Scope Miami, Photo AFC
I’ll tell you what; Scope’s emerging artist grantees improve every year, the floor plans and organization of their booths has gotten better and their curatorial programs have seen real growth. All of this may be meaningless however, if the fair cannot start attracting quality exhibitors. They might also start refusing a few of the crappier galleries willing to pay their booth fees, or they’ll see the whole ship sink.
Sara Cook and Robert Munn’s Depthography (Center). The Proposition
Take husband and wife team Sara Cook and Robert Munn, who specialize in 3-D art; while the effect of their “depthography” loses something on this computer, this kind of familiar arcade poster doesn’t really need more attention than it already received through the mid 80′s. The Proposition‘s booth as a whole has an almost delightful so-bad-it’s-good quality to it, but it seems to come without the artist’s or gallery’s awareness, which of course renders it virtually meaningless.
Imagine this booth replicated with variation by 100 and you’re looking at Scope. It’s really not worth discussing all the bad work that was shown last week — there’s simply too much of it — but since I liked some of the Scope commissions I’ve posted a few below.
Dennis Oppenheim, Safety Cones, Photograph AFC
A self depreciating public sculpture? We approve!
Boris Hoppek’s Entrance Installation, Photograph AFC
This large and moderately appealing sculpture sits in the center of a spacious sitting area near the front entrance. As far as I could tell the inside was largely used as additional storage space, which means the man pictured inside the sculpture isn’t part of the piece.
Situ Studio and Matthew McGuinness
A reasonably decent biomorphic form graces the entrance of Scope. Situ Studio and Matthew McGuinness leave viewers with the mistaken impression that there was average work at the fair.
