Monday, December 15, 2014

More about the 1st show at Walter De Maria's former home-studio on East 6th Street



Last week we noted that a new exhibit was now taking place at 421 E. Sixth St., the former home-studio for Walter De Maria that Peter Brant bought for $27 million.


[Photo last Wednesday night by Shawn Chittle]

Andrew Russeth, co-executive editor of ARTnews, has an essay on the show, titled "Dan Colen: The L...o...n...g Count." For starters, this is NOT not a project of the Brant Foundation Art Study Center. Brant told the Times back in October that he plans on opening this space in a few years.

So we don't know if this is just some one-off show … or the first of many before the new space officially opens.

And now some thoughts via Russeth's article:

It will be hard for many — this writer not included — not to see the Colen show as the latest example of the relentless commingling of big money, new art, and real estate in present-day New York, but let’s just admit that there is a very slim silver lining: at least it wasn’t converted into condos.

And!

[M]y hope is that, when Brant opens the space, he will get weird in a major way. Yes, he should do some big-name exhibitions (the Urs Fischer and Karen Kilimnik shows at his Greenwich estate were superb), but he should also take some aggressive chances, inviting in marginal institutions and little-known young names. He should give artists, big and small, free rein and see what happens, establishing a legacy.

The Colen show, which Russeth described as "deeply mediocre," runs through Sunday here in the former Con Ed substation between Avenue A and First Avenue.



Previously on EV Grieve:
About that "giant-robot laboratory" on East Sixth Street

RIP Walter De Maria

What is your East Village dream home?

Walter De Maria's 'giant-robot laboratory' going for $25 million; inside is amazing as you'd expect

Walter De Maria's home/studio on East 6th Street is now on the market for $25 million

Rumor: The Brant Foundation buying Walter De Maria's E. 6th St. studio for an exhibition space (19 comments)

Confirmed: Peter M. Brant buys Walter De Maria's amazing East 6th Street home and studio

1st permits filed for renovation of Walter De Maria's former home-studio on East 6th Street

A soft opening at the Brant Foundation's new space at Walter De Maria's former East 6th Street studio

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dan Colon is a joke. His art is garbage. Literally.

CurlyZip said...

"deeply mediocre" I love that. Much better than saying awful.

Giovanni said...

I'm actually looking forward to seeing more of Dan Colon's deeply mediocre whoopie cushion sculptures since the whole NY corporate art scene today is basically one big joke.