Jackson Pollock, “Ocean Greyness” (1953), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

This summer, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum celebrates a groundbreaking period in its history with “Art of Another Kind,” an installation featuring works collected primarily from 1949-1960. This era began with Solomon R. Guggenheim’s passing. The movement caught fire under new director James Johnson Sweeney’s affinity for the explorative and abstract work of artists he referred to as “tastebreakers,” and ended soon after the museum’s 1959 relocation to Frank Lloyd Wright‘s iconic white structure docked in the Upper East Side.

Judit Reigl, “Outburst” (1956), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

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All photographs taken by Lisa Marsova for Art Observed

For the past two months, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has housed a sizeable abstract installation by Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno on its rooftop terrace.  The structure, titled “Cloud City”, is Saraceno’s first site-specific commission in the United States.  With a production spanning only the past decade, Saraceno is a relative newcomer to the art world, but his interdisciplinary investigations in environment have already generated wide attention.  As a complex fusion of architecture, geometry, and the cosmos, “Cloud City” is a continuation in Saraceno’s study of the overlay of art and science.

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All photographs taken by Zoe Zabor for Art Observed

Coinciding with the recent unveiling of her newly designed Louis Vuitton displays and last week’s opening of her Retrospective at the Whitney, Yayoi Kusama has spread her signature red and white dots to the lawn of Hudson River Park. Presented by the Gagosian Gallery and the Hudson River Park Trust,  “Guidepost to the New Space” (2004) features unique, amoeba-shaped forms at Pier 45 on West 10th Street, close to the Whitney’s future location in the Meatpacking District.

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Installation View, Taken by Zoe Zabor for Art Observed

Mark Fletcher has opened his doors to The Still House Group, a mixed media Brooklyn collective exhibiting their first group show since 2010. The installation features paintings and sculptures by Isaac Brest, Nick Darmstaedter, Alex Da Corte, Louis Eisner, Jack Greer, Brendan Lynch, Dylan Lynch, Alex Perweiler, and Zachary Susskind and runs through July 27 at 24 Washington Square North.

Installation View, Courtesy of The Still House Group

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Jayson Musson is laughing at us.  Since his first three-minute video was recorded over two years ago, Musson has been offering well-founded criticism of artists and the art world through the caricature of Hennessy Youngman on his Youtube channel. In an explanation of “How to be an Artist”, his alter ego Hennessy Youngman explains the fool-proof formula for artistic success: “be white and be ambiguous”.

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Chris Martin, Untitled (2012), via The Journal Gallery, New York

The Journal Gallery has organized a summer group show whose impact exceeds the expectations of such a reference. Home Again, Again features nine distinctive contemporary works which, crowded together in the tiny Williamsburg space, form another, unique whole. In a lovingly critical homage to art after 1950 – from the Greenbergian picture plane to the strigency of minimalism – the works on view here are flat, angular, and imposing. Yet, their initial starkness is deliberately thwarted by their use of material and content, offering a lively contemporary perspective on the legacy of postwar American art. (more…)

Photography by Zoe Zabor for Art Observed (unless otherwise noted)

Set on the Oval Lawn at Madison Square Park, Charles Long‘s Pet Sounds invites visitors to observe and interact with bold, colorful forms. The Los Angeles based artist opened his new installation, that is both communicative and integrated into its atmosphere at 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, on May 2nd. Facilitated by Mad. Sq. Art, Pet Sounds is Charles Long’s largest public commission yet.

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For the coming summer and fall months, Public Art Fund has organized “Common Ground’, an outdoor exhibition of sculptural and performance artworks.  Ten international artists were asked to present installations currently dotted around the historic center of City Hall Park in downtown New York.  The exhibit debuted May 24, and will remain on site for visitors until the end of November.

“Now, Speak!” (2011) by Amalia Pica before  Paul McCarthy’s inflatable ketchup bottle (more…)

All photographs taken by Zoe Zabor for Art Observed

Situated on the active corner of Fifth Avenue and 60th Street, Paola Pivi‘s new installation of a 1977 Piper Seneca opened on June 20th, surprising onlookers with its unusual presence. The six-seater plane is to continuously rotate 360-degrees on its axis until August 26 in the Doris C. Freedman Plaza. Pivi’s “How I Roll” is the latest project of the Public Art Fund, an organization focused on facilitating public art projects in New York City since 1977.

