Modern Art Obsession

Great New Photobook #2 - Conditions by Andres Marroquin Winkleman

Great New Photobook #2 - Conditions, (2010) by photographer Andres Marroquin Winkleman.

Well.. this book might be the best kept secret of the 2010 photobook publishing world.

Hardcover, Left & Right Binding
128 pages, 56 full color plates
26x21cm (10.2x8.2in)
offset printed
edition size: 300

This is the very first amazingg project of the newbie emerging photo art book publisher Meier und Müller.

Like..

Who??

Yes...  that was.. 

Meier und Müller a new photobook publisher, and you thought this business was DOA.  (We guess, the company name, it's like "Smith and Jones" but in German.. a la.. photobooks for the common man. We can't wait to see what they do next.)

Anyway.. this new publisher is the brainchild of Photographer Andres Marroquin Winkleman and from the Godfather of the photo blog world.. Dr. Jorg M. Colberg..aka.. Conscientious.com. And all we at MAO have to say.. it's one super damn impressive first attempt. Congrats Gentleman!

Astutely edited by renown photographer Adam Bartos, Conditions is actually not just one nice photobook, it's more like 2 brilliant photobooks in one smart and thoughtful designed package. We found this presentation both totally fresh and innovative, plus we have never seen such a cool, very Japanese Provoke inspired Belly band included with this package! I bet, you'll find yourself flipping through these books so many times because each reading tells a slightly different story. 

But, the nifty design is not just for design sake. In this photobook's case the physical exterior packaging harmoniously supports the interior image meanings and concepts. Making for a melodious photographic project.

Well.. first off, before I go one gushing anymore, to understand what the hell MAO is talking about, you just have to see how special this book is. So check out this cute video....

"Conditions", Andrés Marroquín Winkelmann from Meier und Müller on Vimeo.

Pretty Cool? Right?? Who would have thought a bunch of rigid well studied Germans could have pulled this off! So Move Over Little Brown Mushroom Books.. there's a new smarter german kid in town!

Winkleman's images explore the concepts of "us" and "them", and they truly show the reader, 2 fractions of a place, and how people can co-inhabit a community but living parallel lives. This is strongly explored by flipping through both sides of this dual book. It allows the reader to create numerous diptychs, and hence every reading tells a slightly different story, just as each individual experience different realities within society.   

So.. Yes.. We enjoyed this photo project, the dark and quiet images even reminded us of work by some of our favorite photographers... Wolfgang Tillmans, Laura Letinsky, and maybe even a little Paul Graham.

So just 2 additional MAO picky thought/suggestions to the publishers, if when they do a second edition..

1. While we liked the informative essay by the Godfather of the photo blog world.. Dr. Jorg M. Colberg. We really would have loved if this book had included a list of photo titles/credits.. cause we're still guessing about some of these images. Which I guess was totally intentional....

2. It could have used a printed title somewhere on the spine of the case. FYI.. Once you put this wonderful little black book on a bookshelf.. you may never find it again!!  It's just a solid black unmarked spine/edge.. so we totally lost this book for a week in our messy NYC loft. OUCH!  

Anyway... Conditions is an edition of only 300 books.. all numbered.. so if you have any interest in this wonderful book.. you better get one very soon!!

 You can order it here.  

It's sure to sell out fast because we herd they make outstanding stocking stuffers.

New Great Photobook #1 - Infidel by Tim Hetherington

New Great Photobook #1 - Infidel by Tim Hetherington.

This is one of the best new photobooks we've seen in 2010.

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chris Boot (September 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches

Infidel is an intimate photo essay of a U.S. Army platoon assigned to an outpost in one of the most hostile areas of the Koregal Vallery in Afganastan.

We loved both the Hetherington photos as well as the thoughtful design and production quality of this book. It's been printed in the size and style of an Army Field Manual or maybe even The Bible. It has a thick black plastic cover, with nothing but a tattoo style drawing of the word Infidel.  (Photo #1, Infidel book cover)

This is not your typical macho wartime soldier photo essay. The young soldiers in Hetherington's photos look relaxed and almost casual in their hostile environment.

This series comes across surprisingly tender and with a surprising amount of vulnerabilility even while many of these men are sporting huge guns and camouflage uniforms.

The viewer can't help but feel at times these photos seem raw,  sexy, and of course a bit homo erotic. 

Much of this book remined us of the best early work by art photographer Adi Nes...

(Photo #2, Tim Hetherington, The members of 2nd Platoon "get to know one-another", 2008 )

Throughout the entire book, there are numerous detail photographic images along side drawn images ofthe body tattoos on these soldiers.

Yes..

We just loved this book, and find ourselves picking it up again and again.

See what you think.. maybe you'll agree with MAO that it's possibly one of the best photobooks of 2010.

More details on the book here.... http://www.chrisboot.com/new_infidel.html

(Photo #3, Image Credit: Sergeant Elliott Alcantara, Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. 2008)

About Tim Hetherington
Tim Hetherington was born in Liverpool, UK, and took up photojournalism after studying literature at Oxford University. Awards for his photojournalism include a Hasselblad Foundation Award (2002), World Press Photo of the Year 2007 (for a photograph featured in the Infidel), the Rory Peck Award for TV Features (2008), and an Alfred I duPont Award (2009).  Tim Hetherington is also an acclaimed documentary filmmaker who has reported on conflict and social issues for over ten years. This recent work of platoon soldiers in Afghanistan includes the film Restrepo, co-directed and co-produced with Sebastian Junger, and was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.  Tim is based in New York and is a contributing photographer to Vanity Fair magazine.

The Best and Most Useful Books about PhotoBooks!!

The Best Books about PhotoBooks!!

So.. at MAO we got an email the other day asking what the best resources are for collecting photobooks. Sadly.. we accidentally deleted this person's email.. SHIT...OOPS!  So we couldn't answer this person directly. My apologies to that person! 

BUT, Since it's a good topic, we thought it was worthwhile of a full posting filled with our vapid, self serving  studied thoughts on this important topic.

FYI.. We are going to be dedicating the next few blog posts to some new and exciting photobook discoveries.. so stay tuned Photobook geeksAficionados!

OK.. So what are THE BEST books on Collecting Photobooks? Well, Here is MAO's list.. in a totally biased order of importance..

1. Andrew Roth's (Editor)... The Book of 101 Books. The: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century.

This is the book which set the standard for photobook reference guides. It was the first major collection of photobooks widely published...and it remains the benchmark.

With 2 to 4 pages for each book, the textbook is well researched.. and has put together some of the best minds on the topic of important photography books.

This  is a MUST have for any serious photobook collector. 

FYI.. It was

this reference book has also been largely responsible for increasing the prices ten fold  for any photobook even mentioned inside these pages. 

2. Haselblad.. The Open Book,  Photographs by numerous contributing photographers.
Hasselblad Center, Goteberg, 2005. 423 pp., 404 illustrations, 8x10".

The book was published in conjunction with the Hasselblad Center. Edited by Andrew Roth.

Contributions by Simon Anderson, Ute Eskildsen, Philip Arons, Gerhard Steidl, Robert Frank and Hasse Persson. There was an exhibition that ran from June 17 to September 4, 2005,

"A history of the photographic book from 1878 to 2005."

Sadly we missed this show in 2005!

The list within this text is chronological.

It's a great and thoughtfull collection,

but,

sadly this book has no informative or descriptive text about any of the photobooks, it just has a few pictures and the minimum about each book.

3. PARR I - The Photobook: A History, Vol. 1 [Hardcover] by Martin Parr (Author), Gerry Badger (Author).

This reference book probably includes as many as 200 photobooks.

It's got 9 chapters, and really covers a full range of the best historical photography books.

Many were little known or infrequently seen titles..but now frequently show up at book fairs and auctions with big price tags.

Rumors always circle that these opportunistic authors/editors bought up as many as possible of these photobooks before they published this text book. Hmm.... MAO wonders how this effected which photobook got included?

All suspicions aside, this is a well researched text book, with a lot of detailed information about each of the photobooks included.

Most of you will know Martin Parr..as an accomplished  British color photographer, "some people" would even say Martian Parr is a better scholar/bookmaker than a photographer.

 MAO's not 100% sure..but we've heard several people say this. You be the judge.

This one is A must for any photobook collector.

Note: Copies of this textbook are available on amazon.... 2nd or 3rd editions!

4. Aperture Foundation's Japanese Photobooks of the 1960 - 1980's by

RYUICHI KANEKO(essay) is a curator at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and an expert on Japanese photography and Japanese photobooks.

IVAN VARTANIAN (editor and essays) anthologized and translated Setting Sun: Writings by Japanese Photographers (Aperture, 2006).

This is probably the best book on photobooks we've ever seen.

The content is great, it's well published, and very deeply researched. Thsi book truely makes the world of Japanese photography accessible to people who don't speak Japanese! 

So it would have been number 1 in our list, but since it is just 100% japanese photobook focused..we have to put it number 4.

