Modern Art Obsession

Seen one Warhol MAO you've Spent a few MILLION DOLLARS!!!

Up, UP AND AWAY!!..in my beautiful contemporary art balloon!!

So.. The results are IN!! This MAO sold for $2,256,000 !!! OMG!!

The presale estimate was TOTALLY WAY THE FUCK OFF the "experts" had only a range of $250,000 to $350,000. Clearly there is way too much money out there!!

Well...It maybe small no size queens here.. measuring in at only 10 x 12 inches.. but provenance was everything!!!  So that's $18,800 per square inch of painting! That's an official MAO WOW!!

Lot 47, MAO by Andy Warhol which had graced the home of David Whitney (Phillip Johnson's Long Time Partner) was a total food fight.

Will the craziness ever end?

None of our pathetic guesses were even close...so the official winner was Richard Polsky..who guessed $1 Million... Richard..Please contact Mike at ModernArtObsession to collect your prize!!

The Nov Art Quiz.. Anyone need a MAO painting??

It would seem November is THE month to dump sell A Warhol MAO.  So far at least 4 Chairman inspired images are on the Auction block. There are three just in the Christies Contemporary Sales..

• A Vik Muniz Chocolate MAO,
• this small 12 x 10 inch MAO,
• plus, a Super Sized 82 x 60 inch MAO in the Contemporary Night sale with a stunning pre-sale estimate range from $8 to $12 MILLION! Ouch that's a lot of doe, rae, me high! The MAO also got the dubious honor of being on the cover of Nov'06 Art & Auction Magazine (see page 205).

But only the most beautiful MAO can have the glorious distinction of being our November Art Quiz!

It maybe small no size queens here.. measuring in at only 10 x 12 inches.. but provenance is everything!!!  This MAO by Andy Warhol has graced the home of David Whitney (Phillip Johnson's Long Time Partner). In fact, it was a Christmas gift by Andy Warhol to David Whitney...WOW..That's Sweat! Hence you'll notice the festive Red/Green color scheme.

On November 16th, Sothebys will hold the Whitney Estate Sale including this handsome MAO. It was created in 1972, of Acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas. and the presale estimate is a wide range of $250,000 to $350,000.

FYI.. that works out to $2,000 to $3,000 per square inch!! Here's a quote from Sothebys:

Having previously 'retired' his hand from the creative process, Warhol's portraits of Mao announced his renewed interest in painting by hand. Unlike his earlier flattened silkscreens, Mao is much more painterly in style with its loose brushwork of bright hand-painted acrylic hues. Embedded beneath and defining the image of Mao, the portrait's expressionist-like background is dramatically enhanced by the authorless silkscreen of Mao. In a radical departure from the somber tones of the original source photograph, the energetic emphasis and bright hues of the paint seem more appropriate for a Hollywood star than a Communist leader. As such, Mao provides a superlative example of Warhol's examination of the inherent contradictions of fame and celebrity.

As any Contemporary Art Junkie Collector knows.. WARHOL is HOT HOT HOT!! So what do you think this MAO will sell for??  Submit your guess!! The person coming closest to the total final sales price (including the 20% auction house premium) is the winner, and gets to choose either a 1 year Museum membership or an Arts Based Charity for a generous donation to be made in their honor. Post your guess in the comments or email mike@ModernArtObsession.com. All entries must be in by 10am on Nov 16th. Good Luck!

Oh.. and Dr. Quiz.. if you were wondering what to put on my Christmas list.. see above, cause MAO's been very naughty nice this year!

October Art Quiz Winner.. Getting "Blown Away" with Post Katrina Art!

With lots of incorrect guesses.. several "who cares" and many "I have now idea cause they all look a like".. we have a winner!

It took the skills of Darin Boville, a W.C. Wrong Coast California based professional photographer to be the first to identify these five differences between these average, predictable, and unremarkable "Art" works..

And FYI...Darin's photography work looks pretty cool too.. so it's well worth checking out his much more creative and thoughtful Katrina Homage.. 2005 - Cat4 Project.

What's more amazing.. First, that these photographers with vastly different background and styles can complete photographic projects that all look the same, and secondly, three of these dull, boring & exploitive works have been shown in big high profile museums.. Jane Fulton Alt's photo was in DePaul University Art Museum in Chicago, Mitch Epstein's photo is currently in the surprisingly cohesive Ecotopia Show at ICP, and the Polidori photo is currently on view since they're giving back all their looted artworks and, as if they had nothing better to display..at the NY Met.  Yikes! Well.. we can only hope these museums didn't spend any money on purchasing these gems for their collections!

