Saturday Excursion: The Chelsea Galleries

Saturday was met with much anticipation.

The Friday NY Times Art events section highlighted an art installation by an illustrator named TABAIMO who was showing a large scale animation that spanned three walls. The aptly named “public conVENience,” (Ven being the Japanese word for public) takes place in a womans public bathroom.

I headed to Chelsea without knowing the exact address of the Tabaimo exhibition. En route I stopped in at a Chinese restaurant for lunch, and sat next to former New York City Mayor Ed Koch.

There were so many excellent exhibitions.
I stopped off at the Tria Gallery for the Francine Tint Exhibition. I loved the way the paint was spread over the canvas. There is nothing so decadent as acrylic paint being spread across a canvas with a enough paint to cover a large cement trowel. The colors swirled so many different ways, I was dizzy.

I met a lot of great people
I met a lot of great art

I met Susan Kraft, an artist from Cali who has a space across from Deb S. Wade from the First Street Gallery. I paid a visit to the Monkdogz Urban Art gallery in the same building. Susan , an excellent networker, introduced me to Lou Patrou, who recently showed his work a Monkdogz. I met him while taking in the emotive art of Jeran Won.

There was the cutest little gallery called the alcove. Its literally a corner in the same building. I couldn't imagine what the rent is. The art was excellent, and intuitive.

I was offered a libation @ the Serrano Contemporary Sonnet Gallery, and took an elevator with Xanda McCagg, A talented artist who also gives art tours.

Only in Chelsea, right!?!

The two "Holy Cow!!" moments came from my visits to the Tony Shafrazi Gallery for the Four Friends show & The Lehmann Maupin Gallery for the Ashley Bickerton Exhibition.

The Four Friends focused on the timeless works by four artist: JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, KEITH HARING, DONALD BAECHLER & KENNY SCHARF. The shear size of the pieces were amazing. it was my second experience with Kenny Scharf's art. I had the pleasure of working with him for a day and I must say that his pieces are completely enrapturing. Through the years, i see an evolution in Kenny's art. I can't wait to see his next exhibition.

Ashley Bickerton's Fiji Dreams

From afar, it could be mistaken as a staged framed photograph. The closer you get, the more you realize what it is like to bask in the glow of genius. The vibrant, colorful, & evocative canvas prints, were only part of the presentation. The frame itself was 1 foot thick with inlaid pieces and crafted bas relief bowls manning the corners. Pervading the frames were sanded holes, which invoked a "Swiss Cheese" effect on the very large natural wood frames. Each one of the several pieces displayed were jarring.

What a day.
Chelsea was electric. A fully charged art environment.
It is a good time to be involved in the arts.