5. AUER - 802 Photobooks from the M + M Auer Collection.

This is a private collection of photobooks..

aka This is someone putting it all out there for everyone to see drool over!

 these 802 books are listed by dates, and there is almost no additional information about each of the ones included.

You can read more about this small gem of a book here..from blogger 5B4

I believe this was self published..

But, FYI

you can buy a copy directly here.

http://www.auerphotobooks.com/doku.php?id=photo_books

6. George Eastman Library - Imagining Paradise: The Richard and Ronay Menschel Library

at The George Eastman House, Rochester [Hardcover]

By Manfred Heiting (Editor), Sheila Foster (Editor), Rachel Stuhlman (Editor), Saskia Asse (Contributor)

So this is also a very large format book...288 pages. This one is very well researched with lots of text to describe each of the books.

But, these are mostly very historical photobooks, most are pre-1960.. about 250 books are listed. Many of these books are totally unknown to modern photobook collecting people. Mostly cause these are OLD RARE books..think VERY expensive and impossible to find, except for a few important libraries around the world.

But this text book brings together several important scholars, and lots of color pictures of the books. So, you'll almost feel like you've to the Eastman House! 

This textbook is also available...on Amazon..I'd guess not too many people have seen this book of photobooks.

7. PARR II - The Photobook: A History - Volume 2 [Hardcover] Martin Parr (Author), Gerry Badger (Author)

Well.. this one is a much more subjective book of more current photobooks.

There are some real gems in here.. plus some you'll scratch you head as to why they were included.

It's also filled with great information about the

history of the photobook.

So very useful.. but the books in here are not as collectible.

Well... This reference book is probably also a must have..

but.. hey...

You be the judge.

There are rumors that PAR III is soon to be in bookstores!

8. Bertolotti - Books of Nudes [Hardcover] Alessandro Bertolotti  (Author), Abrams, Dec 2007.

This is a large well illustrated book of photobooks which only focus on the nude image.

We find it well researched, and probably under known by the photography book collecting world.

This large book reviews work covering the 20th century published nude including erotic photography books from a predominately European perspective.

The individual books are described and photos of the open books are provided across the 280 pages. There is some real historical value here. It's one well worth checking out.

 

OK..

So..that is the MAO Top 8 Books on Photobooks. If you have any others you'd suggest..please let us know!

 

Gratutitous Self Promotion....

If you're not seen this months issue of Modern Painters Magazine...

This month they did a great job of putting together an issue dedicated to Art Photography. Not exactly what you would expect from a magazine titled "Modern Painters" No?

But it's a really great issue.. and it also has this handsome featured photo collector story, which MAO thinks is well worth your time to checkout...

Download ModernPainters_MagProfile_Story_Nov2010

On your News Stands now!!

Also.. a big thank you goes out to this thoughtful to nice to be an art dealer blogger.. for actually quoting MAO in his BLOG from this Modern Painters Interview.... here..

Interesting Contemporary Art Content on YouTube.. Slim Pickings.. But Getting Better?

Contemporary Art Content on YouTube.. ???  Is there anything worth while??

Given all the amazing potential of YouTube.com, there remains in MAO's not sohumble opinion, VERY Slim Pickings. Most arer a total waste of time.. armature type stuff.

But maybe things are getting getting a little better?

There are sadly only... 3 YouTubers that come to mind.. which we think are well worth checking out.

1. The Madness of Art by Jim Kempner Fine Art.. Tt's totally funny and true..

This one is a must watch for any NYC Contemporary Art junkie enthusiast.

Bravo Jim.. for such a wonderful effort.

We can't say enough good things about this video blog. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMadness0fArt

2. The Two Percent Tube by David Behringer. A regular New Yorkers take on Contemporary Art in NYC... It's not exactly ArtForum.. but then again, who would want to be...? 

The Two Percent is a website that gives contemporary art recommendations in New York City. This week, a very special "10th EPISODE SPECIAL", "SECOND HELPING" talks about a show of abstract expressionist work at Cheim & Read running concurrently with the AbEx show at the Moma, "TRIPLE THREATS" include Tony Oursler @ Lehmann Maupin, Robert Rauschenberg @ Gagosian, and Roxy Paine @ James Cohan Gallery. If you're in New York, give the new podcast audio tour a try! Check out www.thetwopercent.com for more.

http://www.youtube.com/user/thetwopercentTube

3. The Terence Koh Show... OK..well.. You my not like his artwork.. but maybe he just happens to be the most active attempt by a completely self promotionalin-the-know uber successful NYC contemporary artist.. He's not done an update for 4 months, but hopefully we will see more on YouTube from Mr. Koh.

http://www.youtube.com/user/terencekohshow#p/u

Oh.. and how bad can this YouTube Channel be.. if this World Renown Art Blogger..ArtFagCity has told the world..that Terence Koh is the most important Contempory artist working today in NYC..

If you missed this.. you have to check this out to believe it:

http://nymag.com/news/features/establishments/68509/

ahem.. Like can you say totally out of her mind or just taken out of context?

Well.. it's a sad little list of YouTube Contemporary Art Content providers on YouTube..

Has video blogging totally died for the Contemporary Art World? What do you thinK?

BUT, If any MAO readers have a any other important ones we missed.. please send them our way!

 

 

2 NYC Women in Art Events not to Miss.. from the Rema Hort Mann Foundation!

So save the dates.. Nov 16th (Lecture / Panel Discussion about Women Artists )and Nov 18th (Charity Auction), with both nights starting at 6:30pm.

These two great "Women in Art" events take place at the wonderful almost too nice to be art dealers P.P.O.W. Gallery. And the Rema Hort Mann Foundation... on of MAO's Favorite..  is possibly one of the best charities to support if you're interested in the Emerging Arts and helping out individuals suffering from Cancer.

MAO will be there. To get more information.. or to buy your tickets/make donations in advance...rhmfoundation@gmail.com.

 

George Eastman House.. Auction... Ends.. Today and Tomorrow!

George Eastman House 2010 Benefit Auction (Story contributed by Alvina Lopez, yes.. MAO now accepts story submissions!)

 

The George Eastman House, home of the International Museum of Photography and Film, is currently holding its 2010 Benefit Auction, the first since 1977. The Auction is scheduled to run from Sept. 27 though Oct. 7, which live viewings at Sotheby's New York from Oct. 1 through Oct. 4. While the viewings may have past, interested collectors, individuals, dealers, and other parties can still participate in the online auction, held at iGavelAuctions.com. The auction is open to any interested party and because there is no reserve on the items, individuals can place bids from several hundred to several thousands of dollars.

Here is the auction link.. you can bid online now

http://bid.igavelauctions.com/ClientInfo.taf?_function=info&skip=1&id=3442

 

Proceeds from the auction will be used to help the Eastman House maintain its four million piece collection, which includes photography and camera equipment, photographs, motion pictures, and other related literature. The funds will also help the House continue research and educational programs, as well as maintain the National Historic Landmark house and surrounding gardens.

 

(Photo by Lyon, Danny,Portrait of Nancy,1990, currently bid at $1,200.00 ...join the bid here... )

 

The idea for the benefit was born nearly two years ago and auction committee has taken great pains to amass a collection worthy of the George Eastman name. A call for donated auction items was placed to museum members, collectors, dealers, photographers, film makers, and community members. The donations began pouring in from over 20 countries, including Germany, Israel, Australia, Japan, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, and the Netherland, as well as from across the United States. In total, the Eastman House collected over 300 photographs from almost every photographic genre and movement, rare books, and cameras for the 2010 Benefit Auction.

 

The George Eastman House is the oldest photography museum and one of the oldest film archives in the world. The home was built by George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, in 1905 and open to the public in 1949. Today, the museum is a leader in film preservation and photograph conservation and is a registered National Historic Landmark.

 

For more information on this event or the museum, visit the George Eastman House website at www.eastmanhouse.org, or the online auction website, www.iGavelAuction.com.

 

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez, who writes on the topics of accredited online colleges .  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com. 

Photography Portfolio Review x3 ...and an Opportunity to get your Photographs in a Gallery Show.

If you're an aspiring art photographer, and looking for honest feedback from experienced eyes,  there are several emerging photography portfolio reviews going on this fall art season in NYC.

These review session can be a great and efficient way to get some honest,and very valuable feedback to take your art career to the next level.

FYI.. Some portfolio reviews are  perhaps borderline extortion, a total rip off,very expensive more affordable and useful than others.... so you need to choose wisely.  (photo: This painting from the 19th century depicts Italian scientist Galileo at the Vatican in Rome in the 17th century inquisition)

But there's one (actually 3 reviews) for only $150 which actually gives you the chance to get your work immediately into a NYC and LA gallery show.

Here's the press release.... for the Hous Projects Gallery.. Portfolio Review... Space is almost filled up.. so you need to call now if you're interested.