Darin has wisely chosen a membership to SF MOMA. Congrat's Darin!

Here are the answers..

Jane Fulton Alt, 

Photo F

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Mitch Epstein,

Photo

B

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Chris Jordan,

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Photo A

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Robert Polidori,

Photo C

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Stephen Wilkes...

Photo D

Oh.. and by the way... 

If you've not had enough of all this repetitive and predictable Post Katrina work.. Hmmm.. Like.. how many more pretty pictures of toilets stuck in trees, and flooded out trashed houses does the world really need?

You're in luck..

I guess.. The generally bright visionary people over at my much loved Aperture Foundation have had a temporary brain cramp. Apparently they felt the need to share in all this Katrina art banality..

So Aperture has scheduled a discussion panel for this Wednesday, October 11th at 7pm in the New School, Tishman Auditorium. 

What's even more shocking.. As if these five "enterprising" individuals were not enough, Aperture has found four more opportunistic creative photographers : Stanley Greene, Paolo Pellegrin, Chang W. Lee, and Katherine Wolk. Who've also completed Post Katrina Photographic Projects.  Anyone else I missed??

We can only hope these artist (and galleries) are donating the proceeds/profits of whatever prints they sell to the Red Cross, or other Post Katrina charities.

MAO October Art Quiz.. Katrina, Katrina, Katrina!

So if you've turned on a TV for even a few minutes during hurricane season this year.. you were sure to have been bombarded with images of Post Katrina damage.  So too is the NYC art world this month.. Hitting the museums, art galleries, art fairs, and book shelves.. it's all about Katrina!

Which brings us to the question of the month.. can meaningful art be made from exploiting this natural disaster. Is ANY of it any good?  Can you even tell one artist's work from another..?? So how many photographers will try to squeeze a buck out create something meaningful from it?? And Why???

So far we've seen a significant amount of work from these Photographic artists..

1. Jane Fulton Alt,
2. Mitch Epstein
3. Chris Jordan
4. Robert Polidori
5. Stephen Wilkes.

Here are some of the less dull interesting (IMO) images from each of their Katrina projects...

• Photo A
• 
• Photo B
• Photo C
• Photo D
• Photo E
• OK..  Now the BIG Challenge..
•     Match the photo to the Artist.

Can you do it? There are only 120 different possible guesses.. but only one correct answer..

So the first person to match each photographer with their photo.. wins!

Either a 1 year basic museum membership or a donation to your favorite arts based charity to be given in the winner's honor..Feel free to email your guess to mike@ModernArtObsession.com

Good luck.. and Happy image googling!!

Extra MAO bonus photography genius points..  at least 3 of these images (are currently or) have been in museum shows.. which artists..and name the museum shows??

Less the 24 hours left to the End of the Sept Art Quiz!

OK.. MAO Quizlings..

Now that everyone in the art world is back from thier way too long summer break.

There's only 24 hours left before the "First Open" Christies Auction tomorrow!

So go post your guess NOW !! ====>    The Sept Art Quiz

Keep in mind.. Warhol MAO imagery is Hot Hot Hot..

just ask our friends at L & M Arts!!

The September MAO Art Quiz!!

Summer is officially over! So everyone, please, put the white powder pants away..it's time to get back to reality!  Well, just as the art gallery season gets back into full shwing next week.. so do the art auction houses! September06 looks like a busy month, Christies alone, has 16 auctions scheduled.

Thanks to the hard work of Zach Miner, Christies has established a new type of auction, it's called "First Open." Which is a nice way of categorizing emerging artist work from gallery owners inventory that they need want to dump sell.... mostly to pay their huge bills, from the hyper-fabulous lifestyles over expansion into new expensive lavish Chelsea gallery spaces.  And while most of the time these auctions have works which have yet to allow the paint to dry all been made in the last 10 years, sometimes there can actually be some hidden gems up for sale.

Which brings us to our, quite handsome, and provocative September Art Quiz.

This is Lot 154 from Christies September 13th "First Open - Post War and Contemporary Art" Auction."

