Living with Contemporary Art

Contemporary art is always a hot topic, but never more so than in the last ten or fifteen years. There are many reasons for this, but one of the biggest has been the high cost of collecting. The price for top-tier artists was over-the-top for a long period of time. Also, scarcity of important works, due to collectors and museums hanging on to what they already owned, cut down on the possibilities for collectors.

Collecting contemporary art is always appealing because it is cool and fun to collect art that reflects the time you live in, and your current passions. That is what drives me to collect contemporary art-- both the connection it has to me and my life personally, and also, my own personal art collection says a lot about me and my interests to any observer. As part of the visual environment, a contemporary art collection can turn your home into a much more dramatic and dynamic place. Styles can be mixed, art of-the-moment with more traditional pieces (that is the style I am most known for), or art can be put into a very sleek and minimalist atmosphere that creates a gallery-like vibe where art is the most important aspect of every room).

Since art and design are visual feasts, I gathered some images of homes that display contemporary art in different and very interesting ways. Like the apartment of Tobias Meyer and Mark Fletcher, both of whom are so involved with the art world that contemporary takes over the whole thing! Or Yancey Richardson, who told me that she loves photography so much, that whatever she can’t hang in her gallery (because she doesn’t represent the artist) she buys and hangs at home and she does have a beautiful and very well curated collection of photography in her gorgeous Chelsea apartment or even Sixx Design who mixes it all so well and even have a fabulous Vik Muniz in one of the kids bedrooms! That’s bold! Ok, enough said, let’s just enjoy the images!

Mark Fletcher and Tobias Meyer's Time Warner building apartment. Over-the-top Liz Craft's "The Witch" on the ceiling and furniture that mixes Louis XVI bergère and early 19th-century Danish chairs

More of Meyer and Fletcher's apartment: A Warhol silk screen of a gun and a giant light-up dollar sign by Tim Noble and Sue Webster. The mural by Brazilian artist Assume Vivid Astro Focus covers the living room

Julian Schnabel's living room in his apartment at Palazzo Chupi in the Village.  Mixing styles has always been one of Julian's gifts

Another over-the-top apartment, artist Cary Leybovitz loves to make a statement

A corner in Cary Leibovitz apartment with Warhol sillkscreens of Jimmy Carter

Yancey Richardson's dining room with Ed Ruscha's "Pools"

Bob and Cortney Novogratz of Sixx Design hung a Vik Muniz self-portrait in the kids' bedroom.  Brilliant!

The highs and lows of the Art World (but only in terms of pricing!)

French artist Joseph's collage at the Envie d'Art booth at the AAF

Last week, I attended two very interesting events in NYC, both art related; one was the Affordable Art Fair which comes to NYC every year with more than 70 galleries from around the world! The AAF represents both cutting-edge artists and new up and comers. I’m always excited to see which new artists my friends Yann and Cathy Bombard from Envie d’Art in Paris bring to the fair and they did not disappoint--there was an amazing selection of pieces by the coolest French artists. One of my favorites was Joseph and his fabulous pop collages full of color and emotion. I also loved the works from the Canadian gallery AWOL, including a very special collection of “inflated” canvas by Sandra Tarantino and the photorealist work of Paul Robert Turner, reminiscent of Eric Fischl. Mike Speller, who is represented by Woolf Gallery in London, also deserves special mention. Speller works with toys that he positions in the shape of a map of the world, on top of big indigo acrylic panels, creating a very cool effect. The AAF offers young collectors (and seasoned ones on the lookout for the next best thing) entry to international galleries that represent contemporary artists at a price point that doesn’t exceed $10,000 per artwork.

