Fair and Fair Alike: Miami 2009. Are We Out of the Woods?

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Fair and Fair Alike coverage so far:

A Little Gossip

Art? Or Not Art?

Nosing Around

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ABMB: Pierre Malphettes, Un Arbre Blanc, 2009, wood and neon; at Kamel Mannour, Paris

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Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post reports from the various fairs, but for this post I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the most recurring image and object in evidence throughout all the fairs was . . . trees!

As I walked through Art Basel Miami Beach, the big fair at the Convention Center, on Wednesday when I arrived, I saw trunks, branches, twigs and roots—a theme that would be repeated over and over at the various other venues. (And a theme that I covered recently here, here and here.)

Trees are a big part of landscape painting, of course, but landscape painting is not typically a big part of the visual agenda at the fairs. So what’s in the zeitgeist that accounts for such a strong arboreal presence? (The eight-pound catalog only hinted at the bosky abundance the fair had in store.) Since most exhibited work is new—made in the past year—I assume it’s a reaction, conscious or not, to an economy that was violently uprooted. Trees can reach up only because they have a root system as expansive as their branches. A metaphor for stability, perhaps?

ABMB: Roxy Paine, Containment 1, 2009, stainless steel; at James Cohan Gallery, New York

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Are we out of the woods? It’s significant that the trees are, for the most part, isolated, not part of a grove or forest. Or is it that we can’t see the forest for the trees? I’m looking to metaphor and free association because I think these object and images spring creatively from that need-to-make place, rather than as a result of offering formal issues to explore. Then again, maybe artists are just thinking green.

In terms of symbols, the roots go deeper. The Tree of Life, common in all cultures from earliest times, unites heaven and earth—wholeness—and its fruits sustain life. Kabbalah is depicted as a tree. Wood is the primary material of the universe in Vedic philosophy. And, thanks to the Druids, this time of year Christians and commercialized enterprises throught the Western world are decorating a you-know-what.

Above, ABMB: Ernesto Caivano, Untitled, 2009, oil on linen; at Mary Boone Gallery, New York

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Below, Pulse: A peek at the booth of Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, where all the work had a sylvan theme

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The director of a blue-chip New York gallery showing at ABMB raised his eyebrows when I mentioned the trend and noted that his gallery was showing two such works. “We didn’t plan to show trees,” he said, “but that’s what our artists gave us.” At Pulse, on the other hand, San Francisco’s Rena Bransten Gallery created an entire booth around the theme.

Thinking about the tenuousness of the economy: A tree is that thing money doesn't grow on. But while no one was plucking bills from any branches, there were plenty of deals being made.

Here, take a look. A lot of images follow. What do you make of this trend?

The use of humble materials, often repurposed, was another recurring element in all the fairs

Above, ABMB: A lovely recycling of furniture back into a tree by Gelitin, a Viennese collaborative; at Greene Naftali Gallery, New York

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Below: Whitney Lynn, Untitled, 2009, wood, wire and army blankets; at Patricia Sweetow, San Francisco

Above, ABMB: Giuseppe Pennone, Foglie de Zucche, 1982, bronze, with detail right; at Marian Goodman Gallery, New York

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Below, ABMB: The trunk that occupies the whole booth; at Galerie Enrique Guerrero, Mexico

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ABMB: Ai Wei Wei, Map of China, with detail below; at Mary Boon Gallery, New York

ABMB: The seating arrangement at Galerie Laurent Godin, Paris

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ABMB: Lawrence Weiner; at Marian Goodman, New York
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Below, ABMB: Installation at Leslie Tonkonow Artworks and Projects, New York; with Kunie Sugiura, Winter Branches, right

ABMB: Jorge Mayet; at Galerie Horrach Moya, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Aqua: Steve Tobin, Bronze Root; at Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia

ABMB: Yayoi Kusama, Prisoner's Door, 1994, mixed media; at Victoria Miro Gallery, London

