On view at Carolina Nitsch Project Room in Chelsea
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Value of the Spot Print
Interesting article by Cristina Ruiz:
The print is dedicated, so this makes it harder to sell.
One is being auctioned in a week in London and estimated to fetch between 4000 and 6000 pounds.
Richard Lloyd of Christie's estimates this to be worth between 20000 and 30000 pounds.
Mine is still sitting in the tube....
The print is dedicated, so this makes it harder to sell.
One is being auctioned in a week in London and estimated to fetch between 4000 and 6000 pounds.
Richard Lloyd of Christie's estimates this to be worth between 20000 and 30000 pounds.
Mine is still sitting in the tube....
Friday, December 14, 2012
It Has Arrived!
Everything is on schedule as planned. If you are collecting your print, please do note the size of the packed tube: 8" diameter x 64" length. Each tube weight 9 kg.
I went to pick mine up today. Though I'd seen the email and photos online, I was still a little shocked when I saw it. It wouldn't fit into a taxi, so I had to take a bus.
Edition size is apparently 128 + 10 AP.
Thanks to Hirst and Gagosian for being so generous!
I went to pick mine up today. Though I'd seen the email and photos online, I was still a little shocked when I saw it. It wouldn't fit into a taxi, so I had to take a bus.
Edition size is apparently 128 + 10 AP.
Thanks to Hirst and Gagosian for being so generous!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Educating Damien - Michael Craig-Martin
Really enjoyable video with Michael Craig-Martin in the Hirst show at the Tate Modern.
Monday, March 19, 2012
How Many Finished?
The Challenge closed the past weekend, and 126 finished.
[Later: Actually 128 finished.]
[Later: Actually 128 finished.]
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Final Tally
Miles flown: Over 33,000
Miles on the train: About 600
Hours in the air: 96.5
Hours on the train: a little less than 5
Airfare: $4196.31
Train: $227
Hotel: $413.26
Total travel: $4836.57
My "airtime" alone amounted to an impressive four days (more than 96 hours). The total travel cost, once I include other expenses, exceeds $5000.
Veit, founder of the Hospitality Club, has compiled a list of Spot Challengers here. The second person to finish the Challenge, Jeff Chu, wrote about his experience for the Wall Street Journal. He spent $2790 (+30,000 frequent-flyer miles). Christina Ruiz of The Art Newspaper spent $3250.75. Veit's flights cost 1059.37 euros.
I'm feeling a little extravagant, but I'm definitely not Pictor Vinchuk, whose trip would have cost $108,572.
Miles on the train: About 600
Hours in the air: 96.5
Hours on the train: a little less than 5
Airfare: $4196.31
Train: $227
Hotel: $413.26
Total travel: $4836.57
My "airtime" alone amounted to an impressive four days (more than 96 hours). The total travel cost, once I include other expenses, exceeds $5000.
Veit, founder of the Hospitality Club, has compiled a list of Spot Challengers here. The second person to finish the Challenge, Jeff Chu, wrote about his experience for the Wall Street Journal. He spent $2790 (+30,000 frequent-flyer miles). Christina Ruiz of The Art Newspaper spent $3250.75. Veit's flights cost 1059.37 euros.
I'm feeling a little extravagant, but I'm definitely not Pictor Vinchuk, whose trip would have cost $108,572.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Leonardo HD Live @ Skirball Center (NYU)
I went to a Leonardo HD Live screening earlier at the Skirball Center. As you may remember, I had made plans to go to London to see the Leonardo show before I heard about the Challenge.
After I bought my ticket, I got an email saying that Luke Syson, the curator for the show, would be available for a talk and Q&A before the screening, so I went for it. NYU was really nice in providing free drinks and crackers and cheese. Syson stressed that the National Gallery is interested in organizing scholarly shows that illuminate the subject matter rather than purely blockbuster shows. Syson recently joined the Met and has a very long title, so I'd better not bungle it. It was interesting to hear Syson. The show took five years to put together. How the artwork came together had already been reported elsewhere in the press, but the coups were obviously Lady with an Ermine from Poland and the Louvre's version of Virgin of the Rocks. The Louvre will host its own Leonardo exhibit showcasing the newly restored Virgin and Child with St Anne in a month, and the National Gallery will lend its so-called Burlington Cartoon, a related huge drawing that has never been used as a cartoon (that is, used to transfer a drawing onto canvas with pins).
During the Q&A session, I thanked Syson for organizing an amazing show, and I asked him about attribution, which I thought was a safer subject to discuss than conservation and cleaning, and in particular about Salvator Mundi and Madonna Litta. Syson was remarkably forthright about Madonna Litta, saying that it was probably painted by Marco d'Oggiono rather than Boltraffio. I was a little perplexed by this; I think all the drawings related to Madonna Litta in the show were by Leonardo or Boltraffio. His comments on Leonardo's ermine as a "super-ermine" or "ur-mine" were really funny -- an ermine doesn't really look like this, he said, and Leonardo's version is super-muscular.
In the prescreening (which came with the show), the audience was treated to a bunch of multiple choice questions projected on the screen. Some were downright silly -- do we really need a question on whether Leonardo worked during the Renaissance, the Enlightenment or the Industrial Revolution? But I did find out that he was a vegetarian and that his notebooks were hard to read because he wrote in a dialect.
The screening itself was entertaining, but in a slightly silly way. I guess there always seems to be a need to dumb things down when it comes to culture. This was obviously no substitute for seeing the show in person, but still I found myself uncovering new details or wishing that I had spent more time with certain works, such as the Burlington Cartoon. The initial screening was live and took place during a private viewing for cultural illuminati the night before the show opened. Some of them were asked to opine on the paintings. I recognized only two: Michael Craig-Martin, a British artist who taught at Goldsmiths and nurtured the YBAs (including Hirst) and actress Fiona Shaw, whose Medea from years ago made an indelible impression.
Following the screening was another Q&A with Robert Simon, the art historian who was instrumental in researching Salvator Mundi, the newly attributed Leonardo. I'd have liked to stay for the entire session, but it's been brutal for me in terms of getting enough sleep, so I left after a few minutes.
Roberta Smith's NYT review on the HD screening is right on the mark; it's a poor substitute for the real thing. Elsewhere I've heard Luke Syson say that one should spend a minimum of ten minutes with each painting. Years ago I'd have been bewildered by this statement. But in the intervening years, I've definitely learned that reproductions are never accurate enough -- Michael Craig-Martin makes the same points about color, depth and scale and that even seeing paintings side by side deepens one's knowledge of them.
Critics have been universal in their praise of this show. The chief art critic of the Times of London, Rachel Campbell-Johnston, writes that "It is the single most amazing show I have ever seen -- or felt." The HD screening uses superlatives over and over. As it drew to a close and snippets of wildly positive reviews were flashed one after the other, I once again felt that I was really fortunate to have seen it.
After I bought my ticket, I got an email saying that Luke Syson, the curator for the show, would be available for a talk and Q&A before the screening, so I went for it. NYU was really nice in providing free drinks and crackers and cheese. Syson stressed that the National Gallery is interested in organizing scholarly shows that illuminate the subject matter rather than purely blockbuster shows. Syson recently joined the Met and has a very long title, so I'd better not bungle it. It was interesting to hear Syson. The show took five years to put together. How the artwork came together had already been reported elsewhere in the press, but the coups were obviously Lady with an Ermine from Poland and the Louvre's version of Virgin of the Rocks. The Louvre will host its own Leonardo exhibit showcasing the newly restored Virgin and Child with St Anne in a month, and the National Gallery will lend its so-called Burlington Cartoon, a related huge drawing that has never been used as a cartoon (that is, used to transfer a drawing onto canvas with pins).
During the Q&A session, I thanked Syson for organizing an amazing show, and I asked him about attribution, which I thought was a safer subject to discuss than conservation and cleaning, and in particular about Salvator Mundi and Madonna Litta. Syson was remarkably forthright about Madonna Litta, saying that it was probably painted by Marco d'Oggiono rather than Boltraffio. I was a little perplexed by this; I think all the drawings related to Madonna Litta in the show were by Leonardo or Boltraffio. His comments on Leonardo's ermine as a "super-ermine" or "ur-mine" were really funny -- an ermine doesn't really look like this, he said, and Leonardo's version is super-muscular.
In the prescreening (which came with the show), the audience was treated to a bunch of multiple choice questions projected on the screen. Some were downright silly -- do we really need a question on whether Leonardo worked during the Renaissance, the Enlightenment or the Industrial Revolution? But I did find out that he was a vegetarian and that his notebooks were hard to read because he wrote in a dialect.
The screening itself was entertaining, but in a slightly silly way. I guess there always seems to be a need to dumb things down when it comes to culture. This was obviously no substitute for seeing the show in person, but still I found myself uncovering new details or wishing that I had spent more time with certain works, such as the Burlington Cartoon. The initial screening was live and took place during a private viewing for cultural illuminati the night before the show opened. Some of them were asked to opine on the paintings. I recognized only two: Michael Craig-Martin, a British artist who taught at Goldsmiths and nurtured the YBAs (including Hirst) and actress Fiona Shaw, whose Medea from years ago made an indelible impression.
