Happenings

Last Call

Liu Xiaodong
(Curated by Karen Smith)
Mary Boone
724 Fifth Avenue
Closing April 26th


Ai Wei Wei
541 West 24th Street
Closing April 26th

Mary Boone is an amazing woman with an amazing business, she's also quite stunning.

http://www.maryboonegallery.com/exhibitions/2007-2008/index.html

Current
 
Chelsea
Taxter & Spengemann
504 West 22nd Street
Scott Olsen
Xavier Cha
Both thru May 10th


This is a young gallery owned by Kelly Taxter and Pascal Spengemann, they met in art school. It's a good place to start if you want to begin a collection. They represent emerging artists (affordable). I like them because they really take the time to educate you about the artist, they will never steer you wrong.

Tomory Dodge
CRG Gallery
535 West 22nd Street, 2nd fl.
6:30-8:30


I bought an early painting of Tomory's when he had his first show in New York at Taxter and Spengemann, his success came early.  He moved to CRG after his first show at T&S. I'm glad I bought him early; he's a bit out of my price range at the moment.

http://www.crggallery.com/exhibitions/2008/dodge/
 

Gregory Crewdson
Luhring Augustine
531 West 24th Street
Through May 3rd

http://www.luhringaugustine.com/index.php?mode=current

I saw Crewdson's photography in the Sunday NY Times Magazine several years ago, they were haunting. You got the feeling something really bad was going to happen to the people in the photograph (Gwenyth Paltrow was one of the characters). I saw this show this past Saturday, the photographs are huge. Looking at his work brings to mind an Edward Hopper painting. The setting is small town depressed USA, perhaps one photograph is gray and dreary and then you see light, there's a couple in a car, the lighting inside the car is very much Hopper. A naked pregnant woman is emerging from a shed, you wonder why, what's happened in that shed?  While the houses are shabby, you may want to walk inside, there's something cozy and inviting.

This is a must see.

 In my last blog I mentioned going to the home of a couple who are among the top 200 collectors in the country. The Horts, Susan and Michael have a Foundation called The Rema Hort Mann Foundation in memory of their daughter Rema who died of cancer at the young age of 30. They raise money to aid cancer patients and their families. They also distribute unrestricted grants to promising artists. I've volunteered several times at the Art Walks they've sponsored and at their annual brunch. The next event will be a non-event. Instead of spending money on catering and flowers, you can stay home and enjoy a goody bag for $150.00 or donate a bag to a cancer patient for $100.00.

Please check out the site. The Online auction begins May 1st. 
http://www.remahortmannfoundation.org/