2.22.07 - This is Art Week in New York with dealers, collectors, curators, artists and their entourages descending on the city from all over the world to see (and buy) and be seen. Apropos of this, and coincidentally, I had lunch yesterday at Michael’s with Alexandra Wolfe who recently signed on as a staff writer for Portfolio, the developing Conde Nast business magazine. Alexandra’s beat will be the Art World and the Business of the Art World.
Last night at the Seventh Regiment Armory at Park Avenue and 67th Street that’s exactly what was going on: the Art Dealers Association of America launched its 19th annual Art Show with a Gala Preview benefiting Henry Street Settlement.
Henry Street is one of New York’s oldest and most venerable social service organizations. It has long been a leader in youth services and community arts programming. Its innovative programs for homeless families have been replicated across the city and the nation. The Henry Street Settlement which has been based on the Lower East Side for 110 years has always had as its mission to enable our least advantaged neighbors to better ther lives and pursue their dreams. More than 100,000 people benefit from its programs each year.
This was my first visit to the Art Show in years. The place was mobbed. With boldfaced names and of course the boldfaced galleries. The list of benefactors and patrons ran into the hundreds.
As you entered there was a corridor designed by Elizabeth Rexrode and Michael Chirigos (Rexrode Chirigos Architects) with Lighting provided by Erco Lighting. Just inside was a Matisse drawing Tête, main au visage, ca 1951 on display and taking silent bids. The pen and ink on paper had been provided by the Pierre and Maria –Gaetana Matisse Foundation. It has never been seen before publicly. Although I don’t know what the winning bid was, as we were leaving, it had reached $59,500 with all proceeds going as a gift to Henry Street’s social services and arts programs.
Money, money. Lots and lots of money. Art and Real Estate is where New Yorkers are seeing it right now. (A real estate broker I ran into told me he’d done $35 million in residential sales just last week alone!). Furthermore dealers were selling like it was the last chance to get in on the action.
There were wonderful pieces to be seen throughout the show – beautiful, stunning, astonishing, alarming, fantastic, intriguing and fascinating. The contemporary market was a big part of the lure with this crowd and there was excitement close to pandemonium wherever you went along the aisles populated with 70 dealers’ booths. JH and the Digital took a good look for you. |