Following the screening was another Q&A with Robert Simon, the art historian who was instrumental in researching Salvator Mundi, the newly attributed Leonardo. I'd have liked to stay for the entire session, but it's been brutal for me in terms of getting enough sleep, so I left after a few minutes.
Roberta Smith's NYT review on the HD screening is right on the mark; it's a poor substitute for the real thing. Elsewhere I've heard Luke Syson say that one should spend a minimum of ten minutes with each painting. Years ago I'd have been bewildered by this statement. But in the intervening years, I've definitely learned that reproductions are never accurate enough -- Michael Craig-Martin makes the same points about color, depth and scale and that even seeing paintings side by side deepens one's knowledge of them.
Critics have been universal in their praise of this show. The chief art critic of the Times of London, Rachel Campbell-Johnston, writes that "It is the single most amazing show I have ever seen -- or felt." The HD screening uses superlatives over and over. As it drew to a close and snippets of wildly positive reviews were flashed one after the other, I once again felt that I was really fortunate to have seen it.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Athens: Gallery 11 -- the Finish Line
[I just got home tonight. I'll fill in the rest retrospectively.]
February 20, 2012, Monday
Miles flown: 1500 miles + 3452 miles
Flight time: 3h 40 min + 7h 20 min
Left: 1:30 pm from Athens ATH
Arrived: 8:20 pm at New York JFK
Before I exited the Syntagma Metro station, I glanced at the clocks. 10:58 am, two minutes before the gallery was due to open. I emerged just in time to catch the Changing of the Guard at the Parliament Building.
My steps quickened as I crossed the road and passed the French Embassy. In my haste I passed a street that turned out to be Merlin, where Gagosian is located. Merlin did not seem to have a sign, so I had to head back for it. I was surprised that #3 looked quite dark. It certainly wasn't the airy gallery I was expecting.
I started to wonder if my quest was about to be derailed by a bit of Greek drama (or tragedy). I had entertained doomsday scenarios where a Greek exit from the Euro and the return of the drachma precipitated cataclysmic chaos -- the worst consequence of which was that scores of people would fail to complete the Challenge.
The Athens gallery has a similar setting as the Geneva gallery. It's located in a building that has other establishments. I looked at the various buzzers, and well, it was all Greek to me! Finally I spotted the Gagosian buzzer. I rang and waited.
When my call was answered, I felt a sense of relief. All my weekends since January 14 have involved a visit to at least one Gagosian gallery. I have flown internationally three times in six weeks. I was looking forward to the end of the Challenge. I stepped inside the gallery. I'm here for the Spot Challenge, I announced. Well admittedly it's not as sexy as declaring I'm Bond, but I've used the same line at every gallery.
She looked at my card and took out her stamp and said, This is your last stop, congratulations! Then she wanted to take a photo of me to post on Facebook. Pick a painting you like, she added helpfully. I took a quick look and stood next to one. Ah the popular one, she said, so I wasn't scoring points for originality. Here's my triumphant portrait in Athens, which I've copied from Facebook.
She confirmed that I was the first to finish in Athens, as I had
suspected. I figured out later that the number of people who finished
before me is between 59 and 66 (inclusive). According to Facebook, at
least one other person finished in Athens today.
As I walked briskly towards my hotel, I felt a bit of exhilaration. So I had done it after all! Then I heard a call and turned and saw another staff member from Gagosian who had caught up with me. It's good I saw you, she said, as I wondered what she was after. I thought that I had dropped something, perhaps my passport or some cash or both, as I had done before. Though I was sure that I had checked prior to leaving, my senior moments are clearly becoming more frequent.
You have to come back and sign something. So I followed her back to fill out a short form asking for some personal details and the personal dedication I'd like Damien to make. I had to surrender my Spot Challenge card with them. I'd guarded it as closely as my passport. Now I'd need to wait for its return along with the print.
There was some Greek drama after all, which unfolded as soon as I got to the airport at 12:45 for my 2:35 flight. I was connecting in Heathrow for New York, and as I looked at the screens, I discovered my flight was canceled. This was not good. I knew that being stuck in the afternoon would lessen my chances of getting home on time.
I was directed to Ticketing, and of course there was already a line. I was doubting that there would be a connection that could still get me back home before work on Tuesday. Then the staff called out for people bound for New York.
There were five of us, and there was an Aegean flight whose checkin was just about to close. I was the first to be checked in, and I moved quickly when I noticed the flight was leaving at 1:30. So I was really lucky that I would make my connection after all -- and that the Greeks are so efficient. I was also lucky that I showed up to the airport earlier than I normally would. And I was very lucky that this was the only flight cancellation I faced during the course of the Challenge.
