I hope you don't know why I am writing this but let me just say I will never ever completely trust spell check again, that's all I'm going to say on the subject.
The Armory Show is named for a 1913 exhibition that took place at the 69th Regiment Armory and for the first time showed European Modern art in America. The current fair was started in 1994 in a Gramercy Park hotel and now occupies over 200,000 square feet on piers 92 and 94. Try not to confuse that with The Art Show which starts today at the Park Avenue Armory.
I have never in my life seen so many black leather jackets in one place and no that statement doesn't include my closet. Anyway yesterday I said an art fair was part convention and part art show. Now it seems I need to add a biker rally to that, like an artistic Sturgis without the bikes. Now that's a thought though, we need bikes.
I was on my way up to Armory when I ran into a new Manhattan trend that I'm not at all thrilled about. On my way I stopped in a random coffee shop for a quick lunch and cup of coffee. I sat down with my coffee, opened up my net book, and promptly had another patron point out a sign that said no electronic devices allowed. I blurted out something on the order of "you've got to be freakin kidding me," gulped down my coffee, and bought a pretzel outside. I have no idea how they expect to compete with Starbucks and its free wifi.
Phantogram - When I'm Small
17:45 update - Everything I heard today said that sales were brisk last night at the VIP opening. Highest price tag I saw today was $2.2 million for a work by the late German painter Martin Kippenberger. The only other major highlight was seeing Sotheby's Vice President Lisa Dennison. Rumor had it Courtney Love was there too but I didn't see her or I would have offered her a bite of my pretzel.
