Value is a fickle thing in the world of art. When there is very little inherent value in an artwork, how is it created and how is it lost?

It is true that while the value creation begins with the artist- by creating the work in the first place- once the artwork is in the market, it is subject to its conditions. Other factors include: the reputation of the artist, the reputation of the collector, the reputation of the art dealer, and the historical significance of the artwork. In fact, the only stable factor in this list is the historical aspect of the art- which is something that will never change.

Columbia University’s Arthur Ross Gallery currently has on display an exhibition that addresses this particular question. The timely opening for the exhibition, postponed because of Sandy, presents numerous artworks that at first glance appear to be quite normal, except that they are not hung on the walls as is traditionally the custom in an art gallery. Upon further reflection, more clues to the unusual nature of this show begin to surface. Besides the artwork not being hung, the first is that every visitor is told they are free to touch the art- something that anyone who has ever visited an art show or museum has been told is forbidden. Unless you are seeing a show at an auction house (yes this is an exception), touching art is not allowed! The next clue is the stack of booklets listing the value of every object in the room- sort of like the opposite of a price list- as zero. Until then, it is possible to hone in on the defects, which in some cases are miniscule, of the artwork on display.

It is like entering a twilight zone of artwork in a state of limbo. To an art lover, the experience of entering into this room and seeing all the beautiful art deemed as “worthless” is disheartening and feelings of confusion, anxiety, and even anger begin to emerge. One Ad Reinhardt piece that at one point was worth millions, is included in the show, and with it – the story of its demise: an errant sneeze left the unlucky painting irreperably damaged.

Broken Jeff Koons Balloon Dog [credit: John Reed, Slate.com]

La Moisson, by Alexandre Dubuisson [credit: John Reed, Slate.com]

Nevertheless, I still maintain that value is determined by the price anyone is willing to pay for something. Imagine the discussions that would arise if someone offered to buy any of the artworks in this exhibition!

Go see the show before it closes on December 20th!

Where: Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery, Buell Hall, Columbia University
When: Tuesday – Saturday until December 20th.

Every year, the Yale MFA graduates work together to publish a book that is to serve as a record of the artwork they produced during their rigorous 2-year MFA program at Yale University. This year the nine students, taught by Gregory Crewdson, the director of Studies in Photography, not only have a beautifully bound publication of their photographs, but also have an introductory essay written by renowned art critic Rick Moody. Titled “Group Portrait” (the inspiration behind the exhibition title), the essay is itself an intimate portrait that carefully reveals each artist’s personality and character. Moody describes the class of 2012 as “a group that stands for itself as group”, one that is bound together by respect and admiration for each other. Although the group is so cohesive, each individual member could not be more unique in his or her own background and exploration of photography. And yet, similarities are apparent within the photographs when seen together, and it is these similarities that have shaped the curatorial plan for the exhibition.

The journey through the MFA show begins with the trip up to the second floor. Guests that enter the glass elevator are immediately confronted with Felix R. Cid’s life-size “Venuses”. The massive LED screen displays the image of upright sleeping bags that breathe in and breathe out alongside the real-life breathing passengers, giving the sensation of intruding into someone’s personal space. The colorful images play on a loop and conjure up feelings of sexuality, psychology, and social context; themes that are noticeable in each artist’s body of work.

Cid’s work continues into the first gallery where they face the photographs of Peter Baker in a dialogue about time and composition. Here, Cid photographed each of the images – the protests in Madrid, the crowds at the bullfights in the Bull Ring in Madrid, and the foam parties in Ibiza – from different angles. The resulting work is an image rich with overlapping moments of time, that from far away appears as constellations in space. Similarly, Baker’s bold images capture a moment that exists for only a split second, freezing an urban landscape layered with multiple reflections and meanings that can only be appreciated in a still picture.

In the second room, the works by Maayan Strauss and Sarah Muehlbauer exchange ideas about nature, false appearances and displaced objects. Most of Muehlbauer’s photographs reveal only the traces of human culture living within nature, creating a strange sensation of an abandoned landscape. Strauss’ work explores the surfaces of objects and plays with the notion that what is literally beneath the surface is completely different from what is revealed to the world. For example, one of the works in her installation at Yale University was a large marble panel attached to chip board, leaning against a metal stand. However, the marble panel was actually a print of the marble surface wrapped around MDF board, and the back of the panel, which appears to be chipboard, is really a print of the material as well.

