The first studio we went to was the studio of a really great organization called Booklyn. This group has over 500 members and counting. The organization helps artists all over the world create publications, cataloging them, and finding ways of getting the work out to the public. They have many gallery shows in their space in Greenpoint as well as around the world at book fairs, craft fairs, art shows, and even in libraries and museums.
Our tour guide was really great. I don't remember her name but she was hilarious and so down to earth. She told us the history of Booklyn and how she reluctantly became the person in charge of going to museums and libraries to try and sell different books. I loved her attitude towards us, she spoke to us as equals and was just bullshitting with us at the end of the visit. She also told us to get a day job that won't interfere with out art making (if anything it should help with it!).
So many books!
View from a window in Booklyn's studio
A few blocks away was the studio of Kerry Downey. This was a very interesting artist to visit. Unlike many of the artists that we have spoken to, Downey never plans on selling any of her work.
It is very easy to understand why she would be so attached to every drawing or print she makes. A lot of what she does deals with very personal issues, such as phantom limb. Her work also deals a lot with the idea of failure and elderly people. She explained that she grew up in Florida and has been surrounded by and working with elderly since high school. Most of her work stems from an obsession with self help magazines trying to sell you mostly junk that you really don't need and a few things that might be helpful to a handful of people. So, there is a strange humor in all of her work that I really enjoyed.
Her deck had a beautiful view!
Some of Downey's work.
Basically around the corner was a gallery called Heliopolis. The show that was currently there was put together by my professor, Bill. The show consisted of proofs, works that didn't actually work, notes, and other forms of planning. It was a really interesting show. I was very surprised by the fact that if I wasn't told what the show was about, I would have just guessed that everything was a final, well thought out piece.
I agree, Booklyn is an awesome organization, and Felice (our hostess) was hilarious. We'll be seeing more of them at the Editions Fair, I have a feeling. But I think it's important to note how different the group of artists represented in their publications and collection are from the artists we're used to seeing in galleries and museums. Another reminder of the many different spheres of the art world.
ReplyDeleteI think Kerry's statement about not selling work was a little different: not that she's opposed to the idea, but she really doesn't worry about having to make money that way. In my own experience this is a helpful attitude to have, so that the art market isn't what determines your ability to pay the rent or eat. And I'm glad you picked up on the humor in Kerry's work, which is such a huge part of everything she does - I think it's worth noting the combination of the personal and the humorous.
As for the show at Heliopolis, I think the problem is that when you ask people for things to put in an exhibition, no one is going to give you something that looks really crappy, which is almost too bad. Still, it was a worthwhile experiment.