February 20, 2012, Monday
Miles flown: 1500 miles + 3452 miles
Flight time: 3h 40 min + 7h 20 min
Left: 1:30 pm from Athens ATH
Arrived: 8:20 pm at New York JFK
Before I exited the Syntagma Metro station, I glanced at the clocks. 10:58 am, two minutes before the gallery was due to open. I emerged just in time to catch the Changing of the Guard at the Parliament Building.
My steps quickened as I crossed the road and passed the French Embassy. In my haste I passed a street that turned out to be Merlin, where Gagosian is located. Merlin did not seem to have a sign, so I had to head back for it. I was surprised that #3 looked quite dark. It certainly wasn't the airy gallery I was expecting.
I started to wonder if my quest was about to be derailed by a bit of Greek drama (or tragedy). I had entertained doomsday scenarios where a Greek exit from the Euro and the return of the drachma precipitated cataclysmic chaos -- the worst consequence of which was that scores of people would fail to complete the Challenge.
The Athens gallery has a similar setting as the Geneva gallery. It's located in a building that has other establishments. I looked at the various buzzers, and well, it was all Greek to me! Finally I spotted the Gagosian buzzer. I rang and waited.
When my call was answered, I felt a sense of relief. All my weekends since January 14 have involved a visit to at least one Gagosian gallery. I have flown internationally three times in six weeks. I was looking forward to the end of the Challenge. I stepped inside the gallery. I'm here for the Spot Challenge, I announced. Well admittedly it's not as sexy as declaring I'm Bond, but I've used the same line at every gallery.
She looked at my card and took out her stamp and said, This is your last stop, congratulations! Then she wanted to take a photo of me to post on Facebook. Pick a painting you like, she added helpfully. I took a quick look and stood next to one. Ah the popular one, she said, so I wasn't scoring points for originality. Here's my triumphant portrait in Athens, which I've copied from Facebook.
 |
| I wore the same jacket as I did in HK, but the rest of the outfit was different, I assure you... |
As I walked briskly towards my hotel, I felt a bit of exhilaration. So I had done it after all! Then I heard a call and turned and saw another staff member from Gagosian who had caught up with me. It's good I saw you, she said, as I wondered what she was after. I thought that I had dropped something, perhaps my passport or some cash or both, as I had done before. Though I was sure that I had checked prior to leaving, my senior moments are clearly becoming more frequent.
You have to come back and sign something. So I followed her back to fill out a short form asking for some personal details and the personal dedication I'd like Damien to make. I had to surrender my Spot Challenge card with them. I'd guarded it as closely as my passport. Now I'd need to wait for its return along with the print.
 |
| gago11's journey ended on Feb 20, 2012 in Athens |
I was directed to Ticketing, and of course there was already a line. I was doubting that there would be a connection that could still get me back home before work on Tuesday. Then the staff called out for people bound for New York.
There were five of us, and there was an Aegean flight whose checkin was just about to close. I was the first to be checked in, and I moved quickly when I noticed the flight was leaving at 1:30. So I was really lucky that I would make my connection after all -- and that the Greeks are so efficient. I was also lucky that I showed up to the airport earlier than I normally would. And I was very lucky that this was the only flight cancellation I faced during the course of the Challenge.
A Morning in Athens
I started my morning at the Acropolis. My options were limited for a brief Monday morning in the city, as a number of the main museums, including Tschumi's Acropolis Museum, are closed. I was struck by the degree of construction, or restoration, at the site. I couldn't remember if it was like this before. My Michelin Greece guide is considerably dated but warns, "The steps are very slippery." The Propylaia are actually the monumental gates to the Acropolis, which comprises a number of buildings: the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and, of course, the Parthenon.
I really enjoyed myself here and then made my way down through the ancient Agora, or marketplace. I walked along the Panathenaic Way, which cuts through the Agora. As I understand it, the Panathenaia was a festival honoring Athena that took place every year. This included musical contests, sporting competitions and religious sacrifices (according to a YouTube video by Open University). The Panathenaic Way was part of the route of the procession to the Acropolis. Every four years, a slightly longer festival incorporating special games would be held. The Michelin guide claims that the Parthenon frieze, the bulk of which are in the British Museum, depicts the Panathenaia. However Wikipedia claims that this interpretation is problematic as a temple structure would then depict mortals and a (then-)contemporaneous event. Wikipedia also claims that no description of the frieze survives from antiquity.
