watch a Danish T.V. series called “The Killing.” If you like thrillers and crime stories, this is the best T.V. I’ve seen in a very long time. So, for approximately 18 hours (a bender) we watched this compelling drama, which keeps you guessing till the very end, the perfect thing to do on two consecutively rainy days.

Taking an extra day off, Sunday night, we went to a birthday party of Gaby’s business partner, Caroline Marks Blackwood’s boyfriend Greg. Greg started a company called Currant C, which is a healthy and great tasting drink that can be bought on the Internet. The dinner with Caroline and Greg’s friends was in Rhinebeck at a restaurant called GiGi’s. The food was delicious, some of the best in the area!

A parting shot from one of the last shootings of the summer.

Model- Lauren Lake, Agency- Click, Hair Stylist- Keith Poyser, Makeup Artist- Chris Milone

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By Webmaster, July 19, 2011 11:31 am

A Steamy Weekend in New York

This past Saturday (which was very hot!), a friend of mine asked if I wanted to join her on a sojourn to Governors Island. One of the women of the group going (an artist), works at Maritime Pier in Chelsea, where she set us up on a Fire Department boat that was supposed to receive a ‘blessing’ from the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Unfortunately, the ‘blessing’ never occurred because of a snafu, but off we went to to Governors Island.

The Island wasn’t what I expected — it was so crowded, there were so many tourists, and all of the buildings have Federal Architecture. The place looked like a penal colony — everything was in brown and yellow! Even the grass was burnt yellow because of the heat — it wasn’t a pretty sight. A saving grace of the trip was seeing Mark di Suvero‘s sculptures on the Island grounds, even though I wasn’t impressed with the Island itself. While I think there is a lot of potential to turn it into an artist’s community — I think a lot of renewel has to go into it first!

On the Island, we did see a good exhibition by Finnish artists at Building 110. Called ‘Bodies, Borders, Crossings’, it conceptualizes human bodies in different ways and surrounds images with different ‘borders’ to show how these individuals are ‘controlled’ by their environment. Here are a few of my favorites:

After Governors Island, I was completely wiped out by the heat, and stayed in for most of Sunday! I did end up making it out to my multimedia class at ICP on Monday night, which I continue to love! The work is so interesting, and the people in the class are fantastic. I just have so much to do in the studio that it’s hard to concentrate on Final Cut Pro right now!

I also stopped in this weekend to the No.10 Gallery on Leonard Street in Tribeca — a cool spot that provides a platform for artists in the fashion and photography industry to show their work. The space is dedicated to ‘emerging’ artists — much like the contributors of my new magazine Museé. I’m excited to see more of their future exhibitions!

Last week’s shooting was conceived around these quirky hats I found at Worth & Worth, this fantastic hat store at 45 W. 57th Street. One model, Lauren from the Click Agency, has been working with me every summer for three years — and she’s one of the most beautiful girls I’ve worked with for many years. Another model, Molly (also from Click) is 15 years old and from Kentucky. Even though she’s 15, she responds to the camera like she’s been modeling for five years or more! I haven’t done a thorough edit of the shoot yet, but photos are coming very soon!

Also, now that August is around the corner, this is one of our last blog posts until September! So stay tuned for this summer’s final posting!

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By Webmaster, July 12, 2011 2:19 pm

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Last Thursday night, I started a watercoloring class at the New York Academy of Art in Tribeca — thinking that it would be useful to employ this technique on future projects I’m working on. However, I discovered that not only do I not need to take this course to use watercolor technique, but it’s extremely difficult and a pain in the ass! Therefore, I won’t be attending any more classes! The difficulty lays in placing the color on the page and not having it run all over the paper. While I took it in college, my strokes then were much broader, so it didn’t make a difference. But in this class it did. So much for patience!

So, giving school another go, I took the intrepid step to take another course — this one at ICP. It’s a multimedia course that uses video, photography and sound… and it’s much more to my liking. But, with an upside comes a downside. And that is learning Final Cut Pro. Since patience is not my best friend, I can see the process becoming a difficult one. But I am determined to follow through with it!

The course is taught by Nancy Donaldson from the New York Times, who produces the project ‘One In Eight Million’; an ongoing multimedia project on the Times’ website. The project highlights the lives of different New Yorkers in short video clips, and often tell poignant or funny stories about life in this city.

The pieces in the project are incredible — and for being such short videos, they’re incredibly moving and touching. They’re an inspiration to incorporate multimedia into my own work, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I’ve learned (especially in creating my book) it’s all about the art of the interview to create powerful stories. And since I’m a nosy person, I’m well suited for it!

The most exciting thing I did this weekend — and will probably be a new activity — was going to a Baptist Church on 115th Street in Harlem with a few of my friends. I felt like I was at a rock concert, only better! We watched a gospel choir perform, and the music was so moving, and the congregation was so raucous, that I was yelling “Hallelujah” for the whole hour they were singing. If my religion had services like this every week, I would be a regular church-goer! Music is very contagious.