Time	Saturday, October 9 · 10:00am - 6:00pm and Saturday, October 16  10:00am - 6:00pm
Location	hous projects Gallery Address: 31 Howard Street , Second Floor,SoHo, New York NY 10013 212-965-1238
Created By	Elizabeth Houston, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, and Mike Mao
More Info	Fall Portfolio Review- Manhattan, New York City ...Location: hous projects Gallery Address: 31 Howard Street , Second Floor,SoHo, New York NY and the number is 212-965-1238 Phone number is 212-965-1238 or 212 -965-1251 Please call to schedule an appointment

 

We cordially invite you to be a part of a new Fall Portfolio Review in NYC at the SOHO branch of the hous projects gallery.  This is an opportunity to have your portfolio reviewed by 3 prominent figures in the Manhattan Photo Art World.

This is an exploratory portfolio review focused mostly on FINE ART Photography but, we will also consider FINE ART painting, video and sculpture. The main objective is to find new talent on the East Coast for an upcoming bi coastal portraiture show opening simultaneously in hous projects NYC and Los Angeles galleries during January 2011.

The show will be titled "EAST MEETS WEST".

The administrative fee for the portfolio review is only $150.00 and it will guarantee time with each of our three experts : Michael, Elizabeth and Ruben. They will consider work to be inclued in the portraiture show at hous projects gallery if applicable. This is a great opportunity to have your work reviewed by three experienced NYC contemporary art enthusiasts coming from three completely different points of view.. The Collector, the Curator, and the Art Dealer.

1. Micheal MAO- Art Collector, Curator, Member of the Guggenheim Photo-Acquisition Committee, Editor in Chief of this award winning Modern Art Obsession Blog and Co-Chair of the Aperture Foundation 2010 Fall Photo Auction.


2. Ruben Natal-San Miguel-Curator /Art Collector /Photographer/ Photolucida Critical Mass judge and pre screener/ARTmostfierce Art Blog Editor in Chief

3 Elizabeth Houston- hous projects gallery owner/Gallerist/ Art Collector/ Photolucida's Critical Mass Judge.

 

Summer Break ! MAO is Taking Some Time Off ... Be Back in Sept.

Summer Break ! MAO is Taking Some Time Off ...Be Back in Sept.

OK.. so it's summer.. and MAO is taking a badly needed vacation.

  We'll be back in September.. with more snarky thoughts on the NYC ART world.. and plenty of great images to explore..

So.. Enjoy!

(Photo #1, by

Steve Ryf Wake (2010)
Digital chromogenic print
13 x 19"
Signed, titled and dated on verso
Edition of 10
$350.00)

This photo is courtesy of the Bonni Benrubi Gallery... Summer Place Show.. it's one gallery well worth checking out.

 

Eve Sussman's "whiteonwhite" to be shown at MOMA.. This Sunday June 6th!

Eve Sussman's   (and her creative think tank group, The Rufus Corporation) "whiteonwhite" film is to be shown at MOMA.. This Sunday June 6th at 5:30pm!

So here's an event not to be missed, if you are interested in the world of cutting edge Contemporary Art Film.

Eve Susman who, is possibly the most well known female Art Film maker of our time. Her work, The Rape of the Sabine Women, has graced the cover on Art in America, and been shown around the world. (Photo 1, from Rufus corporation website, "Vacuum Hallway"..I believe is part of whoteonwhite.. )

By the way... Artist, Eve Sussman, is also one of the many star artists represented by that contemporary art powerhouse, The Winkleman Gallery on 27th street. 

Her film,  89 Seconds at Alcazar, was highly regarded as the "Darling of a Whitney Biennial"..check this interview out.. 

So now, here is your chance to see Eve's latest and greatest Film Noir work...at MOMA. There will also be a Q&A session with the artist after the movie.

Get your tickets soon.. cause this event is sure to sell out. MAO will be there too!

More details here:

whiteonwhite:randomthriller [alphaversion]

• 2010. USA. Eve Sussman and Rufus Corporation.

New York theatrical premiere. Followed by a Q&A with Sussman, Messman, Garneau, and Wood

Sunday, June 6, 2010, 5:30 p.m.

Theater 2 (The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2), T2

whiteonwhite:randomthriller [alphaversion]

2010. USA. Written and directed by Eve Sussman and Rufus Corporation. MoMA's Creative Capital exhibition concludes with the New York theatrical premiere of an exciting and provocative new experimental work by the creators of the gallery installation 89 Seconds at Alcázar (2004) and the theatrical feature The Rape of the Sabine Women(2006). Shot primarily in post-Soviet Central Asia and billed as “New Wave futurist noir” and “a study of utopia and desire,” the “alpha” version of whiteonwhite:randomthrilleris a film of indeterminate length whose continuously evolving narrative is generated by computer code. The unfolding project will also manifest itself as an episodic television miniseries and a feature film. In the MoMA presentation, custom-built randomizing software edits the film in real time from a server loaded with thousands of clips, creating suspense through surprising and novel juxtapositions. The story follows the observations and surveillance of a geophysicist code writer held captive in “City-A,” a dystopian metropolis where nouveau riche capitalists preside over the dregs of communism. The film will run for approximately fifty minutes, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers

Ryan Humphrey's New Show, with a work in the coming DPA Charity Auction!

Artist Ryan Humphrey's New Show at DCKT Conemporary Gallery is his best work to date, and he's even got one of his works coming up at Monday's DPA Re:FORM Charity Auction!

So, you might remember Ryan.. as the precocious Bad Boy Contemporary Artist who was featured on the first tragic season of America's Top Design Reality TV Show.

If you have a chance, be sure to stop into see Ryan Humphrey's newest show "Early American" at the DCKT Contemporary Gallery on the Lower East Side. It's an amazing installation of high art meets new american hip-hop design with a bit of Witty car culture thrown into the mix. Each piece in the show will leave you with a smirk on your face, and you might even get a giggle out of it.  but over all MAO left the gallery thinking, Ryan has found his true artistic voice, and he probably has produced his best work to date for this show.

Here's a short part from the official gallery Press Release..

Early American, RYAN HUMPHREY’s third solo exhibition with the gallery. HUMPHREY explores duality through an altered, customized version of an 18th century American interior. The installation hijacks the format of a formal and affluent interior, infusing it with cast-offs and objects more likely found in a rural garage than an antique shop. Class and taste are called into question and the hierarchy of materials associated with social stratification is discarded.

We particularly loved Ryan's painting, "UnderTow, 2010."  (photo #1) Which we were told was made from 100% old NY City 1970's Black and White Junked Police Cars. It's just a wonderful appropriation of the famous Hokusai, "The Great Wave of Kanagawa", of the 1820's.

So, if like MAO, you're a Ryan Humphrey Fan, then you have a great chance to get one of his cool works for a songat this Monday night's Drug Policy Alliance's Re:FORM Charity Auction at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Gallery.

Ryan has donated this mutli-image 2 panel work.. tying in his Evil Knievel Bad Boy Biker, with a whole lot of Art History. it just resulted in a  wonderful and Witty work.

(Photo #2, Ryan Humphrey |Hearts of Darkness 2, 2009|Mixed media on fabric, linen, and canvas |2 panels, each 20 1/4 x 15 inches|Courtesy of the artist and DCKT Contemporary, Inc., New York| Estimated retail value: $3,500 )

Even if you're not a in the know, hip Ryan Humphrey Fan.. at the DPA event

there are also some great donations from a number of super star artist to consider.. Kara Walker, Donald Beachler, Fred Tomaseli, John Waters, William Wegman, and Ross Bleckner. So, there's still time for you to place absentee bids here...

See you all at Sikkema Jenkins on Monday Night!

 

Art As An Asset Class - New Investment Research

Art As An Asset Class - New Investment Research. A new report is out from the CFA Institute, it's in their May/June 2010  Publication.

As most MAO readers know.. you don't just buy art as an investment. It's for the love of it!!

But people all talk about art and money almost simultaneously. Just say hi to an art dealer, gallerina, or worse yet an Artist, and within 5 minutes you'll always hear some aspect of the evil Dollars, doe-rea-mee word MONEY come up. So while almost everyone in the art business hates to admit it,  art and investing are inexplicably linked. MAO has written about art investing many times before. But, now a major financial publication has a 3 page story about it.

In fact, this May/June CFA Institute Magazine features Art Investing as the cover story.

The magazine has a feature story by Ed McCarthy who seems to know almost nothing about the art market is a freelance financial writer in Pascoag, Rhode Island.

The Fine Art of Investing, Is art a good way to diversify a client's portfolio?

The story is written from a strict investment professional point of view which is refreshing, but sadly the story lacks a lot of details.

Here's the story...  Download Cfa_may_june2010

But the Key points highlighted in the article are

1. The term "Art Market" is misleading because the market encompasses numerous submarkets with distinct characteristics.

2. The unique features of the art market and the transaction costs create additional risk for the casual investors and investment opportunities for more knowledgeable participants.

3. Studies of art's investment properties show that returns vary with the holding period but have exhibited a low or negative correlation with financial markets.

So as you can see, this story is not exactly breaking new ground.. but it's interesting to see a well respected financial journal finally  writing about Art as an acceptable investing asset class.

MAO wonder's if this was how subprime ABS and CDO investing started??