Pulse: Evelyn Hellenschmidt, Leben im Baum, 2009, bronze and brass; right, Xavi Munoz, 21 Drawings; at Galeria Raquel Ponce, Madrid

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Hellenschmidt detail below:

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Pulse: Igor Eskinja, Albero, C-print on plexi; at Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco

Scope: Park Ji-Hyun, Winter, 2008, mixed media; at Gana Art, New York

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Art Miami: Doug and Mike Starn, Structure of Thought #10, inkjet print on mulbery paper with wax, encaustic and varnish; at Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm

Art Miami: Daisy Craddock; at David Lusk Gallery, Memphis

Aqua: Jake Longstreth; at Gregory Lind Gallery, San Francisco

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Pulse: David Huffman, Tree Huggers; at Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco

Red Dot: Lana Shuttleworth, Cone Grove 1, for Klimt, 2008, safety cones, shoe polish, wax, nails; at George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles

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Detail below

ABMB: Sean Landers, Plank Boy Hurt, 2009, oil on linen; at Capitan Petzel, Cologne

Pulse: Marci Washington, Escape Into the Woods, 2009, watercolor and gouache; at Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco

Pulse: Gabrielle Basch, Taunus, 2009, spray paint on cutout; at Galleri Thomassen, Sweden

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I responded to a number of small works, a few paintings but mostly work on paper, that explored the theme. If blog space (and personal time) had allowed, I would have included at least two dozen additional images.

ABMB: Benjamin Butler, Untitled Tree (Green), app. 16 x 20 inches; at Galeri Martin Janda, Vienna

Pulse: Sabine Finkenauer, Space, 2009, work on paper; at MasArt Galeria, Barcelona

ABMB: Jorge Macchi, one of six framed works in an installation; gallery unknown

Scope: Eko Nugroho, Studi, Figur, Fantasi, acrylic on canvas, app, 14 x 12 inches; at Ark Galeri, Jakarta

Pulse: Amy Wilson, watercolor (?) on paper; framed app 16 x 14 inches; at Bravin Lee, New York

Pulse: Neil Farber; at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London

Aqua: Paul Wackers, Slow Light, 2009, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 28 inches; at Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco

Art Miami: The grandaddy of tree painters, Wolf Kahn, Tones of Yellow and Green, 2009, oil on canvas, 68 x 80 inches; at Rosenbaum Contemporary, Boca Raton
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Fair and Fair Alike: Miami 2009. A Little Gossip

Fair and Fair Alike Coverage so Far:
. Nosing Around
. Art? Or Not Art?
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MIAMI--Yeah, yeah. You're gonna get serious coverage. I'm working on it. But indulge me as I have a little Page Six moment.
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The Miami press was abuzz with the news that Sly Stallone, of the Philadelphia Stallones, had paintings on exhibition at Art Basel Miami Beach (his first gallery show), at the Gmurzynska Gallery booth--paintings that were selling in the mid-five figures to the likes of well-known art connoisseur Steve Wynn, of the Las Vegas Wynns.
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Stallone is said to have admitted he was feeling "intimidated" to have his work displayed in the company of "the masters." D'ya think? The Daily Mail has the story, and I cribbed the picture, above left, from it.
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I didn't see the actor or his painting--nor was I looking for them--but I did run into that walking performance piece known as Eva and Adele.
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Eva and Adele: I'm not sure who's who.
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The ambiguously sexual duo, artists who are dressed identically from shaved head to platformed toe, turn up at all the art fairs and at the openings in Chelsea. They spoke to no one as they took in the fair. Well, they weren't speaking to me. I asked them to pose. They ignored me. Like a good paparazza, I photographed them anyway.

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More soon.
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Fair and Fair Alike: Miami 2009. Art? Or Not Art?

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Fair and Fair Alike coverage so far:

Nosing Around

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MIAMI—I won't begin the serious writing until I get home. I expect to start posting by Tuesday. But in the meantime I have a little quiz to get your eyeballs in shape. I'm calling it Art? Or Not Art?

The images are identified by number at the bottom of the post.