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Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari billboard at the Highline Park
(Photography by Zoe Zabor for Art Observed)

Since late last year, the Highline Park in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood has been commissioning work for the large billboard that sits alongside the elevated park at 18th Street and 10th Avenue.  In collaboration with its owner, Edison Properties, the billboard has been home to works by such artists as David Shrigley, Anne Collier and John Baldessari.  Now, the billboard is under the design of artist Maurizio Cattelan and photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari, co-heads of the Italian photography magazine Toilet Paper.

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Shot of the Contemporary Art Evening Auction. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.

Last night in London, Sotheby’s demonstrated a sound Contemporary Art Evening Sale, with sales totaling £69 million, against an estimate of £57-82 million. They possessed a good sell-through rate at 87.3% by lot and 93.4% by value. In a press release, Cheyenne Westphal, Sotheby’s Chairman of Contemporary Art Europe, was quoted: “The auction this evening was led by blue-chip artists, such as Bacon, Basquiat, Richter and Lichtenstein… With buyers from 15 different countries, the global demand for this area of the market continues to be underlined.” Despite the overall formidable sales of last night, Sotheby’s did not receive quite the same reception as it did in its evening auction in New York in the Spring.

Glenn Brown, The Tragic Conversion of Salvador Dalí (After John Martin) (1998), which sold for £5.2 million with an estimate of £2.2-2.8 million

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Fragment of Ru Ware pottery piece from Song Dynasty; Photos by Rachel Willis for Art Observed unless otherwise noted

Brice Marden: New Paintings is currently on display at two of the Matthew Marks Gallery locations in the Chelsea district of New York.  502 West 22^nd Street, the smaller of the two galleries, houses Ru Ware Project while the remainder of the New Paintings exhibition is being shown at the 526 address down the street. Both parts of the show were made as individual responses to two specific trips that Marden took overseas; one to China and the other to Greece. The aesthetic of the show epitomizes Marden’s interest in historical antiquities and how they relate to contemporary art, particularly abstraction.

Brice Marden, Polke Letter (2010-11)

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Set design from Claes Oldenberg/Coosje van Bruggen’s Il Corso del Coltello

For the first time in seven years, the work of Claes Oldenberg and his wife/collaborator Coosje van Bruggen returns to New York. The Pace Gallery’s Theater and Installation 1985-1990: Il Corso del Coltello (The Course of the Knife) and The European Desktop marks the first time in seventeen years that Coltello has been seen in the United States, while The European Desktop will be on display in America for the first time ever. Oldenberg/van Bruggen’s whimsical, elephantine sculptures are the result of a partnership that lasted 32 years, ending only with van Bruggen’s death in 2009.

Il Corso del Coltello is a result of combined efforts by Oldenberg/van Bruggen and architect Frank O. Gehry. It was performed just three times in front of a combined 1,500 people in September of 1985.  The piece was staged amongst the canals and bridges of Venice, the open air providing the only ceiling high enough to allow Coltello’s massive ornaments to move fluidly on and off stage. The Pace exhibit includes slideshows of Coltello’s production and staging, with video of the company bouncing the towering luggage of Dr. Coltello over the canals as that same luggage (eight pieces, each cast to spell a letter of “C-O-L-T-E-L-L-O”) stands stacked in the corner of the room.

Dr. Coltello’s luggage: “C-O-L-T-E-L-L-O” via the Pace Gallery

Reproduction of Coltello’s “Knife Ship,” left, and The European Desktop, right

Coltello’s most famous prop, the 78-foot fully functional Knife Ship, appears twice in a smaller, slightly more manageable size. The original Knife Ship is part of the collection at New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. This Swiss Army knife turned slave galley personifies Oldenberg/van Bruggen’s ability to underwrite their comic sensibilities with a blunt realism that pits the images of war and slavery alongside their commercial counterparts. The costumes and playful carnival atmosphere of Coltello’s movements simultaneously situate the piece as a part of Italian folklore: the artists invoke both the traditions of commedia dell’arte and the films of Fellini by positioning the supernatural within the real. The props exist in that liminal space between dream and memory that has no solid footing in one world or the other, appearing for an instant before disappearing.