Artist Spencer Finch to Speak (Parsons Lecture Series) at The Aperture Foundation

Artist Spencer Finch to Speak at The Aperture Foundation (in cooperation with Parsons New School for Design) at 6:30pm on April 20th.

Some of the best things in Life are Free.. and as far as the art world goes.. this is one of those events.

We've been a long time fan of Spencer Finch and his super Witty sensory perception art creations.

(Photo #1, Images taken of the 2009 Venice Biennale room featuring 2 Spencer Finch artworks, Moonlight (Glass Window) and Moondust (light Sculpture))

If you've been on the New High Line Park in NYC.. you've no doubt marveled at Spencer Finch's Creative Time sponsored "The River That Runs Both Ways" (aka.. The English translation for the Native Indian name "Hudson") work, which looks like a huge stained glass wIndow installation at 15th Street and 9th Ave. In MAO's not sohumble opinnion, it is possibly one of the most perfect public art works we've seen in years!

So here's you chance to meet and listen to the brilliant mind who created this amazing public artwork...  

Here's the note from the official press release..

Aperture and the Photography Program in the School of Art, Media, and Technology at Parsons The New School for Design present a talk with Brooklyn-based artist Spencer Finch. In his renderings of light and color, Finch unites scientific method with a poetic sensibility as he explores the mechanics and mysteries of perception. Working with a variety of media, the artist examines how people experience, remember, and represent an array of visual and sensory phenomena through a studied investigation of his own observations of subjects ranging from the color palette of his dreams to a Monument Valley sunset. Finch is interested in the physical, cultural, and psychological factors that shape perception, examining the effect of light on an object's color, the boundaries of the human field of vision, and the influence of language, memory, and the subconscious.

Spencer Finchwas born in 1962 and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, Hamilton College, and Doshisha University in Kyoto, and has exhibited internationally. Finch had a major solo exhibition, What Time is it on the Sun?, at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2007, which was accompanied by a monograph with essays by Susan Cross and Daniel Birnbaum. His recent solo exhibition, As if the Sea Should Part and Show a Further Sea, was exhibited at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia, in 2009. Finch was also included in the Making Worldsexhibition at the 2009 Venice Biennale, and has a solo exhibition forthcoming at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in September 2010. His work is held in important museum collections, including those of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt; and Guggenheim Museum, New York

So the lecture starts at 6:30pm.. I'd suggest you get there early.. cause everyone MAO knows will be there...to oooh.. and ahhh.. over Spencer Finch and his amazing art!

Artist Talk with Spencer Finch
Parsons Lecture Series

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
6:30 pm

FREE

Aperture Gallery & Bookstore
547 West 27 Street, 4th floor
New York, New York

Friday May 7th...A Great new Photography Show Opens in Chelsea, Save the Date!

Friday May 7th... A Great new Photography Group Show, American ReConstruction, Opens up in Chelsea at the super art bloggers run amuck hot and innovative Winkleman Gallery, So

Save the Date! This opening is one not to be missed!! People will probably call this "THE Art Event of the Spring 2010 Season!." 

Plus, A big MAO congratulations go out to the 6 lucky new young talented artists which have been chosen for this show. Trust MAO, your careers in the Art World will never be the same!

More details to follow. (Photo below by Mark Lyon, Landscape For The People Series, "Ford F150 Tailgate", 2009, 24" x 60", C-Print) 

Last Chance to see.. Ruben Natal-San Miguel's "NY, NY Concrete Jungle" Show!

This is your last chance to see.. Ruben Natal-San Miguel's "NY, NY Concrete Jungle" show at +Kris Graves Projects!

The show closes on April 10th, and the gallery is at 111 Front Street, Suite 225, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Plus, this show was curated by photography great, and MAO favorite, Matthew Pillsbury.

OK.. We know.. going all the way out to Brooklyn is not going to happena small hassle. But, you will not be sorry. This is one show not to miss. Many of you might know Ruben Natal-San Miguel from his hyperprolific art blog, "ArtMostFierce." But beside being an obsessed contemporary photo collector, Ruben is also quite a skilled street photographer. The show, his first solo project, and is packed full of strong hit you right where you live images. It is NY street grit and glam at it's best. (Photo #1, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, "Duo- Once Upon a Time, Harlem, 2007," C-Print)

If you like the work of photographer Zoe Strauss, you've got to see this show.

Here's a small overreaching thoughtful note from the show's press release...

Like Ruben's Philadelphia friend and influence, photographer Zoe Strauss, he elevates these "UNSEEN" people and places with poetic vision, working to create an endearing meaningful life lesson of what it's like when the human spirit makes the best of what others may consider to be so little. This photographic project captures the beauty and struggle of everyday life which resonates as a social document of our time, and as a sheer and powerful visual art" - Mike Hoeh

The show includes a total portfolio of intriguing images, taken on the streets of Harlem over the last 5 years.

(Photo #2, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Apollo M.J. Memorial Harlem 2009, C-Pint)

So the show is only up for a few more days.. so get out your subway maps.. and check it out the show.

MOMA Event - An Evening with Artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge

MOMA Event - An Evening with Artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Monday March 22nd at 7:00pmin the The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2.

OK.. so I'll bet most MAO readers don't know this artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, too well.

Up until a year ago.. MAo didn't either.. But we have to say.. you should take a close look at this artist's work if you've not seen it before. Singer, Songwriter, writer, and artist, Genesis is a cutting edge British born gender bending artist from the 60's and 70's who's still working, and relevant today.

Here's the MOMA comment for this Monday Evening's event...

New York–based artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (b. Great Britain, 1950) has been testing the limits and conventions of music, language, art, and identity for almost forty years. As a founding member of the seminal industrial band Throbbing Gristle, P-Orridge made music history. More recently, in collaboration with his partner Lady Jaye, the artist started an ongoing experiment in body modification aimed at creating one “pandrogynous” being. For this discussion, P-Orridge focuses on works created with the 1970s British avant-garde performance collective COUM Transmissions. The group’s collaboration culminated in the 1976 retrospective PROSTITUTION at London’s I.C.A. Gallery, which was vehemently attacked by the press and even debated in British Parliament. P-Orridge will show rare footage and images of COUM’s performances. Please note: This program may contain explicit material.

MAO was impressed during Armory Week, we got to visit the collections and homes of some of NYC most well respected art collectors (think the posh, stuffy, and polite society of NYC!), and we saw the work of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge proudly on display. WHat??  ...Who??..   Really? ....Genesis! YES!!

So, We were a bit surprised to say the least to see such smutprovocative Artwork on the walls of an Upper East Side Mansion.. what would the neighbors Biff and Buffy say??. But there it was, for all the VIP's to see!

Well.. Here's just one example...

 

Photo #1 by Genesis Breyer P-Orridge

Sigil (Full Strength)/B-Right-On, 1985/2002

Mixed media

20 x 14.75 inches

on 23.5 x 19.5 inch paper

 

MAO has never been a big art collage fan.. It always seems a bit too crafty and some times childlike..

but when

we saw how powerful and a bit shocking, the works of Genesis can be, we were intrigued.

 

It's certainly worth a second look.

 

The first show of this artist's  work we ever saw was in a small bleeding  cutting edge Lower East Side Gallery..

Invisible--Exports.. which is where you'd think this type of Art work would stay.

 

But we guess some smart people on the Upper East Side in High Society have an dark adventurous side! YEA!

 

So, My little MAO-ettes, get your tickets for this MOMA lecture today.  This event is going to be popular.. and if nothing else, it's bound to be very interesting!!

 

Photo #2 by Genesis Breyer P-Orridge

English Breakfast, 2002-2009
Mixed media
14 x 11 inches
Edition of 3

 

See you MONDAY at MOMA!

Spring Benefit Season is Here.. Save The Date! re:FORM Auction on May 17th

So the 2010 Spring Benefit Season is Here.. !!

So.. Be sure to save the date, for the big re:FORM Art Auction on May 17th.

This event only happens once every 2 years.. and features work donated by some of the best contemporary artists working today. Plus, the Charity is a MAO favorite, The Drug Policy Alliance(The DPA), an organization which fosters Drug Education.. not Incarceration. Reason, Compassion, Justice.

DPA Network is the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs. We envision new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights and a just society in which the fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more.

This time the event and art auction will be hosted by contemporary art powerhouse gallery.. Sikkema Jenkins & Co. (So you know there will be some major attitude high quality art to be had!)

Monday, May 17th

Art Auction and
Cocktail Reception

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sikkema Jenkins & Co

530 West 22nd Street

New York, NY 10011

Event Details

When Monday, May 17, 2010 @ 6:00PM - 9:00PM   :Buy your ticket! :Absentee Bid

They have not yet posted art works which will be up for auction.. but Donald Baechler and Fred Tomaselli have agreed to be artist co-chairs for the event. So you can expect some amazing bargains art work. Get your tickets early, cause this event will sell out.. !

As they post donated art works, MAO will feature some of the undiscovered gems. So Stay tuned!

Welcome BACK!! Aperture SNAP Out of Winter Party !!

OK.. We've been away from blogging for way too long!
MAO is looking forward to getting back into the schwing of this blog again.
There's just Sooo much to bitch about say...