In the third room, the works by Pao Her, Kate A. T. Merrill, Richard Choi, Katie Koti, and Thomas Gardiner are exhibited. Most of the work in this room is an intimate glimpse into each artist’s life and -out of all the artworks in the thesis show- the most focused on the human psyche. Her, a Hmong refugee from Laos presents her photographs in the traditional Hmong tradition, but with almost an outsider’s perspective. The subjects in the photographs almost seem to be self-conscious, and in her own self-portrait, Her reveals a subtle smile that is Mona Lisa-like in that the viewer has to wonder if the smile reflects irony, shyness, or mockery. Merrill’s photographs, possibly the most intimate of all the photographs in the room, are small in size and invite the viewer to take a close look at her family. Far from being self-conscious, the subjects confront the viewer straight on and give the observer the sensation of being the observed. Absent from all the photographs, however, is Merrill herself, who removes herself from her private family portrait and keeps herself as the anonymous spectator. Koti’s photographs, in contrast, are a study of her own role within her adopted family. With saturated tones and compositions reminiscent of Sally Mann, the scenes are all part of a narrative that when placed together illustrate the dynamic of the close-knit familial unit.

Finally, the photographs by Gardiner and Choi take a step back from family-centric themes: the focus instead, is of people. Choi’s photographs are still images created from his video; special moments that are captured twice, once through video documentation, and then again through the shutter of his camera. The juxtaposition of Choi’s video with his photographs allows viewers to feel included in the creative process; they are not only able to enjoy the still image, but also the story of what happened before and after the shutter closed. Gardiner’s photographs are also of special moments in which the subject is usually caught in a moment of reflection. Possibly the most influenced by Gregory Crewdson, Gardiner’s compositions are scenic and psychologically charged. The one photograph lacking a starring character is the one of the gas station. Similar to Muehlbauer’s images, this one displays the traces of human interaction, and calls attention to the ironic combination of nature references in a densely industrial environment. Gardiner’s compositions are meticulously thought out and include numerous details that viewers can continue to discover upon second and third glances.

This will be the second year that Wirth Art Advisory organizes and curates the Yale Photography MFA Thesis show, which falls in line with Wirth Art Advisory’s commitment to promoting and encouraging the careers of talented, emerging artists. All press inquiries and requests for artist bios and photographs can be sent to Sabrina Wirth at info@wirthartadvisory.com. Any inquiries about artwork in the surrounding galleries, that are not by the Yale Photography MFA graduates should be directed to William Petroni at wp@anatzarev.com.

Click on any of the following photographs to see them larger:

Stop #2: Porter/ Contemporary- “Body Beautiful” through February 18 with David Agenjo, Pato Bosich, Juliet Foxtrot, Sarah Kaufman, Jennifer Murray, Carolina Baptista Rodriguez, Catherine Tafur:

Juliet Foxtrot

Stop #3: Foley Gallery- “Penetration” through February 11 with Danielle Durchslag, Joseph Heidecker, Marco Breuer, and Jowhara AlSaud:

sorry, no photos from the current exhibit. But I did discover that Foley Gallery represents Richard Barnes! He is an American Academy in Rome Fellow from 2006, when I was there as an intern! That is one of his photographs, above.

Stop #4: Mike Weiss Gallery to see Will Kurtz‘s show “Extra Fucking Ordinary” on view through February 18:

Step #5: Paul Kasmin Gallery to see Santi Moix‘s show “Santi Moix on Huckleberry Finn: Watercolors and Wall Drawings” on view through February 11:

Reminds me a bit of Kara Walker…

Stop #6: Hasted Kraeutler Gallery to see Pierre Gonnord‘s photographic exhibit “Relatos” on view through February 4:

Stop #7: Metro Pictures Gallery to see John Miller‘s show “Suburban Past Time” on view through March 10:

very disorienting!

And Last Stop: Gagosian Gallery to see the universal Damien Hirst Spot paintings exhibit “The Complete Spot Paintings 1986-2011″, on view through February 18. But we weren’t allowed to take pictures, so… here’s one courtesy of Gagosian:

Not bad for walking around Chelsea in an absolutely, blistery, cold day.

That’s because IndieWalls is connecting all local artists with local venues that are in search of great art to hang on their bare walls. That list of venues includes restaurants, cafés, trendy retail stores, hotels, residential lobbies, and any other place you can think of that has regular foot traffic and some good, empty walls.

Well last night was the inaugural event- the first of many successful events- for IndieWalls and it was at the Cupping Room to celebrate the exhibit of Marysia Schultz’s paintings. After about a 2 or 1 month run, they will be coming down on the 15th- so check them out before they come down! Or just take a look at the website. Below are some images from the night. Sorry for the bad resolution, the pictures are from my iPhone:

and some of the featured artwork:

More to come!

This is 9″ x 12″ and enclosed in a plexiglass box
3″ deep. Apologies for the blurry image.

I will be replacing these images with professional ones soon! But this is just to give you a sense of the composition.

