L.A. Art Doesn’t Look Like A Fair

LA Art Fair installation view. Photo AFC

Alright, screw those L.A. galleries and their exclusive fairs for putting together one of the best events in the city and keeping New York galleries out. Pleasantly, they don’t seem to have anything against New York artists as I observed the work of several on display, so I guess only dealers get to whine about this.

The best thing about the L.A. Art fair is that it doesn’t look like an art fair. In fact, often times it looks more like a museum space; There is plenty of room to walk around and view the art, the walls aren’t over hung, and the quality of the art exceeds that of most fairs. An excellent example of some of the more precious works at the fair comes from Victoria Gitman at Daniel Weinberg Gallery. For those who take interest in what’s selling and what’s not, the work had already sold by the time I saw it Saturday afternoon. I’m not sure that says anything about the work however past the point that its a salable object.

Left: Goetz Diergarten, Fassaden IX, 1997, at Rose Gallery, Right: Russell Crotty, Sandstone Formation with Wildfire Diffusion, 2007 at Shoshana Wayne Gallery
Photo AFC

Amongst my other picks in this show the work of Goetz Diergarten at Rose Gallery, and Russell Crotty at Shoshana Wayne stood out. Interestingly, in looking up additional work by Diergarten, I ran across a post written by Joerg Colberg at Conscenstious several years ago condemning the fact that he won a Hasselblad Foundation grant for work that looks too similar to that of his teacher Bernd Becher. I see the formal similarities but frankly I’m not sure why I should be bothered by the influence since as far as I can tell, the award does not signify Diergarten’s overshadowing of his uber famous professor. Of course, if anyone thinks the work is so derivative it deserves no attention feel free to write me and explain why.

On the subject of Russell Crotty whose art is also pictured above, it took me all of two seconds to identify his work as CRG Gallery launched a stunning exhibition of his oversized books of last May. Crotty’s globe lacks the monstrous size of some of his book work and maps, which seems appropriate given the purpose of the object. The globe has all the handmade charm of old timey maps you might find at the New York Public Library, which tends to just endear it more to me.

Unfortunately, as far as closings go I’m afraid I don’t have much for this post. You can look forward to a full report on DiVA Tuesday, as well as a wrap up of the fairs (including comic-con.) However I’m down for the count Monday. There’s only so much art fair blogging a person can do, and it’s clear I’ve reached my limit.