But we'll start with pointing out some amazing events that we'll be attending the next few weeks...

First... if the long cold winter has got you down.. it's time to SNAP out of Winter.. with Aperture!
Yes.. my little MAO-ettes.. Aperture is having a hot new party focused on young photo collectors. (yes.. that includes MAO too!! We're not dead yet!)

PARTY!! Live Jazz Music.. Friday, March 19th, 9pm until Midnight!! 

So the tickets are only $250..

WOW.. what a deal!

 For a $250 donation.. y

ou get 2 party tickets (think open BAR..and hanging out with MAO!!)..

PLUS a cool limited edition signed photo by

DAN WINTERS
Movie Theater, Midland, Texas, March 25, 1995

Exclusively produced for Aperture’s SNAP! Out of Winter party
Archival pigment ink print on Crane Museo
Image size: 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" in.
Paper size: 8 x 10 in.
Edition: 100 and 10 artist’s proofs
Printed, signed, and numbered by the artist
Presented in a foil stamped folio

DAN WINTERS (born in Ventura, California, 1962) lives in Austin and Los Angeles. He is the recipient of more than one hundred awards, including the Alfred Eisenstadt Award for Magazine Photography and a World Press Photo Award. His work is included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Austin, Texas.

AND.... if that wasn't enough for $250 you also get a 1 year subscription to the great...

Aperture Magazine!

OK.. MAO readers.. buy your tickets here..soon..cause this event will sell out!

http://www.aperture.org/snapoutofwinter/winters.php

They also have cheaper tickets.. at $150 for 2.. and $100 for one. Details here...

OH.. And come back tomorrow.. cause MAO is BACK!!

 

Art Miami 2009.. VIP Opening Night! A Nice Big Crowd...

Art Miami.. VIP Opening Night! A Nice Big Crowd...

So.. MAO and the MAO-ettes were doing the elite Miami Art Basel circuit party thing last night.

Last night was the posh VIP opening of 2 of the long time fairs.. Art Miami, and Design Miami.

We went to both of course.

Both were buzzing.. with people... lots of people!

So we guess the nights were successful for the art dealers....we shall see how today's main fair opening goes!

As for the Art Miami Fair.. we have to say.. we were all a bit disappointed by the galleries at this fair.

We herd one person say.. There's Lot's of "Decorative Work" being shown here at Art Miami.  FYI.. that's Art Snob code for terrible mall art!  But we did notice several dealers were showing only older not so interesting secondary work.

For us the standout booths of the fair were the Stux Gallery booth.. and the Amador Gallery booth. Congrats!

Both took a chance brought some new contemporary work by New Artists we hadn't seen before.. 

From the Amador Gallery...

Robert Voit (these are a series of photographs of Cell Tower that are made to look like "Natural Trees")

Photo #1 By Robert Voit.

HALFWAY GARDENS, MIDRAND SOUTH AFRICA   2006

24" X 20" Edition of   4

60" x 50" Edition of   6

Type C Print

These images were all very cool.. a little Ed Ruscha.. and a little Karl Blossfeldt.. but updated for the year 2009.

From the Stux Gallery..

We liked the new works by Don Porcella, and photos from Rudd Van Empel..

Here's one example of Don's work.. (Not in the Miami booth)

..but our pics of his work didn't come out well enough to post..

He made scuplture out of pipe cleaners..

But you will get the idea..

Photo #2,

work by Don Porcella, "Dealer, 2006", Pipe cleaners, 10 x 7 x 1.5 inches

It looked like works were selling.. we saw red dots!!

Which might be a good sign for what's to come the rest of the week!

Anyway..MAO has to get ready for the Big ABMB opening!!

So catch you later....coming to you from Miami SoBe.

An Exciting Rare PhotoBook Auction... Just Started Up!

An Exciting Rare PhotoBook Auction... Just Started Up! Check this out!

For those readers of this site... it's no surprise MAO is an crazed photobook collector.

So much so, we are almost scared to tell anyone about this opportunity.. but iGavel  is starting to do auctions of Rare Photobooks!

The ever resourceful Dan Cooney almost too nice to be an art photography dealer, has just posted a great list of very hard to find, mostly 1st edition photobooks.

We checked them all out this weekend.. and we'd have to say..some of these book made us actually drool.

Yes..

MAO is crazy,and pathetic an obsessed collector of rare photobooks, and this was an impressive line up for a first attempt book auction.

Some of the true highlights are..

1. 1st edition Danny Lyon, The Bikeriders from 1968. (Pictured here)
2. Nobuyoshi Araki, Tokyo Lucky Hole, First Edition, 1990
3. Andreas Gursky 1994 - 1998, Signed
   
4. Signed copies of Richard Avedon books.. The American West, and a signed copy of his An Auto-Biography 1993.
5. 3 Lewis Baltz books.
6. William Eggleston's Guide, Signed First Edition, from 1976.
7. Henri Cartier Bresson, The Decisive Moment, Signed!
8. Lary Clark's Punk Picaso, and a signed limited edition copy of his Tulsa...
   

and Yes.. the list of rare books goes on and on.. Cindy Sherman, Bruce Davidson, Nan Goldin, Herb Ritts, Walker Evans, Aaron Siskind, Ed Ruscha, and a few Bruce Weber books... Plus there's

even a Limited edition with a print by Bernd and Hilla Becher.

OK.. enough..there's too many to choose from.. MAO is almost broke already in a whirl wind just thinking about these coming up for auction. 85 Book lots.. all super hard to find.

Anyway.. if you're looking to add a few important books to your photobook library.. this seems like an amazing chance to pick up some real goodies.

OH.. and if anyone was still wondering what to get MAO for Christmas... hint..or even hint... cause MAO has been a very good boy this year!!

PS...be sure to sell Dan..MAO sent you.. and he'll give you the special MAO reader discount assistance.

iGavel Rare PhotoBook Auction.. Bids are starting already..don't miss it.

MAO Art Buy of the Month.. by Catherine Opie only $650 !!

OK.. this one if going to sellout very quickly. So act now.. or it will be gone.

This is a photograph by a MAO favorite artist... Catherine Opie.

You probably saw Catherine Opie's huge blockbuster solo show at the Guggenheim Museum last year, or bought her amazing photobook.. Catherine Opie American Photographer.

Anyway.. Catherine Opie is possibly one of the most important American photographers of her generation, MAO frequently thinks of her as the Walker Evans of the 21st Century. No matter if you love her work or not.. every viewer MAO knows will certainly have something to say once you've seen Catherine Opie's photographs. Which is always one of the marks of an important artist. Only time will tell.

For MAO, Catherine has truly been the voice and eyes of the new generation in contemporary art photography. Her work is always loaded with powerful social and political punches.  Which is exactly what makes this particular photo super striking. 

Actually, MAO was a bit shocked our friends at Aperture didn't tell us about this in new limited edition in advance, but MAO was luckily enough to be tipped off today by a very kind devoted blog reader.Thank You.. Thank You.. THANK YOU!!

This is an amazing deal, at only $650, and this image will go up in price very quickly as the edition sells out.

FYI.. Catherine Opie prints sell for huge amounts of money! MAO thinks the last ones we saw at an art fair were starting at $9,000 for similar size images. Plus this is a great powerful and political image by Catherine Opie. An image... so very "Of our Time!" We loved it, and can't wait to see if Catherine has done more work like this.   Buy it here...NOW! You won't regret it.

"30 Minutes after the Inauguration"

Catherine Opie ( b. 1961)

edition size: 25 and 5 artist’s proofs
image size:
paper size: 16 x 20 in.
C-print

$650 - ..oops.. Now Just $750 

Price to increase thereafter

FYI..We confirmed with Aperture Officials.. This Photo is signed and editioned by Catherine Opie

Description:

Catherine Opie's photographs include series of portraits and American urban landscapes, ranging in format from large-scale color works to smaller black and white prints. Moving from the territory of the body to the framework of the city, Opie's various photographic series are linked together by a conceptual framework of cultural portraiture. Catherine Opie's "Inauguration" series continues Opie's exploration of documentary photography and examines the historic significance of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. These photographs capture this moment in American history and reveal not only its glory but also the aftermath which is not revealed in the media.

Aperture is pleased to make this very special limited-edition photograph by acclaimed contemporary artist Catherine Opie available to our collecting audience.

Catherine Opie was born in 1961. She received her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985, and an MFA from CalArts in 1998. In 2000, Opie was appointed Professor of Fine Art at Yale University, and in 2001 she accepted the position of Professor of Photography at UCLA. Catherine Opie has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. In 2008, a mid-career survey of her work, entitled, "Catherine Opie: American Photographer," was on view at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Recent solo exhibitions have been organized by the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, CT, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, The Saint Louis Art Museum, the Photographers’ Gallery in London, and The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Opie has also exhibited at Regen Projects in Los Angeles, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, SITE Santa Fe, the Centre d'Art Contemporain in Geneva, Switzerland and the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in Germany. The artist lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

Diane Arbus Photo Up for Auction at the Aperture Benefit!!

