Just in case you might have missed Arte Americas with so much going on in the city these last few days, I’ll just say, it was a great art fair. Always smaller in size and hype as compared to the Basel-madness that happens each December, this fair also tries to remain within the main theme of Latin American Art (define Latin) but don’t be fooled mixed in with the international galleries are also works from non-Latins, Caribbean artists and such,….art is art – sculptures: extra large and small, recycled plastics, suitcases, or iron, oil paintings traditional or not, mixed-media, video, photography- it’s all good. And where better to be on an over cast Sunday when you’re all danced and partied out, than to go experience an art fair.
I was fortunate enough to have been invited by a friend who’s a sculptor and is showing at the fair. And was kind enough to meet me at the entrance with the all so important, all access Exhibitor’s Badge, I’ve been around - that’s how I like to roll ; )
*We interrupt this blog
To bring you this important information
Portions of the following may or may not be factual
These portions will be in italics”
ONCE upon a time, there was a girl who ran an art fair…
Since art fairs had become the only way to move and sell art they were very important in the lives of the rich and famous and not so famous so basically everyone loves art fairs. The golden ticket, your pass to get anywhere you wanna go at a fair, is being in possession of one of the two following IDs: the Exhibitor’s or Staff badge. The first represents the pretty much a green light to access all areas of the fair, VIP to VIP areas of VIP gatherings which pretty much means “You’re THE V-I-P” everything that is happening is because as the exhibitor you are the shit….
(Insert a foreign accent here, pick a country, any language will do and say the following with attitude, “Do you know me? I am De Rock Star of De Art World, Dr. Sodaw, SO-dah-yah? You Americans…, you must help me find the most impossible film to ever be not found for my booth by the time the fair opens, yah, like now, yah?”
She kindly replies with a smile and zero accent, “Dr. So-Duh? Yes?” “It would be my pleasure… which of the impossibly of the impossible films ever to be not found themes would you prefer? Oh my, its just that there are so many themes surrounding the impossible-ness of the impossibility at these films basic core theme of really “not being found” it just gets you to thinking, like so deep, mmmm, like that’s how I felt when I saw (insert artist or mention piece from booth that the gallery is representing) don’t you agree? There are just so many impossible films ever to be not found to choose from, right?
Then it happens, it’s all in the eyes but you must look closely or you might miss it, the ever so slight widening in wonder and amusement or the squinting with twisted wickedness as these thoughts go through their mnd- “I’m aware of you now…and yes seems as if there is a little distain here, no, no, it’s not that it’s not you because it is you, however, it’s your show so we will act appropriately charming for right now because I will be needing assistance with the most of the impossible of impossible requests that just must be resolved for me for the next 9 days, and well who else will pay attention to me?…..So he replies, "Ahhh, yes, yes, yes and you are?…I am Dr. So-DUH, pleasure to meet you Ms. STAFF BADGE, merci, si, yes, muah, muah, muah, yah?”
Viewing art, for me, is an opportunity to enter into the world of those who posses creative talents so far beyond the average some times it’s shear madness and yet they, the artists, are not afraid of putting it out there.
“Shit on the world- it’s because I felt like you knowing my work, I give it to the world, I can not help it, and it is a curse and a blessing sigh”
“Shit on the world- it’s because I felt like you knowing my work, I give it to the world, I can not help it, and it is a curse and a blessing sigh”
This freedom is a talent in itself, if you ask me, it stems from a mindset that is open, with a perspective that is different, whimsical. Where you and I see a blank paper and screening material the artist marries the two and magically the screen comes to life. Have you ever seen a field of poppy flowers? Now imagine a red wall covered in many paintings of individual poppy flowers somehow re-creating an imaginary poppy field – I saw it. Or imagine a crinkled up sheet of paper, no big deal except this one is framed and is not a crinkled piece of paper at all it’s a canvas painted to look like a crinkled piece of paper- cool use of shadowing, right? When I went to see Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museum I was blown away by 1. How small the space actually is 2. The drapes that cover the walls are not drapes at all but are painted on go figure I like the proximity to the work, when you get to see the show go up and all the behind the curtain action it's awesome.
At the show I ran into another artist friend who was exhibiting with 3 separate galleries (now that’s multi-tasking). What a privilege to be to be taken on a tour of the fair and having the works explained to you first hand by an artists perspective. What he was able to describe about his own work were the emotions and story behind the drawings to such detail... that was pretty, pretty cool so many thanks Sergio!
