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.

Meet Michael Avedon: Art Ruby’s Newest Contributor

16 February 2012
by Art Rubynstein

We’re thrilled to introduce the newest contributor to the Art Ruby land in Michael Avedon. Though still in college at SVA, Avedon has already amassed a fantastic portfolio of portraits with his preferred black & white 35mm film camera. Those include beautiful captures of artists like Julian Schnabel, Terence Koh, Richard Serra, and Chuck Close. He’ll be contributing to Art Box with his pictures, musings, and ideas and here are his quotable essentials:

Michael on photography:
Being able to explain my photography to somebody – why I take photographs, how I intend for them to look, what inspired me to begin – is something I hope to never be able to fully explain. Photography is largely in part a mystery to me. I am drawn to faces, and when I received my first camera as a gift from my grandmother that is where I began. Friends’ faces, strangers’ faces, my own face. As of recently I have found a particular interest in photographing artists at work in their studios. Each space ends up being a reflection or extension of the artist within it, and it therefore seems to be the ideal natural environment to capture some sort of truth about that person.

Michael on building a website:
Something I noticed early on is that today, the creative (or artistic) development process has become a very public one. In past decades this process had necessarily been a private one (due to lack of platforms like blogs and photo hosting websites), so you didn’t have people sharing all of their work immediately upon creating it. For me, if this process is so public, it all of a sudden becomes easy for me to loose track of my own ideas. Therefore I was quite ardent about waiting to expose myself and my creative ideas to a larger public until I felt that I had an appropriate amount of time to find my own voice, so to speak. Additionally I wanted to create something slightly different from the standard version of a portfolio website. I don’t like thumbnails of photographs, so I worked with my close friend Alex Hollender to design and build a site that would reflect these preferences. Also, since Alex has a certain distance from my work he was instrumental in assisting me edit down and organize the work that has gone up on the site.

Give Me a Venice Break!

03 June 2011
by Art Rubynstein

It was a party of massive proportions: huge lines, lots of Beluga vodka, and record water taxi action near the terrace of The Bauer hotel. But the Commercial Break (hosted by of Dasha Zhukova, Alexander Dellal, Neville Wakefield & Garage Projects) was worthy of all the hype. After all, the video project encompassed contributions from countless of artists (many like Terence Koh, Richard Phillips, Josephine Meckseper, Aaron Young came out for the party), many more curators, and lots of international stress. Those who came out to see the videos included Courtney Love, boys from Maroon 5 (really?), European jet setting socials like Olympia Scarry & Charlotte Casiraghi, and Riccardo Tisci, among countless of others. In fact, the bar was utilized so well, that the crowd didn’t really clear until 3AM for the after-after party.

All photos by Mariya Chekmarova for Art Ruby

Terence Koh’s Pursuit of Gold & Peace

27 January 2011
by Art Rubynstein

Terence Koh has been keeping a quiet profile as of late. Aside from appearing at his quiet dinner opening of wonderful “Children of the Corn” show at Basel, the artist certainly kept a strikingly low profile in Miami. Until now. Koh sent this note along to friends last night announcing his new “goldpeace” exhibit that will open on February 12 in the midst of New York Fashion Week at Mary Boone. And some gold paintings are going on sale.

Oh Koh Can You See?

03 December 2010
by Art Rubynstein

Terence Koh’s South Beach Children of the Corn opens is in a little bit, but all the artifacts are already in place all over the W’s pool area, the Grove, and yes…the beach!

Basel’s Best Bashes: Part Two!

30 November 2010
by Art Rubynstein

We’ve already shared with you all of our favorite, can’t miss cocktails, dinners, and receptions (and you better believe that December 1 Alchemist x Art Ruby bash is still on top of our list!) but more champagne and vodka fueled joy keeps pouring into our mailboxes. Here are top 10 other affairs you might not want to miss!

1. Terence Koh Children of the Corn opening reception presented by Vito Schnabel. Koh’s summer Hamptons opening was a big hit, so this W must won’t disappoint on Friday.
2. Steve Martin’s art themed book reading at the W early evening of the 1st. Martin is a big collector so this is a nice little Basel sighting.Twitter alert!
3. Paper Magazine party on December 2. Pharell is performing at the Tommy Hilfiger sponsored bash so it’s worth a trip all the way to 39th street in the Design District.
4. Official W Basel welcome party on Tuesday. Just so you can schmooze with other hotel guests who spent $1,200+ a night on the fair’s greatest and mightiest hotel.
5. Bruce Weber’s book signing at The Standard on the 2nd. Who doesn’t love that happy little bear?
6. Bass Museum presents the work of Isaac Julien on the 1st. Lots of Grey Goose vodka to go with model filled Russian artist installation? Sounds awesome…
7. DJ Ruckus and Paul Oakenfold at the Wall late night on December 1. How can you resist even if it means beating the models and bottles crowd for the best spot in the room?
8. Swarovski Crystal Palace book launch & Cocktail with Nadja Swarovski at the Webster on December 2. Because we like everything that’s shiny!
9. Chloe Fashion Show on December 4 at Soho Beach House. For those of you who actually worked during Paris Fashion Week.
10. Annual ArtNexus Annual Art Basel Party at ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa. It’s a happy, rowdy crowd and they got shipments of Grey Goose to make things that much merrier on the 3rd.