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Mao/Electric Chair
stamped with the Estate of Andy Warhol stamp and numbered WP890.50 (on the reverse)
silkscreen inks on paper
17½ x 22½ in. (44.3 x 57.7 cm.)
Executed circa 1978.

Pre-Sale Estimate : 35,000 - 45,000 U.S. Dollars

So... for this month's quiz.. post your guess for the final hammer sale price (20% commission included) without going over.  Everyone is welcome to play..one guess per person, and even if you've previously won a MAO Quiz you're welcome to play. And since anyone who's anyone in the NYC art world, is still sitting on a beach giving attitude being fabulous.. there's plenty of time to think of a good guess! Just submit your answer before 10am on the 13th. You can also email your guess to Mike@ModernArtObsession.com

The lucky winner who comes closest without going over, gets to choose between either a 1 year basic museum membership to any museum, or an arts based charity for a generous donation to be given in their honor.

As always.. Dr. Quiz will serve as both judge and jury.

Good luck.. and just remember..the Art Market is still going crazy, plus Warhol is Hot Hot Hot! The last time an Andy Warhol MAO image came up for auction... it totally crushed went well through the high end of the estimate.

So Happy Fall 2006 Auction Season everyone, welcome back.. and.. Let The Games Begin!

The August MAO Art Quiz Winner!!

Many tried, but we only had one, The Big Kahuna, blogger HangTen, who stepped up to the Art Obsessed challenge. He was the only MAO Quizling who sent in all the correct answers to the August MAO Art Quiz, and it was within the first six hours of the post, impressive! So it took a while... but  it wasn't too tough for the art wise A.J! Congrats!

The first, AMAZING, photo was of Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty,

and it was taken by Photographer David Maisel.

It was one of the many powerful environmental focused works within the project, Maisel called Terminal Mirage.

There is also this wonderful book, by Maisel, "The Lake Project"  published in 2004, featured many of the scary phosphorescent ariel images from a project featuring the area around the Owens Lake, California... well.. so much for the natural beauty of the wrong west coast!

I first saw this image, I believe, when it was used for many of the Whitney Museum's Smithson show ad last year.

The second photo was a direct appropriation of the uber famous Cindy Sherman's self-portrait, Untitled #92. This original image was the cover of one of her most popular books Cindy Sherman : Centerfolds published in 2004. This new work was a brilliant recreation by male illusionist Artist Yasumasa Morimura. This image was also featured in his hysterical book "Daughter of Art History".

A.J. has wisely chosen White Columns, as the beneficiary for a donation.
Actually, provocatively, A.J. has requested, for us to take the donated cash, and purchase lottery tickets, and then send the proceeds to White Columns. I've checked with our Audit Staff at MAO, plus sought the sage advice of Dr.Quiz.  Actually the ever socially moral, Dr. Quiz, Vetoed the entire Lotto deal. Dr. Quiz, strongly looks down upon the Lottery, and most State run Gambling, as a very self selected ignorance tax on the poor of our country.  Yikes! So, unless there's a strong out cry for rolling the dice on LOTTO. Maybe it's best to maintain peace in the MAO household, just make the donation directly to White Columns. Plus, they can always use the cash to buy lottery tickets if they think a prudent use of the donation.

The August MAO Art Quiz

Appropriate or inappropriate appropriations.. ?  I'm still obsessed thinking about the topic, and Kota Ezawa's Nan Goldin appropriation from last weeks image of the week. Sadly, not many readers commented.  Thanks.. AJ your thoughts were much appreciated!  But, thinking about contemporary artists appropriating the work of other contemporary artists, you can't help wonder if it's just artistic mental masterbation  all too insular, and does the current copycat artist really add anything new to the original work of art they are copying appropriating? Hmm...

Keeping in this twisted mind set, this months August MAO Art Quiz are two very different types of contemporary art appropriations.  Also, the last few months of quiz were answered way too quickly in under 10 minutes, so this quiz needed to be a bit more difficult. So we'll see how long this one takes...and which Art Genius steps up to the challenge!

In both cases, these are photographers appropriating other contemporary artworks.

So to win, first the easy part, please give the names of the original appropriated art works, and the original brilliant artist who's work which as been appropriated.

Then, the hard part, give the two names of the current copycats artist who created each of these current photo's.

Image A

Image B

The first person in with ALL the correct answers gets to pick their favorite charity for a generous donation to be made in their honor.

Good Luck!