I also made a new purchase! I bought this piece at an art auction. Loving the yellow!

Now I’m off to go work on my tons of projects… and getting a bit overwhelmed! Maybe I should have just gone on vacation this summer like everyone else!

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By Webmaster, July 7, 2011 1:49 pm

How Green Was My Valley

For the Fourth of July weekend, I went upstate to stay with a friend who lives in Earlton — a charming town in the Hudson Valley. I’m very much a city person, but this was the first time that I enjoyed myself as much as I did being in the green. I stayed longer on this trip than I usually spend out in Montauk — because I could.

My friend is a movie producer who originally lived in the city, but now lives upstate full-time when she’s not traveling. She really pampered me while I was there! A yoga instructor came to the house everyday, and even one morning a masseuse came to give us massages! It felt like our own private spa!

Having spent most of the weekend indulging myself, I walked through Hudson’s main street (Warren Street) in search for a manicure. Inside up front, it looked like an old apothocary. But once they took me into the back of the salon where the beauty services actually happen, I really saw the place for what it was — a huge mess! There was paper strewn everywhere, and the stylists stood around having these inane conversations — one of which was about how chewing gum always gets stuck to the roofs of their mouths! It was definitely a case for Bravo’s ‘Tabatha’s Salon Makeover‘!

I was also shocked when my nail stylist said it was against New York State law to have my cuticles cut. I’ve never heard such a thing. I looked it up, and it’s true… but why am I able to have them cut in the city? It doesn’t make sense!

A very chic looking woman was sitting in the salon getting her nails done near me. She must of heard my disbelief over the cuticle situation, because she smiled right at me. I knew right away she was from the city!

That evening, my friend took me to a wonderful dinner party at the home of two ‘ex-pat’ city dwellers — one of which is a photographer. They’re a couple who after moving out of the city now own “the” wine shop in Hudson. They live in a modern house that was originally built by  someone who used to work for Calvin Klein, and its exterior is covered in aluminum sheet metal, and the house has huge wooden barn doors. It was really spectacular looking. Inside, the layout of the house was very modern and simple.

At the party was a very familiar looking woman — the woman from the salon! It turns out she’s an art consultant who lives in the city (I was right!). What a coincidence!

The dinner was fantastic — and aside from the fish we ate, the entire meal was grown in their garden. I found it amazing that the dinner’s salads, string beans, radishes, arugala and onions were completely home-grown. Now they’re considering taking up bee-keeping next!

I didn’t end up coming back to the city until Tuesday, and overall I had a magnificent time eating, drinking, reading, relaxing and taking photos. The whole town seemed like a very nice community, and I really see why my girlfriend loves living there so much. People seem much more low-key upstate than they do in the Hamptons, and I’m genuinely happy over the life my friend made for herself there!

Below are some of the photos I took:

Since I’ve been back in the city, I’ve seen ‘A Better Life‘ about an immigrant family struggling to live in East Los Angeles. I also saw ‘Passione‘, which is a musical celebration of Naples and stars John Turturro. It was so fabulous, and I recommend everyone to go see it!

I’ve also started perusing the website Paddle8. It’s a forum for artists to sell their work, and they have a new ‘guest curator’ every month who puts on an exhibition. Check it out!

Now I’m off to ready myself for a class I’m taking on watercoloring! This summer is a summer of learning… and finishing projects… and launching my magazine!

PS: I’m also looking for new ways to engage more readers in dialogue on my blog. Any ideas are appreciated!

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By Webmaster, June 27, 2011 2:17 pm

Ties That Bind

Lauren from Next Modeling Agency.

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By Webmaster, June 27, 2011 1:29 pm

Hybrid Photography

I stopped by the Marlborough Gallery in Chelsea last week to see the inspiring exhibit, ‘Intersections: Photography / Painting / Document’. The show brought together sixteen artists who created hybrid images that had been manipulated through stitching together multiple photos, scraping and painting over images and creating collages of photos with newspaper clippings or images from the Internet.

Ultimately, I thought the exhibit was a fresh and exciting example of photography being used to create fine art. The pieces were visually compelling, and much of the exhibit was composed of composite images with political or emotional messages that gave a deeper feel to the work.

I also stopped by the opening reception of ‘Interventions In the Landscape’ at Galerie Lelong. The exhibit took a fresh take on landscape photography, with the photographer shooting subjects engaging with and altering the world around them. In some cases, the environment appears to dominate the subject — showing the dynamic relationship people have with the world around them. Overall, I felt the exhibit was conceptually very stimulating — and took a new look at how we photograph landscapes. Like the Marlborough exhibit, the pieces had a deeper meaning with political and social messages for the viewer.

Embracing new techniques and concepts in photography is Les Rencontres d’Arles in France, a festival that has begun exhibiting new types of digital photography and video. Much of the work shown is documentary, but many of the pieces are also works of fine art. The festival starts on July 4th and runs through September 18th. I hope to attend this year!