Diane Arbus Photo Up for Auction at the Aperture Benefit!!

Check it out here...

Yes.. so far this rare Diane Arbus photo has a current bid of only $1,750. Welcome to the Art Recession...That's too low to be believed!!

So..one of the most important photographers in history has a photo for sale at Monday's Aperture Benefit auction. Can you ask for a better opportunity to add something amazing to your art collection?

This is one of her very standard 14.25 in x 14.25 in, Gelatin Silver Prints made by photographer Neil Selkirk for the Arbus Estate.

We've seen similar prints sell at Sothebys and Christies auction for well over $15k.

It's was donated by the Fraenkel Gallery in San Fran who represents the estate.

Diane Arbus, Photo of : John Gruen and Jane Wilson, NYC, 1965, Printed later, FRAMED, signed, titled, dated, and editioned '4/75' by the photographer's daughter, Doon Arbus, in ink, and stamped on the reverse, framed, 1963, printed later by Neil Selkirk (MoMA, unpaginated; Revelations)

Estimated value : $5,500

So. even if you're not a Diane Arbus fan.. this is just one of the works of art that will be auctioned off at the Benefit Monday night.

You can still get your Aperture Ticket Here!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009

The Lighthouse, Chelsea Piers, 6:30–10:00 pm

Cocktails and Silent Auction
Dinner, Award Ceremony, and Live Auction

For more information, contact:
Michiko Simanjuntak Grasso
(212) 946-7149 or mgrasso@aperture.org

The Aperture Foundation Benefit and Art Auction is Coming!

The Aperture Foundation Benefit and Auction is Coming!

YES my little MAO-ettes.. one of the best art charities around is having their annual fund raising party.

As every devoted MAO reader knows.. we can't do enough to support this charity.

Tickets are still available..for both the Auction, and the Dinner.

Here are the details...

Aperture Foundation Benefit & Auction - Honoring Joel Meyerowitz,
Howard Greenberg, and Susana Torruella Leval

Auction Featuring works by Diane Arbus,
Bruce Davidson, Atta Kim, Malick Sidibé, and more

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009
The Lighthouse, Chelsea Piers

6:30-8:00 pm
Cocktail and Silent Auction

8:00-10:00 pm
Dinner, Award Ceremony,
and Live Auction.. Buy your tickets online here..

Or To order tickets, please contact Michiko Simanjuntak Grasso at mgrasso@aperture.org or (212) 946-7149.

---------------------------------------------

They also have some amazing art donations by some famous artists up for sale at the silent and the live auctions.

Many of these will sell for much less than a gallery would charge.  It's exactly these types of Art Charity auctions which are the perfect place to find some inexpensive gems for your cutting edge art collection.

This week we're going to point out a few items we're excited about in the auction.

Our first exciting auction pick is by super star artist.. Ruud van Empel.

Live Auction #15.

2 Boys #1, 2009

Cibachrome print, edition of 25

16 1/2 x 14 in., framed

Estimated Value: $ 5,500.. Starting bid just $1,650.00

Courtesy of the artist and Stux Gallery, New York

This photos is a hyper real creation constructed in almost a pure digital space. Ruud is probably regarded as one of the early pioneers of the digital age of Art Photography and Photoshop.

Ron Exley wrote in the book PhotoArt (Dumont 2008):
'Dutch artist Ruud van Empel has taken digital manipulation of photography to a new level'
In 2011 the Groninger Museum will present a retrospective of his work.

Anyway.. We think this a cool magical image in so many ways.  Plus Ruud is one of those super hot hot artists who's work MAO has always liked.. but was never been willing to pay the full price or to get into a crazy bidding war at an auction house.

Honestly.. MAO thinks in Miami last year, we saw an extortionist art dealer asking $100,000+ for one of Ruud's older sold out large prints.  So getting to buy this amazing image for your art collection at the Aperture Charity event for next to nothing.. is just a super win win!  

Edward Burtynsky Photos.. Defied Recession Gravity

Edward Burtynsky Photos.. Defied Recession Gravity.

For those long time MAO readers.. it will come to no surprise that MAO is an avid fan of Canadian Photographer Edward Burtynsky. Yes.. we know.. Edward's work is big, colorful, over-hyped, straightforward, expensive, often pretty, very "corporate", safe, etc.. just about everything most fine art photography scholars and contemporary art snobs love to poke fun of.. but yes.. MAO loves his images.

But.. here's a little secret.. The auction world LOVES Burtynsky Too!!

So while photo auction results have been poor.. some artist's works are still breaking records. 

Check out this outcome from last week's October 15th, Phillips Photography Auction Sale in London..

-------------------------------------

Lot #88

Edward Burtynsky

Oxford Tire Pile #1, Westley, California, 1999
Colour coupler print. 68.6 x 86.4 cm. (27 x 34 in).  Signed in ink, printed title, date and number 1/10 on a label affixed to the reverse of the mount.

ESTIMATE £7,000-9,000

Actual Realized Total Sale Price including Auction House Premium

£30,000....Or... Approx $ 49,200 !!!

PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist

EXHIBITED Manufactured Landscapes: The Photographs of Edward Burtynsky, touring exhibition, including National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 31 January – 4 May, 2003 and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, 7 October 2005 – 15 January, 2006 (each another example exhibited)

LITERATURE Yale University Press, Manufactured Landscapes: The Photographs of Edward Burtynsky, 2003, p. 112; Steidl, China: The Photographs of Edward Burtynsky, 2005, p. 18

---------------------------

OK.. so just a few MAO stupid thoughts about this photo and these auction results...

1. Wow..It's a pretty cool photo
2. This was not the largest size print this image comes in.
3. $49,200 is a ridiculous huge number.. to pay for a living photographer's image
4. Why was the auction presale estimate so low? Like how clueless were the stupid people at Phillips?
5. One high auction result does not mean too much, it may have been just 2 hedge fund guys with little wankers huge egos trying to out do each other
6. Other Burtynsky images have also done well before.. but nothing quite like this.
7. The image was in the recent Brooklyn Museum Show
8. God Damn that a lot of tires!!
9. Up until a few weeks ago..You could probably have bought this photo from one of the too many 7 Official Burtynsky Dealers around the world for only $25,000
10. There are 9 More of these photos out there in this size.. plus at least 3 (or maybe 6) more in the larger print size.. plus some artist proofs floating around..plus he could always print more..
11. MAO owns one of these phoos that he really should consider selling soon!! that should probably come out of cold storage.
12. Who'd want to hang this depressing image on the wall in their home?
13. Burtynsky is a great photographer and history will show him as one of the most important from our generation
14. There are several better Burtynsky images in the MAO Collection..and we need to call Phillips our insurance company ASAP.

Well.. So...what do you think?

FYI.. For those who don't know.. there's a new Burtynsky Show "OIL" at the Corcoran Gallery Of Art in Washington DC, he also has a new great book Edward Burtynsky: Oilpublished by Steidl.

Plus there are NYC and  Toronto Gallery shows which just opened up. It's the Nicholas Metivier Galleryin Toronto, and in NYC, it's in the old Charles Cowles Gallery (R.I.P.) Space on 24th street at the newly relocated & renamed  Hasted Hunt Gallery Hasted Hunt Kraeutler Gallery..The show in NYC is up until November 28th.

For Those Interested in Emerging Photographers... Here's the show for You!

Emerging Photographer Show at the Randall Scott Gallery opens on Thursday. This is one not to miss. The show is curated by Art Blogger, Photolucida Juror, and totally crazed obsessed avid photo collector.. Ruben Natal-San Miguel... aka ArtMostFierce. Ruben has scoured the earth to share with us, his newest, hot, amazing photo art discoveries.

So for those art collectors interested in the bleeding edge, inexpensive cutting edge of Art Photography and to find out  who's going to be hot in 3 to 5 years.. you have to see this show. We're sure there will be bargains to be had, and you never know, maybe you'll find the next Lorreta Lux or Ryan McGinley art block buster hanging on the walls!

FYI.. MAO is even considering crossing water, and taking a bridge or tunnel just to get to this show opening on Thursday night. Yes.. my little MAO-ette's, we know.. It's in the Dumbo Art District where?.. which we believe is still in a part of NYC.. who knew? But we've been told it's the new hip and happening place to be for young artists!

Well.. anyway.. it's going to be well worth it, cause some of MAO's favorite new young emerging photographic artists will all be there mooching free beer to answer questions from collectors about their great photos.

Here's the announcement. See you all Thursday Night!

