Fredy Hadorn, Made Off, 2009, Polyurethan cast, Licht Feld, Scope art fair.
A couple of years ago, I spoke to Scope founder and president Alexis Hubshman about André Ethier‘s paintings. I wasn’t sold on them—his earlier work seemed a little too faux-naive for my tastes—but Hubshman insisted I take another look. I’m glad he did. When I revisited the work, I realized I had missed much of the painterly skill in their execution.
I mention Hubshman’s interest in Ethier because it demonstrates a level of visual acuity not only necessary in putting together a good fair, but also in recognizing a bad one. Which is to say, Hubshman must know whatever it is hanging from Scope’s walls has misapplied the term fine art, and that has to suck. He’s also got a problem I’m not sure is fixable. How does a fair with a reputation for poor organization and increasingly bad art attract strong galleries? I’d be surprised if it can.
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That is a really stupid piece. One dollar bills? Really?
That is a really stupid piece. One dollar bills? Really?
i think the wastefulness of it’s creation makes it good. really.
i think the wastefulness of it’s creation makes it good. really.
Many many artists and galleries have been given a hand up by Alexis and Scope. Sometimes there is work that I personally don’t like but later come to see that the booth is sold out, purchased by someone who loved it enough to drop the coin. Quality in art is relative, as are the opinions of collectors, critics, curators or gallerists.
Long live Scope !!!
Many many artists and galleries have been given a hand up by Alexis and Scope. Sometimes there is work that I personally don’t like but later come to see that the booth is sold out, purchased by someone who loved it enough to drop the coin. Quality in art is relative, as are the opinions of collectors, critics, curators or gallerists.
Long live Scope !!!
Quality in art is not relative. There are rules to evaluating art, and just because you don’t like an opinion, doesn’t make art’s “quality” relative. I wish people would stop perpetuating that myth. And nobody said anything about Scope not giving a hand to many artists and galleries. This post discusses the success of their fair based on their management, and the quality of their exhibitors. I like Alexis, but his project isn’t doing well. I have an obligation to report what I see.
Quality in art is not relative. There are rules to evaluating art, and just because you don’t like an opinion, doesn’t make art’s “quality” relative. I wish people would stop perpetuating that myth. And nobody said anything about Scope not giving a hand to many artists and galleries. This post discusses the success of their fair based on their management, and the quality of their exhibitors. I like Alexis, but his project isn’t doing well. I have an obligation to report what I see.
Thanks Paddy, for saying it, re: quality and relativity. But in your initial post, the reading of it does strongly imply the slippery slope of judgment between ‘good’ and ‘bad’. It is the right of a gallery to show work of questionable taste level. Fairs are weird, I know all kinds of bad decisions and compromises have to be made–but I don’t think Scope is the worst offender by far.
But yeah, ITE, bad art is not going to flourish and bad fairs are not going to eke by. It’s time to re-examine the model.
“Made off” like “Madoff” Bernie, I get it ha ha
Thanks Paddy, for saying it, re: quality and relativity. But in your initial post, the reading of it does strongly imply the slippery slope of judgment between ‘good’ and ‘bad’. It is the right of a gallery to show work of questionable taste level. Fairs are weird, I know all kinds of bad decisions and compromises have to be made–but I don’t think Scope is the worst offender by far.
But yeah, ITE, bad art is not going to flourish and bad fairs are not going to eke by. It’s time to re-examine the model.
“Made off” like “Madoff” Bernie, I get it ha ha
Ugh. Touche.
Red Dot, Bridge, and Art Now are worse fairs for sure.
Ugh. Touche.
Red Dot, Bridge, and Art Now are worse fairs for sure.
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