Monday, April 21, 2008

Forecast: Windy, with a Chance of High Sales

OK, so that is perhaps the cheesiest headline I've ever written. But I've got killer a sinus headache due to the bountiful blessings of Spring and the allergies that brings (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it).

Posting will be light this week, as tomorrow we head off to participate in the NEXT Art Fair in Chicago. Having done pretty well in Art Chicago last year (and having had a blast being there); seeing as collectors I know who attended last year reported having a great time and are going again; and seeing as the stock market is proving to be a fiesty ol' bastard, I'm optimistic about how the fair will go. It will be interesting to see how doubling the number of galleries in the Merchandise Mart will impact traffic and sales, but...fingers crossed.

We're bringing a trio of projects for our booth this year. Hot-out-of-the-studio new pieces by Ivin Ballen (here's a preview):

A hilarious and brilliant new installation by The Chadwicks (Jimbo Blachly and Lytle Shaw) dealing with 17th Century Dutch interiors painting's obsession with foreground floor debris:

And some gorgeous new work by Rory Donaldson (whose solo show opens in the gallery the week we get back):
Please do stop in our booth and say "Hi" if you're visiting the fair. Regular posting will resume next week (I'll try to do something later in this week, if my schedule permits).

Labels: Art Chicago, NEXT art fair

14 Comments:

Blogger Bill Gusky said...

Ivin's work, is it loosening up, or was it always this loose and playful? All I've seen are the JPGs. All those apparent materials -- duct tape, plastic garbage bag, cardboard -- they're trompe effects, sculpted and painted fiberglass?

It's effective, whatever the case.

The bloated Mondrian -- waddascream!

4/21/2008 09:29:00 AM  
Blogger Edward_ said...

they're trompe effects, sculpted and painted fiberglass?

With my raging sinus headache, I'm gonna not risk screwing this up and rely on my earlier explanation from a press release, which I now see was somewhat stiff (my apologies to readers and especially Ivin):

"Composing maquettes from cardboard, duct tape, plastic bottles, garbage bags, and other recyclable commonplace items, Ballen casts fiberglass and aqua resin sculptures of their negative space that he then paints with acrylic and watercolor paints, often with trompe l'oeil passages that reference the original found objects. Although the illusion is temporarily quite convincing, closer inspection of the paintings reveals subtle differences in textures and colors that expose the process, reinforcing Ballen’s central investigation of the act of looking and perceiving."

4/21/2008 09:41:00 AM  
Blogger Pretty Lady said...

Edward, I'm ashamed of you. You're behind the curve on this one; there are much younger artists doing much more creative things with duct tape than this.

4/21/2008 10:47:00 AM  
Blogger Edward_ said...

LOL.

but in these times of terror and uncertainty, isn't it unpatriotic to use up all that duct tape for fashion? I mean, what if the non-Evangelical family next door, you know the ones with the darker hue to their skin, finally get their orders from the cave in Pakistan? You're gonna look real silly in your duct tape suit, dead on the kitchen floor, because you didn't have enough left over to cover your windows.

4/21/2008 10:56:00 AM  
Anonymous Bambino said...

OMFG

4/21/2008 11:08:00 AM  
Blogger zipthwung said...

it can haz yell0cakez!

4/21/2008 12:40:00 PM  
Blogger Aaron Wexler said...

I've only been back to Chicago once since grad school but I miss it a lot!... okay, not so much the winters.
If you get the chance eat at Wishbone, brunch at Toast (if it still exists). A bit of art fair trivia: back in grad school "Art In Chicago" was the premiere art fair in the states. Maybe aside from the Armory, there were no others. It was started by a gallery owner.
I schlepped and installed for $10 an hour at that fair.

4/21/2008 02:20:00 PM  
Blogger Mark Staff Brandl said...

Hi Edward,
Good luck in Chicago, my old ex-hometown. My art was in the fair last year; I did great in sales and had a fun time. I can greatly recommend it (not sure about the expanded numbers though too). Too bad I didn't meet you then. Go to Sharkstock (a party). Have fun and sell lots.

4/21/2008 02:28:00 PM  
Blogger bgfa said...

Hey Ed, see you in Chicago. I'll be there to visit, not doing a fair this time. I'll stop by the booth.

4/21/2008 04:58:00 PM  
Blogger Carla said...

Once the casting is done, does Ivin then continue making formal decisions as he paints this form? Does he take this new point in the work and continue, using the original construction for input, yet tweaking and changing as he moves forward?

Or does he take the original construction to completion and replicate it faithfully?

He's really using these materials well, he's achieving a great aesthetic (seems to be, I haven't seen them IRL). I hope the casting, and post-cast polychroming is part of this process and not a negation of it.

4/21/2008 06:28:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We know you'll do well and have extra fun for us since we aren't going this year :( We miss you already...
SJ & L

4/22/2008 11:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love The Chadwicks!!! What a fantastic piece.

I haven't ever met Lyle. Jimbo's a great guy.

4/22/2008 03:43:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Really nice work. Ballen and Donaldson are great. Nice change of direction in gallery artists edward.

4/23/2008 05:48:00 AM  
Anonymous McFawn said...

AH! I was there in your very booth saturday, but was too out of it to realize it! I did, however, spend a long time transfixed by the little things in the trashed dutch alehouse. Like the Thorne Miniature Rooms after a good shake.

I even noticed the few mussels on a plate on the floor.

4/28/2008 03:46:00 PM  

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