Notes from the Road

I know I have been a bad travel blogger lately, but I have been gathering material non-stop. Got into New York Thursday afternoon, and went straight to the Armory Show. The Armory was overwhelming, and not entirely satisfying. There is something about the fair, which reminds me of a flea market. And when you see a Cecily Brown in a stall rather than a museum it does something to you, makes you feel a bit cheap and dirty.

But it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some of those works. Galleries from all over the world bring pieces that you might never see. And there are artists who's work is never going to have a retrospective at the Guggenheim, but who are incredible. Plus the Armory VIP is chalk full of good art gossip. I got an earful about the satellite events in NYC. One of which Paul, Virginia and I went to in Long Island City. Vanessa Beecroft, the artist made famous by her works with naked models proved to be the shallowest event of the fair. There was one highlight for me, and that was seeing two works by Ryan McGinley, which a gallery from San Francisco had on offer. Not the image bellow, but from the same series. They were beautiful, and reasonably priced around 10k. If only I was in the market

Paul and I also went to see the MFA show at Hunter, which was largely forgettable, but there were a few standouts, and overall it wasn't a total bust. Afterward we went down to the meatpacking district and met the biz for dinner and drinks. We had a great time, gossiping about NYC, Toronto, fashion, art and theatre. Does it get better than that? Friday I spent the day with Virginia, we went to the MOMA, and I was totally impressed by Martin Kippenberger, who's work is not only funny and thoughtful, but also surprisingly beautiful and well balanced.

We also went to the Frick, which I had never been to, and really loved. I think it is too bad the upper levels of the house are not open to the public, but the art was phenomenal. I mean they have three Vermeer's - three. That is feet considering there are only about forty in the entire world. The house is also incredibly beautiful and makes me long for a era long gone, when property of that size and grandeur wasn't gaudy but completely appropriate.

Saturday I took the train to DC, to see my high school friend Nell. She lives at the Stanford House in DC, and while it is technically a dorm, imagine living in an embassy, because that is what it is like. The Stanford house has an in house gallery, who last show is now on at the Smithsonian, not bad eh. Nell took me out Saturday night with a bunch of her friends, and while had a good time, I couldn't help but wonder if DC isn't still a segregated city.

Sunday we did an art marathon, taking in the Louise Bourgeois show at the Hirshhorn.


I love her spiders and I know that she is extremely influential and important, but I was more impressed with the Hirshhorn's director Terence Gower's piece about Hirshhorn's plans to develop a modern utopian community in the wilderness of Canada, slated to be called Hirshhorn, Ontario. The town never materialized but the piece at the museum was unreal, and made me wonder what is in Hirshhorn, Ontario? I bet it isn't nearly as cool or efficient as Hirshhorn would have been. Next we went to the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery and the Art in America museum. The Smithsonian has a few pieces by my current favourite Edward Hopper including Cape Cod, which might be one of my favourite pieces of all times.


Her wistful expression says it all. Then Nell and I had to separate and I went to hear a concert at the Phillips, which I missed because I was so enraptured by the Rothko room. I mean is there anything as spellbinding as a room full of Rothko's? I don't think so.


The Phillips also had a special exhibit of Morandi, who I had never seen before, and who work was both whimsical and significant. Morandi makes me rethink the way we define objects, by demonstrating that nothing can be as debilitating to creativity as the eye. We are so set in our ways of viewing objects that it can be easy to forget that the only thing making a cup a cup is the word itself. Sublime

Today I am off to the Supreme Court to see if I can sit in on a hearing. It is probably going to be more dull than it sounds but I think it's a novel idea. Then I am off to the National Gallery to take a look at this. Tomorrow, I am planning on heading to Boston, but I haven't finalized my plans yet so I will have to let you know. Hope you have had as exciting a weekend? O yea did I mention, I have been wearing skirts for two days.