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1. A weed growing against painted wall on N. Miami Avenue in the 20s

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2. At NADA: Tony Matelli, Abandon, 2008, bronze and vinyl paint, at the Leo Koenig Gallery booth

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3. At Aqua Art: Installation at Overthrow Gallery, Miami

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4. At Art Basel Miami Beach: The cardboard recycling boxes
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5. Flattened corrugated on N. Miami Avenue

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6. At Art Basel Miami Beach: Ruben Ochoa at Suzanne Vielmetter, Los Angeles

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Fair and Fair Alike: Miami 2009. Nosing Around

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Showing Shane Hope's plexi-mounted digital prints at the Winkleman Gallery booth at Pulse

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MIAMI—Oh, there is something in the air here. Despite the humidity there's a freshness. A sweetness, even. This is a marked change from last year.

If 2008’s fair week had been a perfume, it might have been called Despair. Its top notes of uncertainty wafted away quickly, as the full middle notes—panic, anguish and nervous perspiration—asserted themselves over the course of the week. By Sunday only the bottom note lingered: resignation.

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This year the aroma is lighter. Let’s call it Vert. As in a springlike rebirth. As in the color of money. Perhaps carried away on the breezes of the rising Dow, a top note of apprehension has dispersed, leaving the robust middle tones of optimism, new currency, and a soupcon of plastic swiped discreetly. The bottom note, the underlying scent that lingers hours after application, is cautious relief. Can you smell it?

There are other aromas here in Miami: the salty beach air, a gentle reminder of what you won’t be seeing unless you have an ocean-view room, and car fumes. This year's crop of events is geographically widespread, and whether you're taking the shuttle bus, a taxi or your own rental car, you're gonna get stuck in traffc.

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The smoke that wafted through Wynwood last night was from the guerrilla grill-athon known as Art Burn. Nothing was for sale. Several dozen works of art were exhibited and then tossed into the flames. Call it the anti-fair, carried out under the radar and past your nose. For a couple of hours it was the hottest game in town.

El Celso, left, Art Burn instigator and griller in chief. The event took place in the parking lot of Las Tias, a resale store across the street from the Rubell Collection and around the corner from Art Miami

Reminder: Art Bloggers at Art Miami takes place Saturday 11:30 am to 1:00. We'll be there at 11:00. Look for the signs.

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Off to Miami

Update in red below

Camera? Check. Laptop? Check. Netbook? Check. Comfortable shoes? Check. Toe donuts and bandaids? Checkety check. Boyd Level Miami Guide? Wouldn't leave home without it (see below). Bathing suit? Why bother? With a dozen fairs on my must-see list, a blogger panel to moderate, and at least one guerrilla event (see below), the only full immersion I'll have is in the art.

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My multi-part installment this year is titled Fair and Fair Alike. You'll hear from me occasionally over the next few days, but the bulk of my writing and posting will be done after I return. No Twitter-style updates from me; I'm going for substance. (If history is any measure, I'll be coming back with some 2500 images. I'll need time to edit and Photoshop the pictures and figure out what to tell you about this larger-than-life event. So make that substance abuse.)

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If you're in Miami, stop by these events and say Hi:

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. Art Burn 2009 on Thursday: Artist, curator and self-proclaimed "master griller" El Celso promises a red-hot time as he "displays and flambees" some three dozen works of art. (I've contributed a small work for the show-and-glow.)

Location: The parking lot of Las Tias, 2834 N. Miami Avenue

Time: 1:00-5:00 pm

Read more here, here , here and here

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. The blogger panel on Saturday at Art Miami. Sharon Butler, Roberta Fallon, Thomas Hollingworth, Paddy Johnson, Libby Rosof, Hrag Vartanian and I will convene at 11:00 am, and our panel will run from 11:30 to 1:00. Our topic: Carving Our Niche in the Blogosphere.

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And just in case you're wondering where exactly I'm off to, check out this double-sided, foldable guide to, well, everything else in Miami worth seeing over the next few days.