Early study for The European Desktop via the Pace Gallery

In studies for The European Desktop, Oldenberg had sketched the tools of mid-century commerce (stamp blotters, scales, quills and inkpots) falling to earth as rain from a blackened sky. In the final sculptural product, we have progressed to the moment of impact. The massive aluminum and plaster pieces, strewn about the Pace like hail after the storm, recall Europe’s chaotic history in the second half of the twentieth century. Borders have been redefined, cities destroyed, and truth decidedly written by those left standing. These relics of a war torn Europe signify time’s ability to reconstruct memory as history, and those scattered and forgotten in the process.

The European Desktop

The studies for both Il Corso del Coltello and The European Desktop are tied by their emphasis on movement, an energy that transfers to the bright primary colors of Coltello and the raw, colossal power of Desktop’s ink pots caught mid-shatter.

Oldenberg/van Bruggen’s collaborations with Frank Gehry (the tail end of which is represented by Desktop) combine the towering drama of the architect’s scale with the poignant commentary and comedy of two legendary artists. Theater and Installation justly represents its advertised offerings, revisiting forgotten histories and questioning the process behind the categorization of that memory. The exhibit runs through June 23rd.

—G. Corrigan

Related Links:

Pace Gallery 

Joan Miró, Peinture (Étoile Bleue) (1927)

Tonight in London begins three consecutive weeks of auctions – commencing with the Impressionist and Modern Sales this week. An upwards of £ 500 million in sales is expected from Impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary Art. This week alone is expected to fetch in excess of £ 159 million between the two major houses. Although New York is generally deemed the art auction capital, London’s geographic positioning is advantageous to the billionaire collectors of Russia and the Eastern world. Based upon the record breaking sales held this past May in New York – namely the $120 million paid for Munch‘s The Scream – London’s summer auctions are hoped to follow suit.

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All photos by Caroline Claisse for Art Observed.

Another parallel event joining Basel this year is the-solo-project, presented by Paul Kusseneers Gallery in Antwerp.  This independent satellite fair features an international collection of galleries, carefully selected to showcase an in depth selection of work from the chosen artists.  This year, the-solo-project celebrates its fifth consecutive year and features a week-long, time coincident with Art Basel, exhibition titled ‘Solo Shows by Selected Galleries’.

Belgium based Alice showcases Antoine Bouillot’s “Little did they know”

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Pedro Reyes’ puppet performance “Baby Marx” (2008-present); All photos by Caroline Claisse for Art Observed

Art Parcours Night was the official debut to the four-day expansive Art Basel festival.  Held at neighboring sites around the city, this year the annual event featured a performance and installations by Kathryn Andrews, ‘Voix de Ville’ (2012).  Andrews staged several Vaudeville-era acts along the Rhine River, using the talents of acrobats, magicians, and musicians.  The performances took place against her installations, which served as backdrops on an unconstrained stage space.  The show ran adjacent to other performances and on-site exhibitions of work that will remain on display till this Sunday, June 17.

Claude Lévêque‘s “Ring of Fire” (2011) installation

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Kristof Kintera’s “Memorial of the One Thousand and One Nights” from Jirisvestka Gallery; All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse

Similarly minded to LISTE in its emphasis on emerging artists and galleries, VOLTA is another of Art Basel’s several accompanying satellite fairs.  VOLTA can be seen as perhaps even more cutting-edge in ways and annually attracts an eclectic and international array of art.

Now entering its eighth parallel collaboration with Basel, the fair has shown remarkable growth in coverage and influence since its start in 2005.  This year, 81 galleries gather in the halls of the colossal Dreispitzhalle to create an atmosphere marked by youth and spontaneity.

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All photos on site for Art Observed by Lisa Marsova

On June 9^th White Columns  in the West Village debuted DO YOUR THING, a group show curated by New York based DJs Thomas Bullock and Eric Duncan (also known as RUB N TUG). Bullock and Duncan have been regular fixtures on the downtown scene for over ten years and and are known for not only their art world presence but also for throwing a series parties together.

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Stephen G. Rhodes’ “Overduin and Kite” from Los Angeles;  All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse

As a colossal fair, Art Basel encompasses many satellites and offshoots, namely Design Miami/Basel, Scope, Volta, and LISTE.  LISTE, now in its 17th installment, is a significant art fair in itself, showcasing a variety of up and coming galleries and artists.  This year, there are  22 countries and 64 galleries represented, 11 of which are immediately new to the art world. Congruently, all participating artists are under the age of 40.  Identified as “The Young Art Fair in Basel”, LISTE offers an excellent introductory opportunity to young, contemporary artists and galleries alike.