You can also email your answers to Mike@ModernArtObsession.com

So, what do you think, are these truly new art works, or just bad photo imitations of great original works? Have these artists really added anything new to the art world or have they just added too much cash to their retirement accounts ?  Will any of these new approprations really stand the test of time or will they quickly fade into art world obscurity?

July Art Quiz Winner... DADA Show At MOMA

Sorry for not posting much the last 2 weeks.. But what do you want for free, plus, my Jury Duty is now over..it was pretty cool..We found the big drug dealer him Not Guilty, and if it had not interrupted my ab fab PTown summer vacation.. It would have been fine. I don't know why everyone complains so fucking much about Jury Duty.

So we had several winners of the July Art Quiz.. But there was one Super Art Genius who got the correct answer in under one hour of the post! So yes..it was too easy he's a genius!

The winner was.. Edwin Smalling from San Diego and he's got a cool new website... www.west-ghost.com check it out!

FYI.. Edwin has not yet picked an art charity yet for his prize.. so stay tuned.. oh.. and all art charity suggestions are welcome. So.. Maybe he'll pick your favorite!

Here's the answers.. Object A..

Object B

Edwin's Answer..

Object A is man ray title is gift originally made in 1921 and reproduced in 1958

Object b is Duchamp and is titled Fresh Widow made in 1920.

They are both currently on view at MOMAs Dada show and i think they are in the permanent collection as well. a

As to how the man ray got its name, origin, straight from the moma site:

"Man Ray's first solo exhibition in Paris included paintings, aerographs, and collages, mostly brought from New York in his steamer trunk. Not listed in the catalogue was an object Man Ray constructed on the very afternoon his show opened: he glued a row of fourteen tacks to the bottom of an iron and added it to the works on display as a gift for the gallery owner, the poet Philippe Soupault. With its menacing blend of domesticity and sadomasochism, the object apparently attracted unusual attention—by the end of the day, Gift had vanished."

So the Dada show at MOMA is really great and up till Sept 11th.. I saw it last weekend. So for all those stuck in NYC this summer.. it's one show not to be missed!

July MAO Art Quiz - Sorry for the Delay!

Sorry for the delay.. For the staff at MAO, it's been a wild first few days of July.. here's just a taste of the weekend as partly caused reported by this devil sheep witty ass blogger! Happy July 4th everyone!

So.. I'll keep this one very easy..Cause it's already July 6th, I'm still hungover tired, and there's no time to waste..

Here are two art objects (made by different artists)....
Object A.
and
Then we
have this one..

Object B.

To win, you need to give the names of the artists which created each of these works,

and

In what current museum show are these two works both currently on view??

First person in with the complete correct answer gets to pick an Arts Based Charity for a nice donation to be made in their honor.

Extra MAO Art Genius Bonus Points if you know the names of each of these objects.. and if you can explain where the first one got it's name?

Good Luck..
And enjoy the summer!

The June MAO Art Quiz - Winner to Choose A Charity!!

Well.. last months Auction based quiz was fun and surprising (jeez... how much higher will that Andy  Warhol market go!!) ..but I think I've had enough of crazy Art Auction Mania for a while...

So.. It's been some time since we've had a good old traditional photography based art Quiz.

And what would the world of photography be without beautiful "female" portraiture...??

So... Here we have, provocative portrait works from two of the MAO favorite contemporary photographers... and no, neither of these are by Loretta Lux!

OK, so Name the two photographers who created

Photo #1... and Photo #2

and then name the US venue that both of these photographers currently have some of their work getting featured.

The first MAO Quizling in with the correct answers will be the proud winner, and they get to choose an arts based charity for a donation to be made in their honor.

You can post your guess to the comment section of the blog or email your answers to ModernArtObsession@yahoo.com. One guess per person, and previous winners are not eligible.

Of course, as always...Dr. Quiz will serve as both judge and Jury if there are any issues to the rightful winner.

Oh.. and there's Extra Special MAO genius bonus points :

if you can provide the titles of these two photographs.

Please feel free to share any interesting thoughts/connections you see or feel, between the two artists and these works..

I find myself drawn to both, but in very different ways..

But, what do you think?  Great portrait works of art by two contemporary masters.. or just your average "I could do that" snap shots???

Good Luck!

May Art Quiz Winner!!

