Manish Vora, Morgan Reed, Paul Morris, & Ken Tyburski
Paul Morris is a pioneer of the current art fair model, from The Gramercy, an early fair run out of hotel rooms, to New York’s Armory Show. Morris now runs eight art fairs for MMPI, including The Armory Show, this weekend’s Art Chicago/NEXT, and the recently-announced Art Platform Los Angeles. We spoke with Morris about the history of art fairs, opening a fair in L.A., and the future of the business. We also talked to Ken Tyburski, Curatorial Director of NEXT and partner in New York’s DCKT Gallery. At this weekend’s Chicago fairs, you might recognize artwork on Artlog in the booths at DCKT, Charlie James, Christina Ray, Blythe Projects, Dunham Salon, and Causey Contemporary. For a full selection, check out our official catalog of the work at NEXT.
Chicago: The beginning of it all
Manish Vora
Once out of the Chicago airport, I quickly felt the dread common to those who hop on the 405 in Los Angeles and into 10 lanes of traffic moving at a snail’s pace – apparently this is the norm at all times of the day. When you arrive downtown, the fabled Merchandise Mart is reminiscent of Grand Central Station. Surrounded by towering skyscrapers, one massive Art Deco building stands apart. At 4 million square feet, the building was the largest in the world when erected in 1930 (later surpassed by the Pentagon). The Marshal Field family built it as the central merchandising warehouse for the country. A few decades after the opening, Joseph Kennedy, father of John F. Kennedy, took over, and the family owned the building for 50 years until selling it in the late 90s. Though no longer owned by the family, Chris Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, has run what is now MMPI and expanded the business with great success throughout North America.
Why the backstory? I love American history, but more importantly, for those of us in the art world wondering about the origins of art fairs, the story goes back to the continent’s first great art fair at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. Today, MMPI is the largest art fair company in the world and the most significant art company you haven’t heard of. The empire includes The Armory Show in NYC, VOLTA NY, VOLTA Basel, Art Chicago, NEXT Chicago, Art Toronto, and Art Platform Los Angeles, a hotly-anticipated newcomer. MMPI has not yet strayed from its successful formula, tapping strong industry leaders who also happen to be well-regarded and well-liked. Paul Morris, a long-time successful dealer, is at the head of the ship. He recently brought in fundraising guru Adam Gross, formerly of MOCA LA, to run Art Platform Los Angeles. Art critic Amanda Coulson runs VOLTA in Basel and New York, and Morris recently appointed Ken Tyburski as curatorial director of NEXT Chicago. Tyburski’s New York gallery, DCKT Contemporary, is a leader among the galleries emerging in New York’s Lower East Side, and, as a well-respected dealer, he brought new energy visible at this year’s opening. NEXT booths were filled to the brim, Shepard Fairey’s DJ set blared, and the galleries fed off the friendly vibes of their neighbors.
Art Chicago and NEXT Discoveries
Morgan Reed
Curtis Mann, Night Sky, 2011, chemically altered chromogenic development print. Courtesy of Kavi Gupta Gallery.
Curtis Mann, Chicago-based artist
Kavi Gupta, Chicago
Curtis Mann’s chemically-altered photographs urge us to question the essence of photography. Our constant, mass-consumption of imagery tends to leave us unaffected by what we see. Bleaching parts of an image challenges the photograph’s power, and, at the same time, emotions surface and we find ourselves curious about elements we may have otherwise disregarded.
Beth Lipman, Black Glass, Shells and Urns, 2010, transfer print on plexi. Courtesy Cade Tompkins Projects.
Beth Lipman, Philadelphia-based artist
Cade Tompkins Projects, Providence
Beth Lipman’s intricately handcrafted glass sculptures and photographs reference the classic still-life while commenting on our mass consumption of objects. The finished pieces are typically clear or black. Their smooth, colorless forms allude to the way material possessions grow meaningless as they blend into our surroundings and sit unnoticed throughout our homes.
Kim Piotrowski, Poisoned Optimist, 2011, mixed media on synthetic paper. Courtesy of Patrajdas Contemporary Art.
Kim Piotrowski, Chicago-based artist
Patrajdas Contemporary Art, Chicago
Kim Piotrowski creates striking, mixed-media abstractions on sythetic papers. The vibrant palette and various textures are immediately enticing. With greater consideration, representational elements begin to surface and express a deeper narrative.
Cecilia Paredes, Dreaming Roses, 2009, acid free photograph print. Courtesy Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts.
Cecilia Paredes, artist based in San Jose and Philadelphia
Diana Lowenstein, Miami
Cecilia Paredes’ works are at once beautiful and intriguing. Consistently using her body in her photographs, she combines the mediums of performance, painting, and sculpture. Paredes paints floral prints onto herself, resulting in a camouflage that interrogates our interactions with and relationship to the material world.
Miller & Shellabarger, Untitled (Pyre), 2010, raster, engraving and matte fixative on maple plywood. Courtesy of Western Exhibitions.
Miller & Shellabarger, Chicago-based artists
Western Exhibitions, Chicago
Chicago-based husband collaborators, Miller & Shellabarger, create performances and objects that document human relationships. While their work might be semi-autobiographical on the surface, they are filled with layers of meaning. The interaction between lovers creates a dialogue that is universal and at the same time ambiguous.
Monika Zarzeczna, but i do think about you, 2008, mixed medium on paper.
Monika Zarzeczna, New York-based artist
Spencer Brownstone Gallery, New York
Monika Zarzeczna usually works with drawings that combine abstraction and figuration. In her new work, shown for the first time by Spencer Brownstone Gallery, she has taken a different approach by creating purely abstract collages. What began as experiments with scraps from a paper factory has resulted in beautifully textured compositions. As the papers warp and form through her process, the free-floating presentation adds a sculptural level.
The Post Family
What originated as a collaborative workspace between enthusiastic designers and printmakers has evolved into a beautifully curated blog. Each member has an enviable aesthetic sensibility and a great respect for fellow creatives. The Post Family also functions as a gallery space, presenting inspirational artist projects in The Family Room.
And two magazines:
