Monday, February 28, 2011

Observations from Armory Week 2.28

This week is Armory Week in New York, or call it Art Week, much more important than the recently ended Fashion Week. Wednesday through Sunday is the big Armory Show on the 12th Avenue piers and, due to a miracle of scheduling, Tuesday through Sunday is the ADAA Art Show at the Park Avenue Armory.

The Armory Show includes over 270 dealers from around the globe spread over two piers. Pier 92 will host the modern art section of 76 dealers and pier 94 the contemporary section of 194 dealers, all together over 80 galleries and 23 countries are represented. To put it all in perspective a 50 square foot stand at the Armory show cost $40,000. On top of that are the 70 American dealers and galleries at the ADAA show. The record number of dealers at the Armory Show is blamed on a suddenly rebounding art market. Less than a year ago the market was bottoming out and many of the usual exhibitors gave up there spots to newcomers only to have the market rebound dramatically at Art Basil in December.

Almost a dozen other shows are taking place this week including the first ever at the gallery I supposedly work at. It will be a comparatively tiny show with only six galleries including our own and the floor space divided into six booths with a walkway down the middle (l). The owners arrived yesterday for tonight's opening and hopefully a nice dinner afterward.

I can't help but finishing this with a quote from the official ADAA press release. I think a friend of mine will get a kick out of it. "Aligning with newer fairs, such as The Armory Show and other concurrent expositions during the first week of March, The Art Show will celebrate New York’s iconic status as the center of the cultural world."

It must be true if they said so.

Observations from the Window 2.28, Oscars

Let me start by saying this, the Academy Award coverage started on E! at 2PM Eastern Time. What the hell were they thinking? Seriously people, this isn’t the Super Bowl after all. How much can you talk about dresses?

Any other year I watch the Academy Awards to see who won and check out who is wearing what cool awesome slinky dress. In that way I guess it is like the Super Bowl which I tend to watch for the commercials when the Eagles aren’t in it, and yes that means pretty much every year. This year I only saw two of the best picture nominees, "The Social Network" and just last night I watched "Inception," so I really wasn't watching tonight because I knew the films.

No this year I had my own ulterior motive for watching. I watched to see co-host Anne Hathaway, star of film and also star of some wonderful fantasies of mine. I wont bore you with the details of those fantasies but after seeing her in a tux tonight I might be coming up with some new ones; the tux followed by the red dress , followed by the blue dress, followed by the sheer lace high collar dress. Damn, that girl is just hot and I want to take her home and raise a family of little dark haired kids. For the record I never said that last part and I'll deny any of it.

Oscar randomness. So honestly, does Randy Newman get nominated for a song every year or does it just seem that way? And speaking of singing, Gwyneth Paltrow please don't quit your day job any time soon. OK I opened my mouth and Newman wins his third Oscar, I'll just keep it shut from now on so I don't effect any more outcomes. it seems the Eagles can't win a Super Bowl but damn if Jeff Lurie didn't win an Oscar for "Inside Job." So take that Donavan McNabb, Philly wins one way or another. And yes, Scarlett Johansson, that’s all I’m going to say.

Final thought, some years there are terrible movies nominated for the best picture and the winner is that one good one that you know is a lock. Tonight all the films were totally awesome and still the winner was a lock. I honestly didn’t see and didn't hear one bad thing about “The King’s Speech” so I cant complain but still I was hoping for a surprise.

Now it’s time for my fantasies.

Hesta Prynn - Turn it Gold

update - I wrote this last night than just before posting it I found this little gem in a column about what you don’t see watching on TV. My kind of girl.

"During a commercial break early in the show, Anne Hathaway came out and thanked the audience “for all the energy you’re giving us.” She told everyone they looked fabulous and then held a quick raffle for a plate of sushi — “because the only thing more glamorous than being at the Oscars is eating sushi at the Oscars.” Referencing Leo’s f-bomb, Hathaway noted it was “really fucking good sushi."'