So yesterday was the Sothebys Contemporary   feeding frenzy  sale.  And as expected, irrational exuberance was rampant in these auction rooms this week. This has resulted in the Highest Contemporary Art Sale In Sothebys History!!

New Sky High record prices were set for Robert Ryman, Andreas Gursky, Damien Hirst, Lisa Yuskavage, David Hockney, Neo Rauch, Brice Marden, and Cecily Brown just to name a few. 10 artist records alone were set at Sothebys Wednesday night.  It must have been a full moon.  But, all in all, as of this morning, 141 different works sold for over a million dollars each !!

Our beloved little MAO painting by

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) MAO

Estimated Sales Price : $250,000 - 350,000

Size : 12 by 10 inches.

Description : Acrylic and Silkscreen ink on canvas

Executed in 1973.

Sold for a total whopping $772,000.

But sad to say.. very few of our bright MAO readers thought it was worth anywhere near the three quarters of a Million dollars hammer price.

We had one cracked out optimistic reader who suggested a million dollars.. but the winning guess came from Cesar L of New York City, who guessed $550,000. Cesar has selected a great NYC art charity. Creative Time for a donation to be made in his honor. Great choice, and nice guess! Congratulations Cesar!!

FYI... On June 1st, Creative Time is going to have a great fund raising event. It's their annual Benefit and this time it's honoring artist Shirin Neshat! So, Well worth checking out!

May Day - The Monthly MAO Art Quiz

Happy May Day! (Photo #1.. May Day Workers Celebration in China!)

So after doing some research on May Day.

The editorial staff at MAO thought is was a good enough excuse to have a May 1st monthly art quiz that allows everyone to participate, not just the modern art history sharp shooters.

Also, May is Contemporary Art Auction Fever month in NYC, and for some reason, several older long time MAO readers have requested a non new-media art (painting) related quiz.  OK.. So there's this really beautiful Warhol work coming up for Auction on May 11th at Sothebys morning sale. It's just one of 34 Warhol Lots on the auction block only at Sothebys NYC during MAY.

Lot 228 Contemporary Art Day Sale.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) MAO

Estimated Sales Price : $250,000 - 350,000

Size : 12 by 10 inches.

Description : Acrylic and Silkscreen ink on canvas

Executed in 1973,

this work is stamped by the Estate of Andy Warhol on the overlap and stamped by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. and numbered PA 80.009 on the reverse and the overlap.

Catalog Notes : "Warhol's portraits of Mao (1973) fitted quite naturally into our society's existential field, being a precise allusion to a major ideological problem of that moment."
-- Pierre Restany

Additionally.. this Warhol was bought by the current seller at the May 15th, 2001 Philiips Auction.. so we'll be able to calculate their exact annual rate of return for the current seller. Should be interesting!

So, OK.. Quizlings!! Guess the final winning total, "All-In-Sales-Price," including the insane 20% auction house premium.  The person with the closest guess to the exact winning bid, wins! One guess per person, and you must leave an email address to participate. As always Dr. Quiz will act as both Judge and Jury if there's any question as to the rightful winner.

This time, since so may press/blog/art people already get into museums for free, plus to have some good, come out of all this greed crazy money madness of the contemporary art auctions.. The winner gets to choose their favorite arts related charity for a "generous donation" to be made in their honor. 

Hammer time is May 11th starting at 10AM.. so.. you've all got some time to come up with a good guess.. best of luck!

MAO Quiz - Arthur Tress & The Dream Collector

So, yes... we have an April FOOL's QUIZ winner!
I guess this quiz was not as difficult as I had hoped.. But clearly it took a photo pro to get this one so fast!!  So, A big congratulations go out to Art Gallery Owner and newbie Art Blogger, Daniel Cooney of DFCA who submitted the correct answers in under 4 hours on a Saturday morning like doesn't he have something better to do?? ! Nice job Dan!

So the two photographs.. both by Arthur Tress were published in "The Dream Collector" 1972, Westover Publishing Company.  One of my all time favorite B&W photography books, it is an amazing collection of staged photographs built around the thoughts and unconscious dreams of young children.  While the idea of staged photography is common today, in the late 1960's Arthur Tress helped develop the art of the surreal narrative photographic style.  Whether intentional or not, it's easy to see how much of Tress's work was copied a strong influence on many over priced famous artists to come such as  :  Cindy Sherman, Joel-Peter Witkin, Tina Barney, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Pierre et Gilles, Sandy Skoglund, and Gregory Crewdson just to name a few.

