‪‬Tom Sachs launches NIKECraft website and apparel line in conjunction with upcoming Space Program: MARS project at Park Avenue Armory opening May 16, “We choose to go to Mars not because it is easy, but because it is hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills”
‪‬The Anish Kapoor-designed ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower was unveiled on Friday. Rising at 376 feet over the Olympic Stadium in East London, it is 72 feet higher than the Statue of liberty, and the tallest tower in Britain. The artist, the steel company ArcelorMittal, and city of London officials hope that the ‘awkward’ structure will boost the Eastern part of the city’s economy.
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s, Untitled (1981). Image courtesy of Phillips de Pury.
The Contemporary Art Evening Sale at Phillips de Pury marked the last auction of the May season in New York. At the start, the salesroom was filled with lively energy among the crowd, with collectors mingling, including a Mugrabi brother. This show came after a record breaking fortnight of auctions and fairs within the art world. Coming down to the final sale, it was apparent that the buying was beginning to slow. Still, Phillips de Pury achieved a solid total sale of $86.8 million, which fell within their anticipated estimate of $75–110 million.
Before the Contemporary Evening Sale begins. Photo By Aubrey Roemer for Art Observed.
John Baldessari, Double Bill (2012), installation view. Images courtesy of Galerie Marian Goodman.
John Baldessari showcases his wit and playfulness with Double Bill at the Galerie Marian Goodman in Paris. In a series of seven new paintings, Baldessari juxtaposes two iconic works of art on one canvas. By naming only one of the artists whose work he has appropriated in each piece, Baldessari asks the viewer to tap in to one’s own memory to find the name. In this way, Double Bill functions as a kind of art historical name game.
John Baldessari, …and Balthus (2012) (more…)
‪‬Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meurons’ plans for Serpentine Pavilion face slight set back as the prior pavilion foundations— which were integrally incorporated into the new design—had actually been removed
‪‬Tomás Saraceno‘s rooftop installation at the Met nears completion, the 20-ton geometric “Cloud City” explores space, time, and gravity, “You can have a feeling of weightlessness that’s a bit disorienting,” says the artist
‪‬Daniel Buren discusses his interactive installation at the Grand Palais in Paris, with large raised colored discs and mirrors on the floor, “There isn’t one [angle] better than the other, for me at least”
All photos on site for Art Observed by Rachel Willis.
New York-based painter Will Cotton’s most recent body of work is currently on display at the Mary Boone Gallery on Fifth Avenue. The show consists of multiple large-scale paintings and one sculpture, all of which feature the imagery of Cotton’s signature candy-filled landscapes. Cotton comments on Western consumerism by creating an aesthetic world inhabited by two hallmarks of American overindulgence: attractive women and trans fat goodies. Featured in this exhibition is Crown, the first of a series of paintings that depict pop singer Katy Perry surrounded by a world of ornately decorated cakes.
‪‬The Whitney Museum video-previews their future home scheduled to open in 2015, a 200,000 sq ft design by Renzo Piano in the Meatpacking district at Washington Street and Gansevoort Street
‪‬Jeff Koons retrospective spanning 35 years of work to travel from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Whitney Museum in New York, and the Pompidou Center in Paris throughout 2014
Sotheby’s staff preparing for the sale. Photos on site for Art Observed by Aubrey Roemer unless otherwise noted.
After Tuesday night’s multi-record breaking sale at Christie’s, last night’s Contemporary Evening Sale at Sotheby’s seemed to hold a somewhat lower energy, possibly a result of the second consecutive week of auctions and fairs wearing on the collectors. Yet the sale totaled $266 million—within Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of $215–300 million—a number considerably higher than last May’s Contemporary Evening Sale total of $128 million. Seven of the artworks sold at more than $10 million, and there was an overall sell-through rate of 80.7%. In a post-sale press conference, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, Alex Rotter, commented “the market is very healthy with active bidding.”
Tobias Meyer giving a press talk about the sale. (more…)
Louise Bourgeois, Untitled (2004). All photos on site by Art Observed.
The last of the throng at the first Frieze Art Fair on Randall’s Island in New York City petered out Monday afternoon yet, the most avid collectors simply shifted course to the remainder auction sales at Christie’s and Philips de Pury. Overall, gallerists at the fair appeared to be immensely pleased with the inaugural event, some booths claiming blowout sales, while others were content with merely executing reserve transactions.
John Ahearn casts a fairgoer in plaster as part of Frieze Projects
‪‬International art dealers lobby against possible change to US legislation as heirs claim ownership to a drawing by Schiele, who are seeking “to eliminate the laches doctrine’s protections and make the time for claimants or their heirs to file a [recovery] action virtually limitless,” which would make ‘good faith’ purchases risky and therefore negatively impact the NY art market
Christie’s Auctioneer, Christopher Burge, about to hit the hammer at $75.5 million ($86,882,500 with buyer’s premium) for Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow. All photographs on site for Art Observed by Aubrey Roemer unless otherwise noted.
“We kinda broke the bank,” said Christie’s Chairman and International Head, Brett Gorvy, last night in a press conference, held after Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale. The total sales for the evening were $388,488,000—a record for the house, making it their most valuable auction to date. Eclipsing their former record by $4 million for a sale in May of 2007, their grand total soared nearly $150 million over their anticipated estimates.
‪‬Shepard Fairey paints several works to correspond with each track on musician Neil Young’s new album with Crazy Horse, “Americana,” the works to be shown at Perry Rubenstein gallery in LA June 1 at a private event
‪‬Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach owner MCH Group readies for Hong Kong International Art Fair this May 17-20 which next year will be rebranded as the Hong Kong edition of Art Basel.  The group seeks to highlight regional differences and host complementing, not repeat, exhibitions; co-director Marc Spiegler says, “There is cross-pollination”
‪‬Marc Jacobs’ Mercer Street store vandalized with large pink graffitied “ART” last night, possibly in relation to the Fashion Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art the same evening
Andy Warhol,  Double Elvis [Feris Type] (1963)
On the heels of a tireless and groundbreaking week in the New York art world, the fervor continues with the major auction houses hosting their Contemporary Art Sales—beginning tonight at Christie’s. Last week’s Impressionist and Modern Art Sales saw unforeseen prices and several world records set, namely the near $120 million paid for Edvard Munch‘s The Scream. In tandem with both the Frieze Art Fair and NADA Art Fairs’ inaugural New York editions—both held this past weekend—the Contemporary Sales possess an auspicious platform this season. The strength of last week’s sales proves the collectors’ attention to the trophy market, with many big ticket and highly recognizable works on the block this week.
Ibid Projects/Untitled, New York
In its eighth year running, the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) converged on Center 548—a five-story, roof-top-access building at 548 West 22nd Street in Chelsea—for its first visit to NYC; a long weekend that would coincide with the initial New York Freize Art Fair as well. Among the varied crowd, Aurel Schmidt and Jerry Saltz were in attendance on Friday (Schmidt was premiering a print that was available through Exhibition A for only 24 hours).
‪‬Art Fag City speculates possible candidates to replace Lauren Cornell as Executive Director of Rhizome
‪‬Ai Weiwei and architects Herzog & de Meurons’ design renderings for underground Serpentine Pavilion on view in slideshow. The 12th annual version of the pavilion will be completed in time for the London 2012 Festival.