Paul Robert Turner's Record Shop

Sandra Tarantino's "shaped" canvases

The second event that I attended was a brunch and preview for the May auction of contemporary art at Sotheby’s. With an outstanding selection of works ranging from Jackson Pollock to Damien Hirst and everything in between, the exhibit was curated as well as any contemporary museum in the world. There were two works that were obviously the superstars of the collection; a 1986 self-portrait of Andy Warhol of monumental dimensions (108 in x 108 in) in black and purple, which is owned by Tom Ford (they don’t say that at Sotheby’s but I know it!) and whose estimated is $10-$15 Million! The second is an Untitled Rothko from 1961 with red and brown tones, it’s almost styled in 3D, 8-feet tall and it’s estimated to fetch $18-$25 Million (as a curious note, the same painting sold for $1.87 million at Christie’s in New York in 1997). In my personal opinion, although the two superstars are really stunning (particularly the Warhol, which is outstanding), my favorite pieces were a 1984, rare untitled mixed media canvas painted in collaboration by both Basquiat and Warhol also of great dimensions (116 in x 165 in), which has been rarely exhibited and it’s hitting the auctions for the first time (estimate is $2-$3 Million) and a photograph called “Rimini” by the one-and-only Andreas Gursky (estimate is $500,000-$700,000). The rest of the pieces up for auction were impressive and unique, meant to attract the most serious and the richest collectors in the whole world.

                               Warhol's Self Portrait at Sotheby's

My favorite piece, the Warhol-Basquiat, Untitled

For the majority of art collectors, an event such as the Sotheby's Contemporary Art Auction, is quite limiting because the prices are prohibitive. That's why it works to have other events, like the AAF happening at the same time, which makes the art scene more fun and a contrast in styles and affordability for the interested collector. It is events like these that make me even more grateful to be living in New York City, where there are so many stimulating chances to see art in so many different contexts.

Pop-up Galleries

An image from Banksy's pop-up gallery show in LA

Pop-up galleries are a byproduct of recessionary times. Empty commercial spaces seem more attractive when there’s art displayed and landlords can make some money even if the space is rented only for a few weeks or months. Last October, even the New York Times published an article about the stronghold that pop-up galleries (which started in the UK) are having in NYC, check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/nyregion/13galleries.html

The lounge I created for Alex Charriol (the day before the opening party)

Another angle of the lounge

Also, the genius and brilliant documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” explores not only the phenomenon of Street Art (which is a topic for another post) but also some of the most famous pop-up galleries, one by the British Street artist, Banksy and the other one by the French Mr. Brainwash, whose show in LA was successful beyond precedent and who also has enjoyed a large crowd of visitors in NYC with his “Icons” installation in the Meatpacking District which will run until the end of May.

Mr. Brainwash "Icon" show in the Meatpacking District

More Mr. Brainwash in NYC

As mentioned in another post, last week, I had the opportunity to host a private preview for Alex Charriol and his “Human Flow” exhibit and to be part of his venture while setting up a pop-up gallery on East 27th Street and which will run until May 15th. It was an amazing experience on all fronts. First, because of the vision that Alex had with a cavernous but humongous 5,500 sq. ft space with the highest ceilings one could ever imagine and the beauty he created installing his art. Second, because of the idea that I had to design a seating area for him that was completely different from the space itself; instead of doing something modern or industrial or minimalist, I designed a baroque lounge with antique pieces and old furniture that looked fabulous, created tension and at the same time harmonized really well with the exhibit bringing some warmth to the incredibly big space. Third, I loved Alex’s idea of throwing such a big party with jazz-fusion musicians that were completely irreverent while mixing and mingling with the crowd. The whole thing came together to be so chic and so special, I can’t be nothing but happy and grateful for the opportunity.

Charriol's pop-up gallery.  Photo by Mark Iantosca for Guest of a Guest.

Charriol's pop-up gallery. Photo by Mark Iantosca for Guest of a Guest.

Charriol's pop-up gallery. Photo by Mark Iantosca for Guest of a Guest.

Charriol's pop-up gallery. Photo by Mark Iantosca for Guest of a Guest.

Given the times we are living in I believe that pop-up galleries are not only here to stay but they will expand and reach other hot markets including places such as Berlin and Barcelona, providing an outlet for new and emerging artists. A few treasures can be found in pop-ups as well, so when you know of a pop-up in your town, go and see what they have to offer, you may be pleasantly surprised!