The First photo, "Girl with Dunce Cap", New York, 1972. Also, currently in the MAO art collection.  For The Dream Collector book, when describing this image, John Minaham wrote :

"Dreams about school seem to persist throughout childhood, and frequently into adulthood. The Majority are anxiety dreams. Students are relentlessly subjected to the frustrating American grade-conscious straitjacket where fear is the incentive, failure is shame, conformity is absolute, and boredom is rampant. Resulting in men and women who have stopped asking Why."

The second Photo, "Boy in Burnt-out Furniture Store", Newark, 1969 is possibly one of Arthur's most well know images.

There is also a new show of Vintage photographs coming to NYC. Many of these images have never before. This Arthur Tress show is opening up at ClampArt in Chelsea this Thursday night.  I believe Arthur will be present.  The show runs through May 13th.

Here are a few of my favorite Arthur Tress photo's from the up coming ClampArt Gallery Show.

Photo #3, "Boy with Painted Snow Scene", Coney Island Brooklyn, 1972

Photo #4, "Teenager Drinking on a Telephone Pole", Bronx, New York 1969.

Now, I'm not sure why, but there's just something about a sexy man floating down a river with a big pole between his legs that makes me smile every time I see the photo.. .

Photo #5 : "Two Boys on the Passaic River", New jersey, 1968

The April FOOLS MAO Quiz!!

The April MAO Monthly ART QUIZ!!! Ok.. MAO Quiz-lings.. Since the last few months of Quizzing have been answered correctly in under a few hours.. I think it's about time we try to separate the Men from the sheep truly Modern Art Obsessed!!

So here goes.. In honor of this past months record high Black & White photography auction prices.. Can you say.. $ 2.9 Million Dollars!!!  Which has hence forth sealed the fate of art photography into the upper ranks of the most overpriced costly art in the world!

I figure it's a good time to broaden our knowledge base of vintage Black and White photography!

So.. Below are 2 black and white photo's.. both from the same artist and first published in the same book. So.. First please name the Photographer, and then name the monumental book which these 2 photographs first appeared.  Good Luck!

Photo #1

One note.. to avoid past MAO Sharp shooters from taking it all again and again.. past MAO Quiz winners are not eligible for winning another quiz for one full year! Sorry!

Also, If you'd like.. you can also send your guesses to email : ModernArtObsession@yahoo.com

As always.. Dr. Quiz will serve as both judge and jury if there's any question as to the rightful winner.

The winner gets to choose their prize from either... A 1 year basic membership to the art museum of their choosing.. or I think I can get a hand signed copy of this photographers last published retrospective catalog.

Photo #2

Andy Warhol & Kota Ezawa at The 2006 Whitney Biennial - 3rd MAO Art Quiz

3rd MAO Art Quiz..

We have a Winner!! In under 8 hours! I think the next quiz will just have to be a bit harder!

The works were correctly identified by several MAO quizlings.
But only one brave "Art Soldier" took up the challenge to find the current museum show where both of these pieces are featured.  NB : An honorable mention goes out to my bud JG, who would have won, but she forced me to stand out in the damn frigid cold for an hour in a half Thursday night because SHE JUST HAD TO GET INTO THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL! And Now I'm sick with a bad cold!! But I digress...

So, The first work, was by

Kota Ezawa "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" 2005 Video, Color, silent.

  This video, is the artists color cartoon version of 2 famous tragic historic events. The famed grainy 8mm Zepruder film of the JFK assassination, and he has weaved it together with images from the 1915  D.W. Griffith's epic film The Birth of a Nation about the Abe Lincoln assassination at Fords Theater .

The second work was Andy Warhol's Electric Chair, 1971 Color Screenprint.

It's a super famous classic Warhol mass media work. I just love this versions hot fire red and yellow.. almost making it look like the electric chair is somewhere in the depths of hell!!

Both of these works are currently at The Whitney, in the Wrong Gallery's Biennial contribution. (Rogue's Gallery) The show is named "Down by Law".   Where it explores the myths of the American Outlaw. The group show was curated by a team lead by artist Maurizio Cattelan.  The one-room exhibition-within-an-exhibition is on the Gilman G mezzanine.  This show also features works by MAO favorite artists.. Felix Gonzalez-Torres, David Wojnarowicz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Fred Tomaselli, Larry Clark, Paul Cadmus, Vik Muniz, Kara Walker, and Weegee. 

