Modern Art Obsession

Art Chicago - The Private Art Collection of Richard And Ellen Sandor

Possibly the best thing about going to Art Chicago this year for MAO, was the VIP program, and getting to see the Richard and Ellen Sandor Art Collection.

These events were mostly very well organized drinking events, but they also included several amazing collection visits.  By total luck.. MAO got to visit possibly the nations most impressive historic photography collection..at the Chicago gold coast home of Ellen and Richard Sandor. (Yes .. we know, it's hard to believe this collection is actually West of the Hudson River !)

Not only was the photography collection a total knock your socks off MAO WoW.. but Richard and Ellen could not have been more gracious hosts. These walls were filled to the brim with Cindy Sherman, Arbus, Curtis, Prince, Man Ray, Vik Muniz, Penn, Burke-White, Kertesz, Steichen..etc.. they have 2000+ images (and it's almost all on the walls..like how obsessive is that!).. you probably couldn't name an important photographer who wasn't well represented in the collection.

It was also amazing to see such bright, obsessive, and generous art collectors being so nice.. like how Non-New York City is that ??  Just, think.. rich, important collectors being nice to the little people... Who would have guessed it was possible? Only in Chicago! 

Ellen and Richard gave us a wonderfully coordinated tour of their impressive art collection which really brought all the obsessive details to life. Their love for collecting photography was totally infectious.

After hearing MAO's raves about our lucky collection visit.. One very resourceful member of the MAO fan club.. was nice enough to send us this PDF file of a Metropolitan Home article featuring Richard and Ellen Sander's photography Collection. But FYI..these photo's don't do the collection justice.. it's way more obsessive and impressive in person. Check it out...here...

Download MetroP_Home_SANDOR_collection.pdf

Our sincere thanks go out to Ellen and Richard Sandor.. you are a total inspiration to every crazy totally obsessive photo collector...You are now, MAO's photo collecting super heros.. and if you're ever in NYC, we would love to take you guys out to dinner to thank you.

In loving Memory.. Adele M. Hoeh, 65

In loving memory of Adele M. Hoeh, Sept 22, 1942 -  March 15, 2008.

Adele lost her 23 year long battle with cancer the morning of March 15, 2008.

She is survived by her loving devoted husband of 45 years, Henry, her 2 sons, Mike and Henry Jr. (Maureen Nolan) and her feisty Britney Spaniel Dottie.

Adele lived life to the fullest, all the time enjoying family, gourmet cooking, wine, food, travel, art and musical theater.

(photo by MAO, Mrs. Adele Hoeh with Nan Goldin in Blue Bathroom, & Chris Jordon's Cell Phones, NYC, Dec 2007)

She was sincerely loved, and will be greatly missed by many friends and family.

Rest in peace.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, March 19th at Saint. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church on Long Island, New York.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Cancer Center at Memorial Sloan - Kettering in NYC.

Being a High Power Chelsea Art Dealer isn't enough for some people?

Have you seen this??         www.650SixthAve.com

Apparently, being a super successful Chelsea Art dealer isn't enough excitement for some people.

Now Chelsea Art Dealers want to make their name in the High Flying world of the crazy NYC Real Estate Business too! Apparently the thought here must be, if you can sell over priced contemporary art.... your name can probably help sell fools gold, snake oil, dreams, expensive NY City Condo's too!

(photo #1 by Lewis Hine, Icarus, The Building of the Empire State Building, 1930) Hmmm... this Icarus Image and story.. just seem to be so appropriate for this posting...

So, in this weekend's Sunday New York Times... There was a full page ad for 650 Sixth Ave - Gallery Style Condominium Living presented by SHVO, and the Jack Shainman Gallery.

We guess this is a new Art Gallery Owner ego gone real estate developer trend.. cause there was also this NY Times Real Estate Story featuring 14 units within Gallery Owner Max Protetch's new condo project.

We just don't understand the connection to the art gallery business..