Check out Gabriel’s latest exhibit in Padova on October 14, 2011:

]]> http://artwirth.com/2011/11/27/gabriel-ortega/feed/ 0 Tin Tin Featured Image 1 artwirth tin tin1 Tin Tin 1.2 Tin Tin 2 Tin Tin 2.1 Tin Tin 3 Tin Tin 3.1 http://artwirth.com/2011/11/16/art-with-a-purpose/ http://artwirth.com/2011/11/16/art-with-a-purpose/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:15:17 +0000 artwirth http://artwirth.wordpress.com/?p=229 Read more]]> Located in the Pond of Poisonous Provisions, and floating between 135˚W to 155˚W and 35˚N to 42˚N lies the city of Litterin, the “flamboyant” capital of the country known as The United Flotsam of Garbagea.

Heard of it? Unfortunately, not enough people have. Those who do know what Garbagea is about may recognize it by its more familiar name, The Pacific Trash Vortex. It is an area in the North Pacific Ocean approximately the size of Texas, and highly concentrated with tiny particles of plastic, chemical waste, and other debris trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre. According to Listverse.com, it is one of the top 10 places NOT to visit, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit the United Flotsam of Garbagea. The fictional country was founded and brought to light in order to spread awareness of a very real problem. Asher Jay, the founder of this platform, is an up-and-coming artist, writer, and activist, whose artworks are not only objects of beauty, but also a means to call attention to environmental issues.

At its core Garbagea is a non-commercial, inclusive online forum that invites artists, activists, and anyone who cares about the environment really, to contribute with images and observations. The site is user-friendly, and filled with educational tidbits packaged in clever dialogue and delicious sarcasm.

Everyone knows the harm we’ve caused our planet, but not everyone knows to what extent, nor how to help. The first step is awareness, and all it takes is a click on www.garbagea.com to become part of the solution in a very creative way.

On November 12, 2011, Asher commemorated the founding of this country with an exhibition of artworks and a video installation at Hudson Terrace in New York City. All artworks incorporated trash collected over a two month period, and helped to promote the website where everyone is welcome to participate and join in on the discussion. Below are a few images from the event as well as images of the artwork:

At Hudson Terrace

Video Installation at Hudson Terrace

T.O.O.Ks = Trash Objects Offer Kinship made out of litter they are the souvenirs of Garbagea

Links for Garbagea:  http://garbagea.tumblr.com/ and check @garbageanation on Twitter!

Each of Soulier’s images is in and of itself a study on the fractal patterns that are present in our daily lives yet rarely noticed. The series focuses on mundane living spaces transformed under a metaphorical lens that brings out the connection between the repeating shapes in the wallpaper, floor and ceiling patterns, design of the staircase, and bed sheets. Further emphasizing the kaleidoscopic effect of the fractal architectural patterns, the model is created in three different scales, one being larger than life- thereby bringing the viewer into this psychedelic world.

The Palindrome Series, initiated in 2007, also explores the idea of connections found between the man-made world and man. At first glance, the arresting photographs draw you in, but it is only upon closer inspection that the blaring ironies reveal themselves. For example, the normally highly populated landscapes are unusually barren; one image is of an empty parking lot, another is of an empty subway, and yet another is of an empty train station. Where are all the people? The juxtaposed photographs present the only human connection, yet the twins in the photographs appear to be cut off from their surroundings. They seem to be alone, although they are together, and their poses echo the landscapes that they are disconnected from.

Laetitia Soulier’s education in French Philosophy is very apparent in her work, as is her interest in modern scientific thought. It is this background that gives her work a depth rarely present in contemporary photography, and a unique perspective that invites viewers to engage in discussions that surpass the subject of her photographs.

click here to view more of Laetitia Soulier’s photographs: www.laetitiasoulier.com

Pace Gallery, the exclusive representative of the de Kooning estate, presents more than 30 of de Kooning’s early works from the 60s and 70s that best present the themes of movement and distortions that he depicts in the human body. This is the last week of the exhibition, ending July 29th before the MoMA’s major retrospective of his work starting on September 18th. Whereas this exhibit focuses on de Kooning’s work from the 60s and 70s, the MoMA will be presenting a broad range of work starting from the years he lived in Holland to his latest paintings. Unfortunately, many of the works from the Pace Gallery will not be in view at the MoMA- so try and make it to Pace to see this rare collection pulled together from various private collections.

For more information, visit http://www.thepacegallery.com

On November 18th, just a day after “New York, New York” Wirth Art debuted its fantastical “Phantasmagoric: A Play on Art and Space” at 263 Bowery, on view until December 6th, a collaboration with Capital Realty Investors.  In a brand new space on the Bowery, just steps from the New Museum, “Phantasmagoric” features work by Arnold Mesches, Guy Stanley Philoche, Stephen Hall, Peter Theron and Reet Das.  The space–stark, spacious and bare–provides a contemplative backdrop for these enigmatic pieces rife with a “fantastic sequence of haphazardly associative imagery, as seen in dreams or fever.”

For this show we collaborated with Capital Realty Investors.

On November 17^th, 2010, we opened our “New York, New York” gallery show at Kitchen Habitat NYC.  It was a great success!