I found this story/interview Download WrongGalleryReview.txt by Carly Berwick of Bloomberg News about the "Down by Law" show with the Wrong Gallery's curatorial team.

Lastly for those who are not yet familiar with Kota Ezawa's work.. I've been told he will be the featured Artist speaking at the up coming Guggenheim SuperCinema: Materials Lecture on Tuesday March 14th at 6:30pm http://www.guggenheim.org/education/tours_lectures.shtml

FYI... So Art Soldier wisely chose a membership to the American Association of Museums.

Nice Job.. and good luck to all for next months Art Quiz!

3rd MAO Art Quiz for Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, which starts the 40 day fasting and penitence season in preparation for Easter, known as Lent.. to all those pagan MAO readers out there.  As I might expect, some of "us" Dr. Quiz, SheepBoy, C-Squared, Jauntarded, Smurf, Dutch, Rocco, Mayor, Hobbit, SugaBoooger, etc may even have a lot to repent for this year!

But it's also the first of March, which means... art quiz day! So for those MAO Quizlings not too hungover from last nights Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras parties to think a bit.. here goes,

3rd MAO Art Quiz..

So in keeping with the dark Christian, penitence, punishment, Lent, Easter Crucifixion, outcast, condemned, evildoer, general theme to inspire this months Art Quiz.. and, after all.. where would the art world be without pain, punishment, and evil??   

We have these two works of Modern Art. 

- So first, the easy part, identify each artist who created the work, and then both of these 2 works are currently on display in a Museum/Gallery show..

-Secondly, to separate the novice modern art fan from the truly Modern Art Obsessed.. Name the current Museum/Gallery show.

Work # 1. Note.. this 1st work, is a a still from a video..Name the Video, and the Modern Artist

Work #2. A Color Print

The first person to get all the exact correct answers, will win a 1 year general subscription to a Museum of their choosing. 

If you'd like to email your answer, that's OK too. ModernArtObsession@yahoo.com

Good luck.. and as always.. Dr. Quiz will serve as Judge and Jury if there's any question who's the rightful winner.

2nd Art Quiz Winner.. in under 10mins!

She's Both Easy and Ugly!! - Sounds like me on a Sat night!

Virgin Mother 2005, by Damien Hirst
Lever House 1952, Designed by Gordon Bunshaft

Well.. I knew it was going to be a bit easier.. but getting the correct answer in under 10 mins of posting was a surprise. Actually there were 4 MAO readers with the correct answers all within 30mins.

Looks like 35 feet of pure ugly.. seems to be hard for anyone to forget!

So a big congrats go out to MAO Daily reader.. Tim of Bartlett,TN.. he chose a membership to The Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis, TN.

Honorable mention goes out to the ever brilliant blogger Art Soldier, who was first to Google with Gordon Bunshaft.

I think Jerry Salts said it best in "The Emperor's New Paintings" on ArtNet.. review of Damien Hirst's Spring'05 show "The Elusive Truth" at Gagosian Gallery NYC. Here's just a section of Jerry's venom!

Worse than the paintings because it's permanent -- not to mention marring the entrance to the beautiful Lever House on Park Avenue -- is Hirst's hideous Virgin Mother, a 35-foot bronze eyesore of a naked pregnant woman with a cutaway view of her womb. Here, Hirst is doing what he's always done: trying to imitate Jeff Koons. He put things in vitrines after Koons did and started painting realistically after Koons. In attempting to equal Koons's stunning Puppy, Hirst has created something even more revolting than Jim Dine's figures on Sixth Avenue. Virgin Mother should be removed straightaway and those responsible for placing it here should be fired or whatever is done with reckless, imbecilic billionaires.

Thanks to all for playing..and stay turned for the 3rd MAO Quiz.. March 1st at 9am EST!

2nd MAO Art Quiz.. OutSide Art!

2nd MAO Art Quiz... First Person with the correct answer wins a prize!

I'm sure by now everyone in NYC has seen at least one ad or story about the Outsider Art Fair.  Well.. while not a big fan of Outsider Art.. The Editorial Staff at MAO is a huge advocate for Outside Art... Particularly the Free, Open to the Public, type.

