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12.16.2008

FAIR WEATHER: Trends and Coincidences--Animals

Miami Art Fairs, Art Basel Miami, Aqua, Art Miami, Bridge, Pulse, Red Dot, Scope, Rubell Collection
Already posted:
FAIR WEATHER: Deal or No Deal
FAIR WEATHER: Prologue
FAIR WEATHER: Art Basel
FAIR WEATHER: The Containers
FAIR WEATHER: Art Miami
FAIR WEATHER: Art Imitates Art
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If you follow this blog, you know I often refer to the fashion dictum, Two of anything's a coincidence; three's a trend.
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Welcome to Trend #1: Animals. This grouping starts with the fuzzy and furry and progresses to the truly bizarre. Crossdressing squirrel, anyone? Coyote head on a gumball machine? It also yields what I think is the most freakish description of medium I've ever read: "oil and naturalized coyotes on canvas." (Did I mention I'm a vegetarian?)



Art Basel Miami Beach: Galleria Massimo De Carlo, Milan


Bridge on Collins: Crissy Penuell at Garden Fresh, Chicago


Bridge on Collins: Ross Bonfanti at Projects Gallery, Philadelphia
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Want to hug these woodgie woodgies? You're in for a surprise: They're concrete. "The artist pulled the stuffing out of the animals and filled them with concrete," explained the person in the booth. When the concrete set, he ripped away the outer fabric, bits of which remained stuck to the new version of the animal, along with the eyes, nose and mouth. I love them!


Aqua Hotel: Elaine Bradford at Art Palace, Austin




Scope: Iris Schieferstein horse shoes at Jack the Pelican Gallery, Brooklyn




Scope: Invisible-Exports, New York. That's dealer Benjamin Tischer in the foreground. I want to direct your attention to the wolf head on the gumball machine by Genesis Breyer P-orridge
Detail below

(The book wall is an inkjet print by Mickey Smith)





Red Dot: Marc Seguin at Charest-Weinberg Gallery, Miami. I Love America and America Loves Me, 2008. This is the naturalized coyote on canvas--as if you couldn't tell

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6 comments:

Donna Thomas said...

I see Seguin's "I Love America and America Loves Me" is dated 1970. Isn't that before Joseph Beuys' performance of the same name? I would have thought that Beuys' performance came first.

Anonymous said...

1970 was the year marc seguin was born, the painting is dated 2008

Joanne Mattera said...

Right you are, Anon. I have corrected the error. And if you thnk I'm screwing up now, wait until I get close to the end. (I'm about halfway finished.)

Donna Dodson said...

We saw Genesis P. Orridge's work at the Womanizer show Jeffrey Deitch and also in The Believers show at Mass Moca last year. My partner is really into the music he created with the band called 'Throbbing Gristle.' Those inside out stuffed animal concrete castings remind me of Amy Podmore's work- she teaches at Williams College in Western, Mass. Speaking of animals in art- did you see the write up on Rune Olsen in Jan/Feb 2009 Sculpture magazine?

Stephanie Clayton said...

I saw those critters at Bridge. Those horse shoes are reminiscent of a photo from the Rolling Stones Tattoo You album.
Utterly strange and kind of wonderful, this fuzzy animal "trend". Now I want to know more...

Donna Thomas said...

Thanks for the update regarding the Seguin piece!