Art in the Free Press...finally!
Did anyone catch yesterday's paper? Well...in the entertainment section on the front page was a huge feature on Metro Detroit's art galleries! The spead comes at a great time to promote holiday buying of art! The only thing I noticed was they seemed to have forgotten a few like District Arts, KIDD, 555.....oh, well...at least they are trying, right?
posted by art blogs are fun at 9:52 AM
4 Comments:
My take on their top 12:
1.) 4731 – Here is an example of unparalleled potential to become a vibrant space for contemporary art squandered. With the exception of the recent 2000 artists show, they’ve been plagued by bad exhibition and down time. I really wish someone would smack some sense into these guys and get the ball rolling.
2.) Sherrus Gallery - "[The gallery] represents local Northville artists like Jeff Von Buskirk, who specializes in painting sassy women with martinis who look like they belong on 'Sex and the City'." I've never been to this gallery, and with copy like that I can't see why I would.
3.) G.R. N'Namdi - Great space and nice shows. Enough said.
4.) Art Leaders Gallery - From the looks of it this place wants to be Park West really bad (note: PW didn't hit the list). That's a real shame given the reputation Park West has for illegal reproductions and inferior work. I hate looking at places like this and feeling like an art elitist, but it's hard not to scoff sometimes. This place is also consulted on an article about how to buy art (presumably “with a check book” was stretched into an entire article).
5.) Sherry Washington - I have a grudge against SWG. I work for a shipping company that moves her work, and she treats art like it's worthless. I feel bad for every artist she shows, because I know their work will end up in her storage space thrown against someone else’s work without so much as a sheet of cardboard to protect the faces. I rarely see work come out of SWG that isn't damaged in some way. Then there's Sherry Washington herself whose shady dealings with the city got her fired from her position as their arts consultant. She was then subsequently hired by the school district to supply the schools with $500,000 worth of hastily made "art" not 3 years later. It's really a shame.
6.) Biddle Gallery – Craft Gallery
7.) Pewabic Pottery – Nice Craft Gallery
8.) C-Pop – The Shepard Fairey show was awesome...three years ago.
9.) Lemberg – Shows at Lemberg are kind-of hit and miss. Some are really gorgeous and others lean towards the boring. You’ve really got to stick with Lemberg to get the benefit of their exhibitions long term. Their billboard on the other hand is a wonderful project, and I’m glad to see it back in rotation.
10.) Ambient Gallery – New gallery in Maniscalco’s space. Not a good place to start. I have high hopes for this space, but with it’s location in Grosse Pointe (an unrelentingly conservative arts community) it’ll be hard for them to challenge their viewers and stay afloat. We’ll just have to wait and see.
11.) Mt. Clemens Blown Glass – Glass is not my thing, so I’ll suspend comment.
12.) David Klein Gallery – David Klein does some really nice shows and represents some amazing artists (Victor Rodriguez is one of the best photorealist painters around today). DKG may be a bit dated, but nice in the mix.
So, the question now is how out of touch the Free Press must be in order to write an article about “Detroit” galleries without mentioning the Hilberry, Robert Kidd, District Arts, 555, etc. If anything this article lays to bare the “big paper’s” ignorance of the local art world and its inability to even cover the bases. Let’s hope the rumors are true and that the MOCAD is starting an art mag. We need it desperately.
Oh yeah, silly me I forgot Susanne Hilberry! I wonder if those galleries took out ads in the paper to get a shout out? I can just see it...turn the page and an ad for Biddle Gallery! haha!
Yeah really...what criteria did these spaces meet that got them in this article?? Units moved?
Under the guise of "holiday shopping" I guess you could get away with highlighting craft and sales galleries, but come on! It's hard not to be judgmental when the “legitimate” media in this city thinks “Art Leaders Gallery” is a good place to look for emerging artists. It’s absurd.
To start, it IS a good thing that the free press is talking about art at all. And everyone who is remotely involved in the "art community" can talk as much trash about who/whatever they like. However, it doesn't really count as Participating in moving forward.
Question 1:
I have some of my work on consignment at Biddle gallery. So, am I simply a crafter? I was always of the impression that I was primarily a painter, though it appears I may need to update my portifolio. Should I contact the other fine art galleries that have booked me for shows in the next year and let them know that I am not actually I fine artist?
Question 2: Is it a conflict of interest for 2 artists/writers who work for rival news rags to gang up on a third?
Also, to resolve the much debated issue: Biddle did not place an ad.
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