OC Art Blog

Collecting Mika Ninagawa

Kirsten at Roq la Rue posted on her blog that she likes Mika Ninagawa, I do too. We got 3 pieces at the Armory show a couple years back. It's actually a funny story, Mrs. OC Art Blog and I were interviewed by Japanese TV after making the purchase because they were in town to do a documentary on Ms. Ninagawa. I guess she is huge in Japan.

She is currently represented by Tomio Koyama Gallery ( Nara/Murakami) but I don't think she has been picked up by anyone in the states. Someone should grab her before Blum & Poe does. A couple of the pieces we purchased are attached:

The Kids Are Allright/Collecting Robert Olsen

Sorry for the lack of posts recently but after the London Tragedy I just wasn't feeling it. As a matter of fact I started to slip into one of my " I need to move to another planet" depressions. So needless to say, drastic action had to be taken and the only way I know how to get out of one of those depressions is to go look at lots of art. So I grabbed the cat, some of the neighborhood kids and Mrs. OC Art Blog and loaded up the station wagon and headed up to LA to see what the state of the art world looked like up there.

The Kids are Allright

Our first destination was Venice where I wanted to catch a couple of group shows showcasing some mid-career and emerging artists primarily based in LA. Our first stop was cherrydelosreyes where they were showing Paper Beats Rock. Mary Leigh Cherry has one of the stronger programs going right now if you ask me and this show continues the quality. Go see it. Next up was Domestic Setting which was right around the corner. I had always heard about shows at Domestic Setting, this was my first time there. It seems Jeanne Patterson turns her home into a gallery every so often and puts on high quality shows. This particular show was curated by Michael Gold and was titled WivesHusbands and consisted of collaborative work by artists who were couples. I'm partial to the alternative space, great show by many names who you have seen shown separately in LA. Final stop in Venice was the Rogue Wave show at LA Louver Gallery. I actually collect one of the artists in this show so I'm a bit biased but after these first three stops in LA and some we made later, my message to the LA art community is....you have something good going on here and I know there are many distractions.....but don't miss it. The Kids are all right. Photos follow:

Sombody get this piece by Charlotte McGowan-Griffin ASAP....before I do.

Libby Black

Domestic Setting

LA Louver

Culver City & Collecting Robert Olsen

Our next stop was Culver City. Pretty soon everybody will be here (sixspace & Kim Light soon to be the newest additions) so you better learn the lay of the land. I primarily came up to see Robert Olsen at Susanne Vielmetter and Erick Swenson  at Q.E.D. and both shows didn't disappoint. Also of note was the group show at Anna Helwing Gallery primarily because Emilie Halpern was included.

We are also are happy to report that we have a new piece in the collection by Robert Olsen. Someone I consider an Edward Hopper of our times. After some research I found another well regarded art blogger who is a fan.

Side Note: It's always nice to have your wife make you promise in front of an important dealer that you won't buy any more art until we go to NYC in Nov. Luckily I had my fingers crossed behind my back and nobody noticed.

Our new piece from Robert Olsen's Bus Stop Series. Just awesome.

Culver City

OK, I'm tired now but expect other posts on the Tim Hawkinson show at LACMA and a post on a new gallery in the LBC I'm excited about called Enview.

It's the end of the world as we know it....and I feel fine.

Burtynsky

It's always nice to go home for lunch and have a present waiting for you.

The Burtynsky came in.

Collector Tip

Erik at View From the Edge in Atlanta posts a must read for the beginning collector.

I'm not one to flip but he does show how a little diligence can go a long way.

Collecting Burtynsky/Starn Twins

This is the Burtynsky we went with. It was one of the railcuts in the MOPA show.

and we picked up this still from the Attracted to Light series by Mike and Doug Starn. Because I just dig anything they do.

Edward Burtynsky

Edward Burtynsky has a great review this morning in the LA Times. Tyler over at MAN also has lots of good links.

Burtynsky is another great artist I would like to add to the collection. I wonder what this might do to pricing now??

So Tyler, because I would like your professional opinion, which series would you go with??

Three Gorges Dam Project??

Shipbreaking??

or Railcuts??

Collecting Alec Soth

Because there has been light activity in the OC and I was running out of things to write about I thought I'd better pull the trigger on a purchase Ms. OC Art Blog and I have been considering for awhile so I could post something.

So here is the latest addition to the collection:

This work is titled Herman's Bed and is part of the series Sleeping by the Mississippi by Alec Soth.

The work was purchased from Weinstein Gallery with much help from Gallery Director Laura Hoyt. Weinstein is Alec's original gallery in Minnesota. Some of you may have heard that he recently moved from Yossi Milo Gallery to Gagosian a couple of months ago, so if you're interested you better hurry up. I'm sure big things are coming in his future.

Some info on Alec Soth:

Alec Soth (b. 1969) is a photographer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has received fellowships from the McKnight and Jerome Foundations and was the recipient of the 2003 Santa Fe Prize for Photography. His photographs are in major public and private collections, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Walker Art Center. His work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including the 2004 Whitney and São Paulo Biennials. His first book, Sleeping by the Mississippi, was published by Steidl in 2004. Soth has photographed for The New York Times Magazine, Fortune and Newsweek. In 2004, he became a nominee of Magnum Photos.

Wish List

This is the work that is currently on my wish list. Too bad it's sold out. Granny Rocks.

Collecting and the Charity/Fundraiser Auction

In preparation for this Friday's art auction to support the Huntington Beach Art Center I thought I would share with everybody what a great opportunity charity auctions provide for the beginning collector.

I have bought a couple of pieces through charity auctions at prices that I would never be able to get in the traditional gallery situation. Some may disagree, but I believe these types of auctions to be a win/win for everybody involved. The charity/cause benefits from the fundraising, the collector can get access to artists or works that might otherwise be out of their price range if they tried to purchase them in a gallery, and the artists involved get exposure and hopefully obtain a new collector or two that will continue to follow their career.

So all you current or potential collectors mark your calendar for this Friday night. More info will follow on the event and below are a couple of works in my collection bought through charity/fundraising events.

Cindy Sherman

John Baldessari

Collecting Finishing School & The Judge

Went to the HB Art Center Friday night to meet Ed Giardina of Finishing School and pick up the work I won in the silent auction that was part of the Detours show. All proceeds went to support the defense fund for Critical Art Ensemble.

Ed and I were also there because we were asked to help judge the local High School District art show (one of the high schools included was the one I was thrown out of...but keep that between you and me). I have never been asked to judge High School work so it was a new adventure for me. It's not as easy as it looks. Ed being a teacher is an old pro at this, but not me. I kept thinking that each person that didn't get recognized might stop their art education all together and I would be the one to blame....ahhhh the pressure! Anyway we worked it out and eventually came to a compromise on our picks....after 2 hours. Of course Ed went right to the socially conscious/politically charged work and I went to the work where I thought an award or recognition might just keep them on the path of sharpening their skills. A fun time was had by all.