Josephine Meckseper’s Times Square Oil Hunt!

06 March 2012
by Art Rubynstein

Josephine Meckseper’s Manhattan Oil Project.

It’s not every day that a marquee art installation comes to Times Square. So we couldn’t be more excited to catch Josephine Meckseper’s “Manhattan Oil Project” which she put on 46th street and 8th Avenue in collaboration with the Art Production Fund. Until May 6, two intimidating red heads will crane up and down 25 feet in search of some good, old midtown oil. Friends like James Frey, Rachel Feinstein and John Currin, Tobias Meyer, Ed Westwick, Danny Fuller and Tori Praver came to toast Meckseper at Playwright Celtic Pub across the street and many more (including millions of tourists) will do the same in next two months.

2012 Brucennial: High Quality & High Capacity

01 March 2012
by Art Rubynstein

This year’s Bruce High Quality Foundation and Vito Schnabel’s Brucennial billed itself as the “The single most important art exhibition in the history of the world. Ever.” And judging from attendance it didn’t disappoint. 376 names (famous, semi-famous, and total unknowns) participated in this year’s salon style extravaganza at 159 Bleecker and thousands more paid tribute at the opening. Here are the highlights:

Capacity crowd: “We’re expecting 15,000 people tonight,” said Vito Schnabel at 6:20 PM. Exactly three minutes later, the joint was filled to capacity.

Artist cameos: Francesco Clemente, Aurel Schmidt, Dustin Yellin, Terence Koh, Danny Fuller, Michael Avedon, and maybe 200 others.

Other notables: Mary-Kate Olsen, Bob Colacello, Yvonne Force Villareal, Casey Fremont, Waris Ahluwalia, Bill Powers and Cynthia Rowley

Most recognizable wall pieces: Cindy Sherman, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and George Condo

Best curatorial advice: “Julian Schnabel told me to blow up my work to 70 by 70 inches, and so I did,” Danny Fuller on of the show’s big highlight pieces.

Best rain outfit: Terence Koh’s clear raincoat finished off his signature white fur.

Most notable sculpture: Dustin Yellin’s first floor centerpiece. “They told me recent, and I chose this baby,” he said.

Best parting gifts: “Harderer. Betterer. Fasterer. Strongerer.” scarlet BHQF tees..

Best indications that people are having fun: More beer can recycling bins than we could count.

Best homage to the Hirst Spot Challenge: Why…a Hirst spot painting! Though someone named Victoria Campbell claimed it as her own with a pencil signature.

Jetting With Vlad, Andy, and RETNA

12 February 2011
by Art Rubynstein

The New York Thursday unveiling of RETNA’s latest effort (curated by Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld and Andy Valmorbida) on Washington Street wasn’t even the biggest news of the day for the artist. RETNA is set to paint a 60 million dollar private jet for Vista and Roitfeld admitted that it will definitely be something special. “I don’t know if I’ll ever ride on this thing,” he smiled. “But I’ll definitely get one of the first previews.” Richard Phillips, Danny Fuller, Carine Roitfeld, and Stefano Tonchi (and yes…Chris Brown!) were some of the familiar faces at the Gotham opening and Roitfeld told us that graffiti impetus is picking up. “There’s definitely a lot of momentum at the moment, but at the same time there are not that many artists who could balance street art and fine art at the same time,” he told us. “Those few that can like RETNA or Banksy are precious.”

Photo – CLINT SPAULDING/PatrickMcMullan.com

All You Need Is Surf!

19 November 2010
by Art Rubynstein

Wednesday night’s Surfrider Foundation’s programs benefit was the little sleeper hit of the night. Art Ruby buddy Tori Praver hosted the power silent auction and the dinner (along with Arc New York and Barneys) at the newly opened The Fat Radish. What do we mean by power? The auction artist group included Richard Phillips, Aaron Young, Art Box MVP Todd DiCiurcio, and Damien Hirst. So plenty to bid on, plenty to munch on, and plenty to discuss…

Most intriguing art news of the night: Beautiful host Praver is collaborating with Damien Hirst, thus the donation. Eat your heart out Lara Stone.

Most missed: Praver’s photog/surfer other half – Danny Fuller. He was plenty busy in Hawaii.

Notables: DiCiurcio’s buddys Ed Westwick and Petra Nemcova, Jeisa Chiminazzo, Arc’s Ryan Brown and Lorenzo Marotne, Tom Florio, Ivan Bart, and Julie Gilhart.

Best Quote: “I want to bid on Hirst, but I feel like I need to call my financial adviser first!”

So who went home with that All You Need Is Love Love Love? Art Ruby did! Happy 1st birthday to us.

Inside Art Ruby’s Richard Phillips Spectacular

28 April 2010
by Art Rubynstein

There always comes a time for the very first dinner party, and ART RUBY’s premiere big bash took place this week in New York. We happily hosted an evening at The Lion to celebrate Richard Phillips, one of our very favorite artists who’s having one hell of a spring. Phillips co-curated Your History is Not Our History exhibit with David Salle (that closes at Haunch of Venison on Friday) and is part of the group showing at the Swiss Institute that will unveil on May 5.  Both Salle and our honoree made it out to West Village last night and even playfully posed with a custom crystallized Moët et Chandon bottle that celebrated their superior wrangling skills and many sleepless hours. Phillips’ better half Josephine Meckseper (who’s a big hit at The Whitey Biennial this time around) was of course there to support her favorite man.

In fact, it was a big night for golden artist couples like Rachel Feinstein and John Currin and Lisa Yuskavage and Matvey Levinstein all came by to toast good friend Phillips with pink champagne, lobster bisque, pan seared sea bass and filet mignon. Others gallery certified guests at the tables of yet unopened eatery included Tom Sachs and Gagosian’s Sarah Hoover, Sean Landers,  Les Rogers, and frequent Art Box contributor Todd DiCiurcio who was accompanied by his lovely wife Megan. There was table hopping, appetizer sharing, and lots of mutual admiration.

Beyond the artists and the gallerinas, other ART RUBY supporters included actress Melissa George with director husband Claudio Dabed,  Jimmy Choo czarina Tamara Mellon, Waris Ahluwalia, Emma Hall, Casey Fremont, Lorenzo Martone, designers Claude Morais and Brian Wolk (of Ruffian), Prabal Gurung, and wild card dinner seatmate Oksana Baiul. Yes, the one that beat Nancy Kerrigan when you still owned a Walkman in 1994.  Artistically inclined surfer and model pair of Danny Fuller and Tori Praver fully enjoyed their dessert of Art Ruby velvet cupcakes and Phillips’ sweet toast to his buddies and our little site.  Until the next dinner and honoree, we hope you enjoy our favorite images from last night’s event.