So this was the inspiration for the second MAO Art Quiz. Since NY City museums all seem to feel they need to overcharge to get in.. $15 freakin bucks to get into the Neue Galerie??  Who are they kidding?  We figured let's pick an artwork that everyone can afford to see.. So you won't see this "Work of Art" in any Museum..

But, I believe at 35 Feet tall, this 2005 bronze is possibly the tallest free standing, modern art, human statue currently in Manhattan.  And ain't she just a beauty??  WOW! One art critic called her hideous, an eyesore, and suggested the people responsible should be fired! Anything that can provoke a reaction like that.. is clearly art !

So I took most of these really bad photo's, so please excuse my terrible photography.. Still learning how to use my digital camera.. Plus.. I'm a collector.. Not an Artist!! Actually I personally think it may look a bit better slightly blurred! It gives her that whimsical quality!

So the first MAO reader to name the Artist who  created this work, and gives the correct name, wins an annual Membership to a Museum of their choosing. If you'd like to email your answer.. that's OK too. ModernArtObsession@yahoo.com

I'm hoping this one is a bit easier than the last one..

So for all you Art Pro's out there who like a challenge.. Extra MAO  genius points  if  you can name the building and it's designer in which this statue is standing in front. And I think, a real Art Pro won't have to Google the building's name to know the designer!!

So Good Luck.. and thanks to everyone who participates!

Contest Winner : Brian Clamp with Andre Kertesz and Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Ok... We have a winner!! Thank you to everyone who took a guess for the contest on-line and through email.
It took a week.. lots of guesses, several hints, and a top NYC Professional Photography Dealer to get a winning answer!  So maybe this was way a bit too hard for our first monthly contest. The next one will be easier.. I promise. 

So, a big congrats to Brain Clamp, he is Almost too nice to be an Art Dealer a friend, Photography Dealer and owner of ClampArt in Chelsea who got it right.  Brian choose a 1 year membership to the WSC ICP - International Center of Photography...great choice!

The First Photo, which seemed to be too more difficult to identify, was by Andre Kertesz, "The Dancing Faun", 1919. It was in the National Gallery of Art show that toured the country (catalog) this year which was on display at ICP this fall. It also has gone by another title, "My Brother as a Scherzo", and was on the back cover of the most complete survey book on Kertesz work. Andre Kertesz: His Life and Work by Pierre Borham.  This was one of Kertesz early photographic series from his Hungary period. It's in these early years where he first developed his lighting skills and his mastery of the staged photographic image.

The Second Photo.. which several people guessed got right. Philip-Lorca diCorcia's Mario 1978 was published as the first image in his 1978 book by MOMA, with an essay by Peter Galassi.  I think, it's currently on display at MOMA's Photography Galleries.  In the book, Peter talks about how Philip-Lorca diCorcia in his early years developed his detail staged photographic process by using his family, including his brother Mario as subjects.  He first used several Polaroid shots to test, stage, set lighting, and then takes the final images with a tripod for a perfect staged photograph.

So both images are of the artist brothers, both are staged photographs, and are early examples of great photographic artist work as they went on to later refine there lighting and artistic style.  And of course.. they are both images I hope to have someday in the MAO Art collection, all donations accepted.

So, thanks to all.. and good luck on our next monthly MAO Art Contest... Probably Wednesday February 1st.

The 1st MAO Art Contest

Happy 2006 Everyone! So now that my tequila hangover has finally past.. thank you Jeff for hosting a great New Years Eve party!!  As promised..The MAO Art Quiz.

Which Photographers created each of these images, provide their titles, and what do the 2 photos have most specifically in common ?

Quiz Photo #1

Quiz Photo #2

This may be too easy or way too hard.. But it's our first quiz...and I'm not sure if anyone "in the know" is reading this..

Since as a New Yorker... I'm almost embarrassed to see only one NY Art Museum on this 2004 top 10 list of Museums in Annual Memberships........

The 1st person to answer the MAO Quiz correctly will WIN a 1 Year Basic Membership to an Art Museum of their Choice..Good Luck!

Oh.. Only 1 guess per person.. and My Better Half... Dr. Quiz, as always will serve as judge and jury if there's any question as to the lucky winner.  If you'd like to guess in private..please send your answer to ModernArtObsession@yahoo.com

FYI.. East Coast readers.... you have a 3 hour head-start for the quiz on all those 124,166 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Members... Like do that many people even live in San Francisco??