Gregoire, Sabrina, and Simeone

The Lay of the Land

Stylish at the Opening Reception

“New York, New York” as the title indicates, took the city as a unifying theme.  Curator Sabrina Wirth, native New Yorker and life-long resident, chose the very personal theme, saying she has always found the city “transformative and challenging.” As she put together the show she considered how the chosen venue and artwork would ultimately tell a uniquely New York story.

With ten artists from various backgrounds and in several media, New York served as the common thread.

Acclaimed photographer Eve Sonneman makes her first gallery showing outside her normal representation at Nohra Haime Gallery with us, exhibiting two memorable photographs and a lovely watercolor.  A permanent fixture on the New York art scene, Eve’s black and white photographs from the mid 1970s–”Fresh Fish, Chinatown” and “Coney Island Lovers”–speak both to her personal experience in the city as an artist and to all New Yorkers. Both iconic neighborhoods brim with personality, romance, and the undeniable ebb and flow of New York.  To see more of Eve’s timeless work in several media, click here.

"Fresh Fish, Chinatown" by Eve Sonneman

Brian Batt’s “Bloomberg” serves as the focal point for the show, grabbing your eye as you walk in. A pointillist, seemingly screen-printed black and white Michael Bloomberg: local hero in oil on canvas.  While his work rarely strays into a political arena, Batt’s “Bloomberg” was originally for a fashion week event and provided a welcome opportunity for Batt to make an untraditional political portrait of the mayor, an avid supporter of the arts. To check out more work by Brian, go to www.brian-batt.com

"Bloomberg" by Brian Batt

Ed Emrich, lawyer by day, features four large photographs, showing off with gusto his reflection-based photography technique, making us see a New York in which “nothing is ordinary and anything is possible.”  Click for more of Ed’s photographs.

Reality is Virtual by Ed Emrich

Italian-born Olimpia Ferrari has three photographs from her “Metrochip Microcity” series, a sprawling feast for the eyes, exploring New York City’s architecture as it might infiltrate or connect to the mindspace of its inhabitants.

#2 Metrochip Microcity by Olimpia Ferrari

What’s remarkable about this series is that Olimpia does not manipulate the negative, metallic colors that permeate her NYC landscapes. She manages to produce that effect in the darkroom, without the help of photoshop.  Wow!

Gabe Godin features one mixed media piece, “Sunday Afternoon,” reminding us of the impersonality of New York’s consumer culture. Check out Gabe’s website.

Downtown art regular and former professional skater Harif Guzman provided two paintings for the show, one big and one small. As he puts it, his work “rejects the glamorized bohemia that floods downtown Manhattan,” favoring instead gritty graffiti culture.

Madonna by Harif Guzman

Ruth Ava Lyons’ diminutive painting “FLORET” packs a big punch. As she so eloquently puts it: “NYC is a fertile ground that always made me feel like I was small and fragile, yet capable of blooming.” That sentiment surely rings true for many New Yorkers–no matter how much or how thoroughly this city can bring you down, it alone can raise you up. As Sinatra said, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.”

FLORET by Ruth Ava Lyons

Patrick Mulcahy showcases one powerful photograph, “Josh and David 2009″ — reminding us of our everyday human relations rife with conflict, desire, and fear.

Talented newcomer Jordan Taler presents with one colorful photograph from his Newsstand series.  Jordan calls a snapshot like this a “visual haiku”–a short and sweet matter-of-fact glimpse or statement about his surroundings.  In the explosive and vibrant look at a city staple we are reminded that even ordinary magazines and packs of gum produce an eye-catching mosaic.

Newsstand Series IV by Jordan Taler

Last but not least, George Venson adds the exhibit’s only sculpture.  A commentary on his understanding of the artist’s relationship to the world, “Bunker” represents a situation in which “the artist must hide from a world in which he must exist in to survive.”

Set against the impeccable kitchen showrooms at Kitchen Habitat NYC, one could not help but acknowledge how the work played into a domestic space, and specifically, a typical New York apartment space. Seeking refuge of the gallery space–or a home, a kitchen–we were still confronted with these New York pieces that drew us back into the city’s pace. New York, New York comes full circle then–reminding us that even in a New Yorker’s private space, the city never ceases to envelop us.  That which we feel belongs to us really belongs to New York. But all of New York belongs to us.

The works on view at will remain up until December 17th. If you weren’t able to stop by for the opening, make sure to see these gems in the next few weeks. 277 Broadway, at Chambers Street, Suite 201.  A resounding thank you to Mohammed and Portia at Kitchen Habitat NYC for their hospitality and their devotion to showcasing emerging and established artists alike in their fabulous space. This is our third hit show with them!

Artist Brian Batt & friends

Sara and Jessica - WirthArt interns

Sabrina with artist Harif Guzman