In the Project Room from October 22nd-November 21st

UNSEEN
a photographers salon

curated by
Ruben Natal-San Miguel

Alex Leme, Clayton Cotterell, Bon Duke, Elizabeth Fleming, Leah Oates, Adam
Krause, Cara Phillips, Megan Cump, Richard Renaldi, Chad States, Natasha Gornik, Nadine Rovner, Nicola Kast, Ryan Pfluger, Phil Toledano and Eric McNatt.
(Photo by Nadine Rovner)

Artist's Reception
October 22nd    6pm-8:30pm

Randall Scott Gallery
111 Front Street #204
Brooklyn, NY 11201
212-796-2190
212-796-2192 (fax)


DUMBO Arts District

www.randallscottgallery.com
info@randallscottgallery.com

Hours:
11am-6pm  Tuesday-Saturday
DUMBO First Thursdays  11am-8:30pm

Location:
Located on the corner of Front and Washington Streets
in-between the bridges


Trains:  
F (York St)
A  C  (High St)


Googlemap

Collecting Photobooks! Story in this Weekends London Financial Times

So MAO's guess is most smart  photo obsessed people missed this great story about collecting important Photobook in this weekends London Financial Times.

Yes.. for those who don't know.. even in these difficult art times.. Collecting Important Photobooks is now super Hot Hot Hot! Actually so hot.. even the newly  opened NY Branch of Bloomsbury Auction House managed to get some serious interest in the photobook part of their recent disastrous photo auction.  Bloomsbury only sold 17.8% of the Photos in their auction, OUCH!...yes..only 35 lots sold out of 197 photo lots..Yikes!  60 of their 95 Photobook lots sold, which was 63.2%. But, you can read more about this Bloomsbury Photographic Auction from the often long winded throughly thoughtful DLK Collection Blog

The FT story interestingly points out, with the publication of the new AMAZING Aperture, must have, reference book, Japanese Photobooks of the 1960's and 70's by Ryuichi Kaneko and Ivan Vartanian, rare Japanese Photobook prices have jumped significantly.  It's not a surprise, since most American art collectors don't read Japanese, a detailed reference book like this was very necessary to make collecting Important Japanese photobooks understandable. This reference book along with the power fo the internet (a la Ebay!) make it now economically possible for almost any collector to get involved. (Photo #1, The cover of Aperture's Japanese Photobooks fo the 1960's and 70's)

Note, if you don't know already.. one of THE very best sources for important Japanese photobooks in the world is Harpers Book in East HamptonNY.  Harper has done an impressive amount of research on historic photobooks, but also has an incredible eye, and an inventory so huge, MAO frequently gets taken to the cleaners  lost for hours wondering through his rare photobook selection.

Well.. anyway.. the story in the FT was really great, and well worth a read if you're at all interested in photography or art books. 

So here's the entire story from the Sat October 10th FT... 

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Worth a shot

By Claire Holland

Published: October 9 2009 15:14 | Last updated: October 9 2009 15:14

The market for fine photographic prints has exploded over the past decade, yet the photobook (as it has come to be known) was, until recently, relegated to the sidelines by dealers and collectors alike. But as photography has become more valued and collected, photobooks have slowly come to be recognised as desirable (and collectable) in their own right and the market is burgeoning, according to Laura Noble, director of the Diemar Noble Photography Gallery. “In the mid-1990s one could have picked up a first edition of Bill Brandt’s A Night in Londonfor £20”, remembers her co-director Michael Diemar. “A copy of the same book sold recently at Christie’s for £4,800.”

So what has prompted this once-forgotten art form to be brought back into view? As vintage prints have become scarce and contemporary photography prohibitively expensive, photobooks may seem a more accessible and affordable way of collecting photography. The publication of The Photobook: A History by Martin Parr and Gerry Badger and Andrew Roth’s 101 Books (itself now rare and worth around £1,000) helped to ignite the current interest in the genre. For Parr, an obsessive collector who admits to owning tens of thousands of titles, the shift in the market was inevitable. “Photobooks were previously unrecognised and therefore undervalued,” he says.

The history of photography is rooted in books. Until the mid-20th century, photographers were far more likely to see their work between covers than on a gallery wall. Indeed, the first great artistic statement in the medium was grandly presented in book form. Published in 1844, William Henry Fox Talbot’s The Pencil of Nature, made up of 24 original prints, heralded the invention of the calotype – the first negative-positive photography. Many of the 19th-century prints for which collectors and museums are now paying hefty sums come from such albums, which have been broken up.

For many photographers the photobook is a source for photographic ideas – who’s doing what, what’s new – and trends spread rapidly from the US and Europe to Japan and back again.

“For contemporary photographers the photobook is still an important influence,” agrees curator Nina Poppe. When I met her earlier this year at Amsterdam’s Foam photography gallery, she was hanging Marks of Honour, a show of work by 13 photographers who pay homage to a photobook they found inspiring. Among the most compelling in the collection – which will be auctioned in Paris next month – are American photographer Michael Light’s tribute to Ansel Adams’ Yosemite and the Range of Light, in which Light has made precise cutouts following the lines of Adams’ monumental landscapes and inserted his own prints of LA night scenes into the spaces, and Japanese Onaka Koji’s thoughtfully constructed celebration of Daido Moriyama’s Tales of Tohno, which includes five prints and a contact sheet housed in a box handmade by Koji from wood of the forests where Moriyama shot his original 1976 work.

Japanese photobooks distinguish themselves by their attention to detail. The layout, binding, paper, printing, dustwrapper, obi(the bellyband) and the outer case (the so-called soto-bako or okuribako) are all meticulously crafted. After 1960, the photography scene in Japan changed dramatically and the photobook – with its ability to help create a narrative and rhythm – overtook the print as the most popular mode of artistic statement for the Japanese photographer.

This important and prolific period is examined in Japanese Photobooks of the 1960s and ’70s published by the Aperture Foundation next month.

There has been a strong rise in demand for Japanese photobooks, and prices have doubled or tripled in the past three to four years. “Curiously, the Japanese photobook market really didn’t exist until western collectors started to show interest,” says Titus Boeder of Maggs Books. “When I started buying them in Japan eight years ago, prices were lower than the original retail cost. They weren’t collected in Japan.”

Elsewhere, in the US and Europe, the market for good quality photobooks shows little sign of slowing down, with demand particularly high for those inscribed by the artist or an important previous owner. Sven Becker, book specialist at Christie’s, recently auctioned a copy of William Klein’s Tokyothat once belonged to William Eggleston, for a lofty £2750. Signed by Klein, and with Eggleston’s ownership signature dated January 1969, it’s a perfect example of the type of books that are attracting the attention of collectors with discerning tastes and deep pockets.

Prices for similar books reached unprecedented levels earlier this year at New York’s Swann Galleries. A signed copy of Nobuyoshi Araki’s ABCDand a first edition of Ed Ruscha’s Various Small Fires and Milk, inscribed by Ruscha to Andy Warhol, achieved US$10,800 and US$15,600 respectively. This autumn Swann is offering a signed deluxe edition of Lucas Samaras’s Autointerview, Autobiography, Autopolaroid, issued with a Polaroid (estimate $2500-$3500), and a signed first edition of Helmut Newton’s gigantic Sumo, weighing in at nearly 70 pounds and supplied with its own Philippe Starck-designed chrome stand (estimate $5,000-$7,500).

Rare art book specialists Sims Reed recently showed some fine examples at the London Art Book Fair, including a first edition of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s exquisite Time Exposed(£12,000) and John Baldessari’s Fable: A Sentence of Thirteen Parts (£3,500). But it is not necessary to shell out vast sums of money to start building an impressive (and one day possibly quite valuable) library.

Ebay is a thriving market place for rare books and there are bargains to be had. The Photographers’ Gallery regularly promotes limited editions of new titles, often signed by the artist. Nazraeli Press offer very reasonably priced special editions and limited availability titles on their website. Gems include Masao Yamamoto’s A Box of Ku($200) and Joseph Mills’ wonderfully surreal photomontages in The Loves of Poets($250). Photography specialists Schaden offer recommendations, signed copies and a research service.

Parr’s advice is simple: “Buy what you like,” he says. And, if you buy books you genuinely like, it doesn’t matter if they increase in value or not. Good taste is rewarded, and a little knowledge can go a long way in identifying important books. “A few years ago a collector friend of mine went to a flea market in Paris and picked up Man Ray’s Electricité for €50,” says Noble. “The auction value? £20,000.” Who knows, you may just get that lucky.

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Details

Swann Galleries’ Photographic Literature sale takes place in New York on October 22 www.swanngalleries.com
Marks of Honour 2008will be auctioned at Pierre Bergé & Associés, Paris, on November 25 and will be on show at the auction house during Paris Photo Festival the preceding week www.marksofhonour.com
Japanese Photobooks of the 1960s and ’70s is published by Aperture in November

James Welling Talks at Aperture Foundation.. Tuesday Oct 6th @ 7pm

MAO has never heard James Welling speak in public before, so we have no idea if he's any good, but it should be interesting.

This photographer's abstract art work is among the most innovative in the industry. You probably saw his work which was recently featured in the 2008 Whitney Biennial.

(Photo #1, James Welling, Flowers, 2005, c-print, 14 x 10")

Represented in NYC by David Zwirner and in the UK by the Maureen Paley Gallery, James Welling is almost a living legend in the art photography world.. so clearly this is a free talk not to be missed!

It's probably going to be packed.. so get there early!
Here's the Aperture / Parsons press release...

