It's just about impossible to feel rich.
The 200th richest person in China just spent $36 million on a small Ming dynasty cup. The cup is undoubtedly rare and beautiful and valuable. And I won't disparage anyone for buying valuable and beautiful things, no matter what the cost.
But when $36 million porcelains becomes the context for what rich, or even kinda rich, means, then the rest of us have nothing to aim for. The American Dream can't keep up with this kind of wealth. So there's nothing for you and me to do. Except being grateful for what we have, and enjoying the bounty of free and inexpensive art around us in Texas. And contemplating the meaning of Marfa Prada. We'll always have Marfa Prada.
In case you missed it
A lot of people may have skipped yesterday's Sunday Streets HTX because of rain (I missed it, but because of baseball. I went to a pre-party--that counts, right?), organizer Raj Mankad put out a preview last week to prepare for the event. It's a cool guide.
The next Sunday Street is May 4th, along Westheimer. There's plenty if publicity about the event, and they have a Facebook page to keep you up-to-date.
"Colonized by Christians and hipster shoes"
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Does the vandalism/repurposing of Prada Marfa count as an "art attack"? Not in my mind, though differentiating this attack/project from the Menil attack/project relies on some subtle distinctions.
It turns out that the vandal/artist has left a manifesto and made comments about the attack on Prada Marfa. I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense, but it does have at least one wonderful phrase that I'll be repeating a lot: "they have been colonized by Christians and hipster shoes."
What Uriel Landeros, Maximo Caminero, and 927 1977 have in common is that they're all younger, "local" artists attacking the works of older (or deader in the case of Picasso), "international" artists. Is this going to be a trend? Is this already a trend? Is there art-historical precedent for artists physically attacking others' art?
Decades of joy, some involving meat
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New government grants
Here's an interesting piece on a new and exciting government program to help bolster the arts in America. I wonder if they'll open it up to "bloggers" soon?
That's no slingshot
The Italian government and art establishment seem pretty upset over this American gun advertisement featuring Michelangelo's most famous sculpture and a really big gun. Italy claims this is absolutely illegal, though I'm not sure how strong the claim is.
Black Women Visual Artists
I'm skeptical of the whole Black History Month concept. I heard a persuasive speaker in high school who contended that--good-intentioned or not--Black History Month reinforces the assumption that other months are Not-Black History month and that Black History isn't History.
I'm also tired--aren't we all--of internet media insisting that numbered lists are the best and only viable format.
Still, I came across this list of "15 Black Women Visual Artists You Should Know," and I'm passing it along anyway. Because I've only heard of two of them, and that's not enough, whatever I think about the timing and formatting.
I'm also tired--aren't we all--of internet media insisting that numbered lists are the best and only viable format.
Still, I came across this list of "15 Black Women Visual Artists You Should Know," and I'm passing it along anyway. Because I've only heard of two of them, and that's not enough, whatever I think about the timing and formatting.
Art Attack!
A Miami artist picked up, and then dropped, an Ai Wei Wei vase. To make things interesting, please note that he did so next to a giant photograph of Ai Wei Wei...dropping a vase.
Even though the vase is valued at $1 million, Ai Wei Wei's response seemed a little ambivalent.
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