Spot Challenge Pit Stop #6: Paris

20 January 2012
by Art Rubynstein

Out of all the cities on our crazy global tour, Paris probably feels most like home to us after New York. We’ve been there countless and countless of times, sampled every macaroon there was to sample, and visited practically every museum at least once. So the four-hour visit on Friday morning made us believe that the finish line and home was that much closer and realistic.

Gagosian on Rue de Ponthieu couldn’t be in a better location. It’s just steps away from the Grand Palais, neighbors with French Christie’s, and we still hold their recent Richard Prince show close to our hearts. A grand Parisian staircase and lots of natural light complement the vast three-floor space. The spots felt very serene here and the second floor mini-library of Damien’s dominance was fun to flip through as well.

We had to time to see other art but a stroll through the Tuileries led us to our second Kusama park installation of the trip (Beverly Hills was the first). We also had nice morning Meurice tea with fashion friends still in town for Paris Fashion Week (Givenchy and Galliano shows were scheduled for Friday night) and a champion’s breakfast at Angelina next door.  Then listening to Kanye and Jay-Z’s Ni**as in Paris we took a cab to Gare du Nord…one step closer to the English finish line!

When Artists Do Albums: Best Efforts Ever!

09 July 2011
by Art Rubynstein

This week, The Red Hot Chili Peppers unveiled cover art for their tenth studio album “I’m With You”. “Damien Hirst did it for us and we’re happy to get this out to ya,” the band announced in a statement. It’s always nice to have Mr. Hirst on your side when it comes to design pre-production, but the British big is hardly the first to join this record industry derby. These are some of previous favorite collaborations.

The Velvet Underground & Nico – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1966)
By Andy Warhol

Warhol wasn’t just the band’s art director; he was also its manager. He helped get them a major deal with MGM, suggested than Nico join the group as the primary collaborator and the banana logo on the band’s first LP cover become iconic instantly.

The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers (1971)
By Andy Warhol

Andy began his career as an illustrator at Columbia Records so he had a well of experience to rely on before designing Stones’ legendary LP cover during the height of their fame. The cover which is basically a gritty black and white image of tight jeans and suggestive bulge, instantly helped emphasize and celebrate Rolling Stones’ sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll aura.

Dirty Vegas – Dirty Vegas (2002)
By Richard Phillips

The premise was simple enough. The sleeves of the first Dirty Vegas album would before portraits by Richard Phillips, who in turn took collaboration to different heights by creating series of large format paintings that eventually translated to international series of mural and billboards. A Grammy nomination for the duo followed suit.

Katy Perry – A Teenage Dream (2010)
By Will Cotton

“Before I even discovered Will, I was into all things cute and girly and beautiful and edible,” said Katy Perry of the art collaborator behind her most successful album. The duo worked perfectly together: the candy loving artist created a frothy, Vargas inspired image for the cover and then art directed the eye-popping California Gurls video.

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
By George Condo

George Condo had a big 2010 that consisted of a New Museum retrospective and collaboration with Kanye West. West discovered Condo’s painting a year prior to the release of his latest album and the duo eventually decided on not one, but five cover concepts including a banned sphinx induced intercourse. But it was the ballerina image that became the most enduring. “Hey man, I’d like to have a great ballerina painting,” Condo recalled when recollecting early conversations with Kanye. “And I thought of a ballerina toasting. You know, ‘let’s toast to the scumbags.’’

The Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You (2011)
By Damien Hirst

Sure, Hirst does everything these days, even announcing skateboard collaboration this week. But he does them well, and this The Red Hot Chili Peppers design emphasizes that he’s still utterly brilliant thanks to a composition consisting of a fly and a multifaceted pill.

Luxe Condo!

26 January 2011
by Art Rubynstein

There are few notable events happening around the world these day: Sundance in Utah, award shows in Hollywood, and couture season in Paris. And yet, George Condo’s “Mental States” exhibition opening at New Museum and the dinner that followed certainly held its own. Condo attracted big names and some major momentum gains last night. Here’s a recap.

Condo’s most devoted fan: Kanye West, who flew in for the opening from Chicago despite dealing with the sorrow from the Bears elimination from the playoffs. But Condo did the art for the West’s last album and the Grammy winner told us he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Condos most devoted fan (runner up): Marc Jacobs who flew in from his own show from Paris on Friday and the attendance at New Museum was one of his priorities with best friend Lorenzo Martone.

Power man faces in the crowd: John Currin, Jerry Saltz, Adam Weinberg, Richard Prince, Tony Shafrazi, Bill Powers, Klaus Biesenbach, and Julian Schnabel.

While Elizabeth Olsen is dominating Sundance…Mary Kate Olsen was busy checking out every painting at the museum.

Most popular dinner item: Fries that went fast at Balthazar that were quickly downed with champagne.

Photos – Nicholas Hunt / PatrickMcMullan.com