(photo #2 by Reagan Louie, Bank of China, Hong Kong, 1988)

What's next?? 

Hotel Gagosian? The Zwirner Shopping Mall?? or maybe even the Zach Feuer Office Towers?

Have times in the NYC art gallery business become so fat crazy greedy good.. that now these art dealers want to become Egomaniacs Real Estate Moguls as well?

Where will all this money madness end??

Whitney Contemporaries Social Event

Last night I attended a Whitney Contemporaries event. Typically I'd stay as far away from one of these tired Upper East Side social climber mixer type events as possible, but this time it was held at the amazing home of Richard Marshall & Bill Georgis.
Richard was a Whitney Curator, and has authored way too many notable art books.
So I was hoping to see some new great discoveries of the insider art world.
While their art collection was impressive, I was a bit disappointed not too see those new great undiscovered artists and photographic work on their walls. Maybe they keep those hidden away?

But they did have a fantastic Alexander Calder Mobile, two Alex Katz paintings, and one huge terrible Julian Schnabel painting hanging in their home.

The most impressive aspect of this Contemporaries Collection Visit was seeing their incredible townhouse, which had been 100% designed by Mr. Gerogis & his architectural firm.
The space was perhaps one of the best renovations of the typically narrow NYC townhouse I've ever seen.  It really had gay flair a great sense of space and flow.  Even with 75+ pretentious people at the party It felt completely airy and comfortable.

But the highlight of my evening was running into friend, Art Lawyer Extraordinaire and Art & Auction Columnist, Charles Danziger, whom I've not seen in over a year.  I found it extremely funny, when Charles saw me, the first words out of his mouth were, "I didn't know you were interested in Art !"  OUCH!!  Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've only hung out with Charles socially where Dr. Quiz and I are typically dressed more like lesbians plumbers than modern art collectors.

So while I truly don't enjoy these pointless events, it was great to catch up with Charles, plus snoop around see this amazing townhouse and art collection.

Is that Your Sister??

It's that Holiday Time of year, which means.... crowds of tourists everywhere, and lots of NYC social functions to attend.  Most are fun get-togethers and of course it's always great having good friends over to drink celebrate! 

I have just one issue! Maybe it's just me, but am I the only art collector who always feels this slight bit of anxiety whenever new friends come over for the first time?  It typically involves some aspect of having to explain why some of the art is on the walls. I find over the years the art I live with has become very personal, and it's not always a pleasure to show it to just anyone.  Sometimes I even, depending on the friends, find myself quickly putting certain works away .. just not to deal with the judgments questions.  Am I crazy? Does anyone else out there ever do this??

As a New Yorker, I like to think most of my friends are worldly and in general pretty well educated.  Well...most of them went to college.  And with the notable exception of one truly "Special Case", most could easily tell you who's buried in Red Square!! 

Anyway.. it always shocks me how little many of them seem to know about modern art.  Maybe it's something specific to just art photography. But, I can't count how many times a friend has pointed out one of the Diane Arbus photographs on the wall, and then asks me sincerely if that's a photo of my mother, or father?  Like.... Hello??  Are you freaking kidding me?  How is one suppose to take that question??  These are powerful photo's of god damn disturbed freaks of society, the mentally Ill, transvestites, and drag queens!! Not my parents!!

Or the most frequently asked question goes something like this.... Several people, after walking around, and drinking a bit, they notice this same red haired women recurring in several large color photographs around the loft.  And eventually they get around to asking if this image of "The Lady in the Blue Bathroom" is my sister?   Yikes! They don't know of Nan Goldin?  Has our education system failed so miserably?  Or are most New Yorkers just too busy to go to a museum or read an art book?  Am I expecting too much?  Any thoughts?

Well..sorry for the rant.. But, I just had to get that off my chest... because, of course, it happened again yesterday!!  And I'm sure it's going to happen again!! Grrrr.....

Happy Holidays!!