Artist's Talk with James Welling

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
7:00 pm

FREE

Aperture Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York
(212) 505-5555

Aperture and the Parsons Department of Photography at The New School present an artist's talk with James Welling as part of the ongoing Parsons lecture series. Welling's career constitutes a comprehensive conceptual examination of the many forms of photography: from documentary and staged to nonrepresentational. He was recently featured in the Aperture publication The Edge of Vision: The Rise of Abstraction in Photography.

JAMES WELLING(b. 1951 in Hartford, Connecticut) studied drawing at Carnegie-Mellon University before transferring to the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied video. His work has appeared in over sixty solo and group exhibitions, and is included in many public collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, all in New York, among others. Welling was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and has taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Bard College. Since 1995, Welling has lived in Los Angeles, where he is head of the photography department at the University of California, Los Angeles. His work was featured in issue number 190 of Aperture magazine

It's Art Benefit Season, So Check Out.. The Photography Center at Woodstock!

The Center for Photography At Woodstock has their 2009 Benefit Gala Honoring W.M. Hunt on Sunday October 11, 2009 in Woodstock. Yes.. MAO knows its too crazy far, hours a bit far away for just a benefit... BUT!!

This has been one of the best places for emerging photography in the UISA, and every year they hold one of the most interesting "think opportunity to buy something very cheap" art photo auctions.

It's a wonderful organization.. and they could use your help in these difficult times! So Please Check it out, you might find something great for your photo collection.

It's quite amazing..  they have photos donated by 80 artists..

Click here to preview and bidon the great auction items.. not all of them are online yet.. but the list is most impressive.

This year's event will honor our 2009 Vision Award Honoree,  W.M. Hunt, collector, curator, educator, gallery owner, writer, and emerging artist advocate  and features CPW's 31st annual benefit auction of contemporary and classic photographs beginning at 4pm.

Benefit Gala proceeds directly support the creative programs of the Center for Photography at Woodstock, a not-for-profit arts and educational organization. Please support the arts.

There are Two Tiers of Admission for CPW's 2009 Benefit Gala. To order Tickets or a Catalog, please call CPW at (845-679-9957).

(A) GALA tickets are $100 per person. 
They include attendance the 2009 Vision Awards Wine and Food Reception in honor of our recipient W.M. Hunt, which will begins at 2pm, a complimentary copy of the 2009 Benefit Auction Catalog. Attendees receive preferred seating for the live benefit auction.

GALA Tickets must be purchased in advance, by Thursday October 8, 2009.

(B) To attend the AUCTION only, admission is by purchase of the catalog for $35 ($25 for CPW members) plus postage. 

Doors open at 4pm for Auction attendees. Catalogs may be purchased by phone, and fax orders. Payment may also be sent via mail. Catalogs are currently in production and will be available after September 21.

Benefit Auction Catalogs may be purchased via phone, fax, email order, in CPW's gallery, and on the day of the sale at the Bearsville Theater.

To order Tickets or a Catalog, please call CPW at (845-679-9957).

An Art Event Not to Miss.. The NY Art Book FAIR this Weekend at P.S.1

One of the next best things to looking at Contemporary Art.. is sex is looking at new Contemporary Art Books!

We can't wait for the next 2009 New York Art Book Fair.. cause MAO can never have enough art books.

(Photo #1, Mickey Smith, More Books, 2008, Archival Pigment Print)

FYI.. they moved the fair this year from Phillip's Auction House in Chelsea to Art World Siberia Long Island City at P.S.1

Here are the details

LOCATION   P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
22-25 Jackson Ave at the intersection of 46th Ave
Long Island City, NY 11101 (map)

FAIR HOURS
Friday/Saturday, October 2 & 3, 2009, 11am - 7pm
Sunday, October 4, 2009, 11am - 5pm
The NY Art Book Fair is FREE and open to the public.

Some of the cool events to see :

1. FEATURED EXHIBITION
Richard Prince Calling All Readers (Books & Posters)
John McWhinnie curates a survey of the books and posters of Richard Prince, from the 70s to today.

2. Great Contemporary Artist book Signings!

BOOK SIGNINGS

Friday, October 2, 2009:
2pm Steven Miller [DECODE]
3pm Joan Lyons [Visual Studies Workshop]
4pm David Benjamin Sherry [Printed Matter]
5pm AA Bronson [Printed Matter]
6pm William E. Jones signs Tearoom[2nd Cannons]

Saturday, October 3, 2009
12pm Sherin Neshat [MUSAC]
1pm Peter Sutherland [Gottlund Verlag]
2pm Ariana Page Russell [DECODE]
3pm Brad Buckley/John Conomos [NSCAD]
4pm Vince Aletti [DAP]
5pm Ryan McGinley [Morel]
6pm Gregg Bordowitz [Printed Matter]

Sunday, October 4, 2009
2pm Sarah Morris [Witte de With]

3. The ClassRoom
The Classroom is a full-schedule of informal artist talks, performative lectures, and other lessons of impromptu spirit with free, continuous enrollment for all fair-goers. The faculty includes: Center for Book Arts, Dexter Sinister, Fillip, free103point9 with Brett Ian Balogh and Tarikh Korula, Friends of the Fine Arts (FFARTS), Jason Fulford, Rick Myers, Michalis Pichler, Red 76, Carson Salter, Jennifer Sullivan, Three Star Books with Haim Steinbach, Triple Canopy, Ugly Duckling Press, Western Exhibitions with Miller & Shellabarger, and others. The Classroom is curated by David Senior, Museum of Modern Art Library.

4. If you feel the need to Party like an rock star on Thursday Night.. and get a limited edition work of art.... there's something for you too!

Following the, PREVIEW: The Fair opens for preview October 1, 6-8 PM at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center.

Deitch Studios, Long Island City, will generously host a benefit for Printed Matter, featuring industrial punk-and-dub duo, I.U.D.(Lizzi Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance and Sadie Laska of Growing). DJs Tim Lokiec and Gary Murphyplay vintage house. Tickets begin at $20 and include limited artist editions by Elmgreen & Dragset, Jutta Koether, Tom Sachs, and Mungo Thomson.

LOCATION

Deitch Studios, 4-40 44th Drive, Long Island City

TICKETS
$20 - benefit plus ticket edition by Tom Sachs, edition of 450.
Available here
$150 - benefit plusedition by Jutta Koether, signed and numbered edition of 150.
Available here
$150 - benefit plusedition by Mungo Thomson, signed and numbered edition of 150.
Available here
$3,000 - benefit plusportfolio of 26 prints by Elmgreen & Dragset, signed and numbered edition of 26.
Available here 

OK... see you all at the FAIR!

Melanie Schiff, A Young Rising Art Photography Star, her New Show Opens!

Melanie Schiff... A Young Rising Art Photography Star's new show opens in Chicago.

So.. check this artist's new work out! She truly paints with light like no other young new photographer.

As you all probably know, MAO got to meet this young photographer about 3 years ago, when she had just graduated from Art School and was having her very first gallery show. As a contemporary art collector one of the greatest joys is getting the opportunity to watch a new young artist's career take off.

Her credits already including shows at the Chicago MCA, and the 2008 Whitney Biennial,

Melanie has a new body of work now opening up in Chicago at the Kavi Gupta gallery. (Photo #1, Melanie Schiff, Light Pipe,2009,digital c-print mounted and framed,31 1/2" x 35" framed,edition of 5)

Solo Exhibition
The Miror,
Kavi Gupta, Chicago, IL
September 11 - October 24, 2009

Plus, here's just a recent list of things "happening" for Melanie.. in the near future.

Elements of Photography
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, IL
June 13 - October 4, 2009

Between Spaces
P.S.1 MOMA, NY, NY
October 21 - Winter 2009

Solo Exhibition
Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
Spring 2010

Kurt
Seattle Museum of Art, Seattle, WA
May - Sept. 2010

2010 Chinati Foundation Artist in Residence, Marfa, TX 

(Photo #2, Melanie Schiff, The Mirror,digital c-print mounted and framed, 2009,17” x 13 3/4” image; 30 1/2” x 34” framed
Edition of 5 with 1 AP)

And now, after her last NYC gallery crashed and burned closed during the Great Art Recession of 2008, Melanie has a hot new NY Art Gallery representing her. 

Horton & Liu Gallery, who? C. Sean Horton's new Chelsea expansion of his hot cutting edge L.E.S. Sunday Gallery is now representing Melanie Schiff in NYC. Yes..my little MAO-ettes, SOME contemporary art galleries are actually expanding into Chelsea!!  They will be having Melanie's first NYC gallery show debut in mid-October..

Melanie Schiff :

Mirror & Mastodon : Oct 15 – Nov 14, 2009

In fact they've already put out the press release..!!

Horton & Liu is pleased to present a new series of photographs by Los Angeles-based artist Melanie Schiff. Mirror & Mastodon is the artist’s New York solo debut and the artist's first major exhibition since her inclusion in the 2008 Whitney Biennial. The exhibition also coincides with her inclusion in Between Spaces at PS1 / MOMA.... read more here..

Amazing...and Congrat's to Melanie Schiff, we can't wait to see your photo work on NYC gallery walls!