The Art of the Matter
EURO STASH
Using an art-for-all approach, West Chelsea Contemporary introduces a Parisian street art icon and an edgy London lenticular artist, among others, to a broader audience in the United States.
Text: Bridget Williams
Photos courtesy of West Chelsea Contemporary
Why I Want to Collect Art
Practical guidance from an art consultant.
Text: Susan Barrett
Photography: Hank Willis Thomas, Resting, 2016, glass, silver and digital print. Courtesy of Barrett Barrera Projects
Painting 3.0: From Pigment to Pixels
Art: Allison Zuckerman, Serenade in the Courts, 2017, acrylic and inkjet on canvas
Text: Wendy Cromwell
Lights, Camera, Los Angeles: LA Steals the Scene
Written by Wendy Cromwell
A new dawn is lighting up the Los Angeles art world. Once upon a time in Hollywood, New York was the center of culture and commerce (as far as the art market was concerned). Now, Los Angeles has its own healthy art market, focused on showcasing artists and less centered on churning out the big bucks associated with New York. And guess what? Collectors and curators are paying attention! Think of Los Angeles as your talent pool, with artists cast in the starring roles.
Right: David Hockney, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972
Is Low the New High?
Written by Wendy Cromwell
Do you wear canvas high-tops, or are you all about the upmarket leather sneaker? No matter what type you prefer, everyone wears them! The first high-top was a canvas basketball sneaker designed for Chuck Taylor in 1922. Today luxury brands retail sneakers for thousands of dollars, are traded online and compete at auction. Case in point: in April 2021, a pair of sneakers that Kanye West wore to the Grammys sold for $1.8 million, a world record for sneakers.
This is a clear-cut case of “low,” or mass-market consumer goods, entering the “high” market of unique works of art, vintage cars, and fine wine. Clearly, the boundaries between consumer culture and fine art have collapsed. How did we get here?
Photo credit © SACAI