Sunday Symposium at F.I.G. Fashion Industry Gallery
1807 Ross Avenue
dallasartfair.com
The moderator and artist Gary Panter
Panelists:
Art patron Marguerite Hoffman,
Dick Solomon with Pace Prints,
Art dealer John Berggruen,
Julie Taubman, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
Format:
Informal discussion identifying the various approaches to looking at artists' work by collectors and dealears.
- Question -
Where does it all begin? The art buyer thing...
For those more conservative in taste, a deep involvement in the art world contributes to an educated choice, judgement based on traditional values. But there are those who rather recall childhood memories of summer camp spent in and out of museums and galleries, going to church with the family on sundays and taking in all the imagery, the icons, symbols of art and life. Attending art school or simply a trip to Marfa, Texas.
- Question -
How is selection done?
How much is speculation, are collectors buying with their ears?
What about the patrons and philantropists?
What is their role?
Is it a passion, an obssesion?
- A summary -
Maguerite Hoffman: The nature of art collecting is speculative in nature and in turn it stabilizes the art, art acquisition should be like acquiring a spouse, you need to know the history of the artist. It is a combination of passion and obssesion and everything that drives you , akin to falling in love, it is an addiction when you find yourself in a hotel room surrounded by bad art and you start to take teh work down and hide in the closet. Art should be seen by everyone, in a museum, collectors should collect to give back, art is an asset that will hopefully grow in value.
Dick Solomon: Art is generational, art education and a strong relationship with the artist is important, as a dealer you need to educate the young collectors. There is no formula and there are no more isms.
- Question-
The question is art globalization, what is new?
There are too many styles and too many artists, artists having international following have a better chance, more exposure. The artists can look to the past but must push forward, craftsmanship and a break with the limits of medium, stressing material and meaning. Like global artists, approching their work in different ways, growing and competing with other things. Questioning what is sculpture? what is a print? A good example is Flavin's Yellow and Pink Fluorescent Light installation piece from 1969, an edition of 3/5.
Time runs out, the informal discussion ends, time to tour the galleries present at the Art Fair.
The 35 prominent participating galleries represent 12 U.S. cities, the exhibition space (F.I.G.), occupies 70,00 square feet in the heart of Downtown Dallas.
In my excitement I paid no attention to detail, I felt as if a was running through the exhibition like a kid running through the state fair, so much to see and so little time. To my excitement I stand in front of Romare Bearden's collages and watercolors, they are small and intimate, they are honest. Quite a few Jim Dine's Hearts, his famous Red Robe and a piece I had never seen before; Pinochio. Quite beautifull. Damien Hirst's Orvieto, 2007, in a mozaic like style, butterfly wings and diamond dust are arranged in a tondo format remindes me of looking into a caleidoscope. Sol Lewit's Wall Piece no4, 1979, surrounded by Rauchenburg's prints, Chuck Close and Wolf Kahn's soft pallete landscapes overwelmed Lewit's Wall Piece, its grandiose in concept got lost, pitty, I really like Lewit's work. Cy Twombly, David Smith, David Bates, Motherwell, Segal's sculptures and drawings, Picasso, Jasper Jones' Target piece, they were all there occupying the same space, in print form or original, and there I was walking amongst these giants, the cannons of modern art. As I walk in a hurry to see all the works I begin to loose that sense of awe, somehow the fair format closes the gap between the artists and the viewer. It makes them more real, more accessible, art as a commodity. But it does not end with well known names, at least to me, the diversity in the works displayed by contemporary artists better reflected some of the issues informally pointed by the panelist: craftsmanship, originality, fresh approaches, breaking with media bounderies, pushing the medium. Artists like Sarah Cain, Jasmin Sian, Yayoi Kusama, they are remaking the object, like a global artist, they are utilizing unconventional materials and seeing possibilities, paint becomes fabric, shell becomes color, color is simply color and meaning is implied in the medium. Playfullness, a truth to materials and the love of art making is what I experienced. It was an inspiring and validating experience, and I only wished I had an extra day.
So I leave you with these last words, continue to be inspired with your work whatever it is that you do and allow it to take you to new ways of expressing and communicating your voice.
Solange Mariel
I really enjoyed reading this Solange. More More! You are so inspiring.
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