LISTE 17 began on Tuesday, June 12 and continues through Art Basel’s end on June 17.

Warteck, the brewery turned gallery, is LISTE’s 2012 venue

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Chris Burden‘s Curved Bridge (2003) from Galerie Krinzinger at Art Unlimited; All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse

Art 43 Basel continues today with the 2nd VIP Preview day, although the fair’s Art Unlimited and Art Statements sections were unveiled two days prior on the evening of Monday, June 11.  Art Unlimited is exhibiting 62 projects this year, all traditionally large in scale, surpassing the conventional gallery confines.  The value of the works shown is equally as sizeable and many have already been sold by the nearly 100 internationally represented galleries participating. Art Statements, another of Basel’s parallel events, features solo shows by promising new artists and rising galleries in the art world.

This year, Art Unlimited is curated by Gianni Jetzer, the director of the Swiss Institute in New York.  An interview with him featuring commentary on the exhibit’s selection process and the projects that made it in can be found here.

Franz West’s contorted, neon pink installation resembling human innards drew crowds to Gagosian’s stand at Art Unlimited.  The sculpture, titled Gekröse (2011), which translates as “bowel,” is the largest of West’s repertoire and sold on the first day of its showing, according to Reuters.

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Tuesday morning of the VIP Preview; All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse

Art Basel’s 43^rd edition commenced today with the first of two VIP Preview days.  The VIP Vernissage, however, drew a private audience yesterday evening, where the Art Unlimited and Art Standard programs were unveiled, revealing a collection of artwork impressive in both size and scope.  Today was also the preview and opening receptions for Basel’s companion fairs, like LISTE 17 and Design Miami/Basel.  Fair and section specific photosets for collective Basel happenings will be posted throughout the upcoming days.

Art Basel directors Annette Schönholzer and Marc Spiegler at the press conference

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Art Basel via The Telegraph

In it’s 43rd conception, Art Basel is continuing its legacy as the leader among the contemporary art world’s fairs.  Last year, 65,000 people flocked to the cultural capital, situated at the border of Switzerland, France, and Germany.  For this year, Basel will no doubt draw a similar, if not greater audience throughout its four-day duration.  Art Observed will be on site to cover and photograph throughout this fair.

Founded in 1970, Art Basel quickly surpassed Germany’s Art Cologne and similar fairs in scale and remains today as the world’s largest.  Almost 300 galleries from around the globe participate, spanning five continents.  This international representation results in a large and diverse assortment of exhibitions, video works, performances, and public installations.  This year specifically there will be more than 2,500 artists exhibiting $2 billion worth of art, nearly 300 gallery booths, and many more single stands present.

Perhaps the star feature of this year’s Basel will be Marlborough Fine Art’s Mark Rothko canvas, dated 1954.  The painting, for which there is already buyer interest, is priced from $78 to $84 million.

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Kiki Smith, “Catching Shadows” Installation view, Galerie Lelong, Paris. Photos for Art Observed by Thisbe Gensler.

“Kiki Smith: Chasing Shadows,” now on view at the Galerie Lelong in Paris through June 30, showcases Smith’s recent work addressing themes of vision and sight across a diverse range of media. Featuring prints, photography and sculpture, this group of works continues her ongoing examination of the human body and experience—prominent throughout her vast oeuvre. Her long engagement with anatomical systems, as metaphors for social and cultural orders, extends to this salient organ—the eye, conjuring both biological and metaphysical associations though graphic and sculptural representation. Smith celebrates the body as our fundamental means of experiencing the world through her clinical descriptions of the corporeal subject. In this fourth solo show at Galerie Lelong, Smith engages natural and conceptual modes of perception through the elemental theme of vision.

Kiki Smith, Installation view (2012)

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André Saraiva posing with work

Starting with the opening last night, for the next two months The Hole in New York will feature two shows in its gallery space, André Saraiva‘s “Andrépolis” and  “Portrait of a Generation”.

Portrait of Rita Ackermann

Photos for Art Observed by Charles Shoener, Zoe Zabor, and Lisa Marsova

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