Personism

What ' s More

Panel 45: They arrived in Pittsburgh, one of the great industrial centers of the North, in large numbers. from Jacob Lawrence's 60 panel work The Migration of the Negro(1940-41)

I just finished reading Holland Cotter's review of two current exhibitions of Jacob Lawrence's The Migration of The Negro. I look forward to seeing the shows when I'm back in NYC and the whole article is a terrific read, as his reviews always are*, but his closing sentences really jumped out at me:

What’s more real, after all, art or the feeling of it? History or the telling of it? Medium or message? We know the conventional market wisdom. It’s important to have the alternative.

Variations on these questions have been at the core of a diverse array of open-ended conversations I've been having over the past several months with artists, collectors, other dealers and friends. (Basically any person I'm conversing with is in jeopardy of being lured into some version of the discussion.) I love the conversations, love them, but also find them incredibly frustrating. My own opinions are infuriatingly mutable, not because of indecision but because I can't nail down exactly where to establish my perspective from. (Which is kind of cool, in a way, but frustrating nonetheless.)

*This past Summer's review of Nina Berman's exhibition was written by Mr. Cotter. Lucky Nina, lucky me.

Paris When it Shivers

Paris was much colder when I was here for Paris Photo not so long ago, but our first couple of days in this lovely apartment were without heat and hot water so things got off to a shivery start, in spite of the more temperate weather. Fortunately the fixer of these things showed up this morning and I enjoyed a steamy leisurely bath before setting out for the day.

Sweet!

Yesterday was jet-lagged and meandering but an absolute pleasure nonetheless. I can (and have! and will!) wander Paris for days on end with no particular agenda and be perfectly content. Which seems rather obvious I suppose. I'd be suspicious of someone who saw tedium in the prospect of such a thing.

A visit to a local bonbonnière (above) was très amusant. An older woman with braided hair and sensible shoes took us through the inventory in great detail, enthusiastically explaining which producers made what and where. There were gorgeous tins of all kinds of candies and some amazing looking nougat which is apparently made only during the few months of the year that the honey is just right. I am going back for presents before we leave, so I only took away a small square of dark chocolate filled with caramel and some kind of sublimely crackly cookie. (Sampled this morning before coffee even, yum.)

As for this morning's breakfast, well, we had duck. For breakfast. Technically it was lunch, for everyone else at least. We were getting a characteristically late start, made later still by jetlag and the wait for hot water and so our first meal commenced at 1pm. My traveling companion went for the gusto, devouring foie gras and cassoulet. It was a bit rich for my taste, my palate was hankering for more of the aforementioned chocolate, or croissants, if anything at all. I picked a bit and visualized the chocolat chaud that was a core mission of the day.

Then we hopped on the Metro and met with a few gallerists. Topics of conversation included Euros, Dollars, art fairs, and Lumas, which is a hot topic here in Europe but hasn't yet made a huge impact in the States and yes, of course I have more to say about them but not now, it's past 2am and I should be sleeping. Another scintillating topic of conversation was the possibility that I may be curating an exhibition here in near future. Seems like a fine thing to plan a Spring time trip around, non?

All that talk took up more time than I expected (A. was counting the minutes I fear, sorry and thanks.) Suddenly it was dusk. We made our way to an international magazine shop and then not at all on purpose over towards Notre Dame, which I'd never gotten close to before. Those flying buttresses really are something. Looking at a pictures can't compare, nor can a million diagrams in Janson's. Looking up at the impossible architecture of those things, from a certain angle, in the gathering evening - I was suddenly immobile, a stubborn (and likely irritating) impediment to the tourists streaming around us.

Île de la Cité as viewed through the window of a cafe on Île Saint-Louis.

After that we made our way across the Seine and stopped at a cafe on Île Saint-Louis for a chocolat chaud. (Not the sublime chocolat chaud I have been promised and am craving but a more than serviceable one nonetheless.) The view poorly captured above by moi, was superior and I performed poorly during an impromptu French lesson. (The accent stymies me, and in general I hate being wrong which makes it hard to even try.)

The evening went on, we were eventually led back to the same cafe where we'd spent the evening before in different company. And there's more to be told, but again not now, because really I do think I'm supposed to sleep a bit even though I don't want to.

City of Light

A Paris apartment, the one I am staying in.

I just arrived in Paris this morning. I'll be here until just after the New Year, then it's on to Amsterdam for a couple of days. I'm mixing in some business here and there, I can't help myself! But... I'm also happy for the chance to slow down for a bit, eat delicious food, hang out with good friends and reflect a bit on what's been an incredible, intense year.

I hope everyone else is getting some down time, feeling some love and looking forward to 2008 with as much anticipation as I am.

I love a fresh new year, all uncharted promise and mystery.

Best Unsolicited Submission Email Ever

One of the forty-one (41) .jpgs I received along with the email message below.

Respectable gallery Responsible Officer: How Do You Do!

I am Chinese a Photographer, Very hope I could have show my PhotoForum in the Ethel gallery, I’ll give you my animatic, please Sexy-lady! Thank You!!!

RGDS Regards!

Salute!

Yours sincerely friend—WEI DU

links for 2007-12-07

• Hear, Hear - Intelligence for Small Business
  Via the ladies of Lunch
  (tags: blogs business nyc marketing)

20x200 Today: Running Track by James Deavin

Running Track by James Deavin, from his series The Games We Play

Today's 20x200 photo edition is here. Read about it on The 20x200 Blog or buy one now.

Pictures Not Words

As you can see here, there's a reason I stick with words rather than photos, but since I am pressed for time, I am going to let my crappy cell phone photos do the talking for me.

Here's my trip to Paris in the broadest strokes, on the few occasions where I remembered to take pictures:

I got to spend tons of time with my friend Jenni, who I adore immeasurably. It was such a treat! And I met Sally and we bonded over insomnia.

What did I say about my photos? I wasn't kidding, see? This is Jenni in front of a photo taken by Sally which is part of her exhibition, where I met her. (Sorry Jenni! You are exponentially more beautiful and far less blurry.)

Bert Teunissen makes like an orchid and leans. This was funnier in person, trust me.

That is Bert thinking hard in the foreground, with Lydia and Jenni examining important documents in the background. Bert is so smart and passionate and awesome, I can hardly stand it. And he takes great photos too.

The waiter, that's him in the background, was super charming and friendly and funny, even though we were very, very late for our reservation and didn't speak much French. He tried to make me finish my flan, but I refused. (In the nicest possible way.) It took Matt a long time to find us and join us for dinner, but join us he did.

I fell in love in Paris, with my friends. Here, Jenni and Lesley, another woman who I adore immeasurably and got to spend lots of time with, chat with Paul. We talked about photo books at dinner, a lot. Imagine that.

Paul and Andrew, photographers and bookmakers, happy to be sitting down after a long, cold walk to dinner.

On my iPhone this photo was completely confusing. Maybe it makes more sense here.

Here, some of what we drank and ate. Note the aforementioned unfinished flan.

I have been back in NYC for a while now, but have lots more travel coming up. The most exciting part about coming home? My new studio, which was moved into and set up expertly in my absence:

This is my new desk in my new studio, where I'm sitting right now. I have a window that looks out over treetops and north up 2nd Ave. It's amazing. (Aside: is it a studio or an office? I can't tell. Since I don't make art or design stuff, maybe it's an office.)

Links: The Plan

Disaster Master experts Crisis Management clutter removal hoarding restorations 1 800 THE PLAN
Yes.
(tags: life clutter selfhelp)