After my walk through Agora, I happened upon the ruins of Hadrian's library. Then I was off to Gagosian for my last stamp.
 |
| View from the Acropolis |
The Panathenaia and the Panathenaic Way, courtesy of Open University @ YouTube
After my walk through Agora, I happened upon the ruins of Hadrian's library. Then I was off to Gagosian for my last stamp.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Art Sleuth in Assisi
February 19, 2012, Sunday
Miles flown: 676 miles
Left: 8:25 pm from Rome, FCO
Arrived: 11:15 pm at Athens, ATH
Having been Rome a few times, I decided to take a day trip outside of Rome before flying to Athens. It came down to Tivoli (Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa) or Assisi. If I had picked my destination based on which Franz Liszt piece I enjoy better, Tivoli would have won. But despite the logistical difficulties with visiting Assisi on a Sunday, I went there.
Then once I got to Assisi, I had to take a bus to go uphill. I got off at the last stop and then wandered downhill towards San Francesco, the main purpose of my visit. The views of the valley were stunning. San Francesco comprises two churches, the Lower and the Upper Basilicas. The Lower Basilica came first and is in the Romanesque style and was built in the 13th Century.
The Upper Basilica houses a famous fresco cycle on the life of St. Francis. Authorship, however, is uncertain. Vasari attributed the cycle to Giotto, but the attribution has been deemed problematic and art historians have called this the "Assisi problem." As early as the 19th century, doubt was cast on Giotto's authorship, and this continued into the 20th century starting with the German art historian Rintelen in 1912. Alastair Smart has argued cogently in his book published in 1971 that the Assisi St. Francis cycle is not by Giotto but by at least three artists / artist workshops. This is supported by Bruno Zanardi, who has also argued that the Roman artist Pietro Cavallini was responsible for some of the most important frescoes. However, a problem for Giotto naysayers is that Giotto's presence in Assisi was well documented, so presumably he should have painted something.
A disastrous earthquake struck Assisi in 1997 and the frescoes were shattered and had to be painstakingly restored. It was really wonderful to be able to see this art. Perhaps even more miraculous are the Cimbaue frescoes in the Upper Basilica that have survived in a ruined state. The frescoes have oxidized and look like photo negatives, but hints of the bold and magisterial compositions remain.
During the winter time, all the masses take place in the Lower Basilica, and there are four masses on Sundays, so I revisited the Lower Basilica a few times, in between the next-to-last and last masses and after the last mass. Great art abounds in the Lower Basilica as well. Simone Martini decorated one chapel, and Giotto and his workshop (or perhaps just his workshop) were responsible for a chapel and the right transept. My favorite works are by Pietro Lorenzetti in the left transept and his Deposition in particular.
A three-hour bus ride brought me back to Tiburtina around 5 pm. I then took the train for the airport and flew to Athens on an 8:25 pm flight.
Airfare: $117.36
Hotel: $66.06
Miles flown: 676 miles
Left: 8:25 pm from Rome, FCO
Arrived: 11:15 pm at Athens, ATH
Having been Rome a few times, I decided to take a day trip outside of Rome before flying to Athens. It came down to Tivoli (Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa) or Assisi. If I had picked my destination based on which Franz Liszt piece I enjoy better, Tivoli would have won. But despite the logistical difficulties with visiting Assisi on a Sunday, I went there.
Cziffra plays Liszt's "Les jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este", courtesy of YouTube
Sunday train connections for Assisi are especially tricky, as there are few direct trains between Rome and Assisi, and most require a change in Foligno. Complicating my trip, line B of the Metro was not running, so I went to Termini to catch a train for Tiburtina, and then I transferred to a train for Assisi. It look me a while to figure out that the left luggage office at Tiburtina didn't open until 7:30, about twenty minutes before my train for Assisi.Then once I got to Assisi, I had to take a bus to go uphill. I got off at the last stop and then wandered downhill towards San Francesco, the main purpose of my visit. The views of the valley were stunning. San Francesco comprises two churches, the Lower and the Upper Basilicas. The Lower Basilica came first and is in the Romanesque style and was built in the 13th Century.
 |
| Views of the valley |
 |
| San Francesco on top of the hill |
 |
| San Francesco |
Cziffra plays Liszt's "St François d'Assise: la prédication aux oiseaux", courtesy of YouTube
A disastrous earthquake struck Assisi in 1997 and the frescoes were shattered and had to be painstakingly restored. It was really wonderful to be able to see this art. Perhaps even more miraculous are the Cimbaue frescoes in the Upper Basilica that have survived in a ruined state. The frescoes have oxidized and look like photo negatives, but hints of the bold and magisterial compositions remain.
During the winter time, all the masses take place in the Lower Basilica, and there are four masses on Sundays, so I revisited the Lower Basilica a few times, in between the next-to-last and last masses and after the last mass. Great art abounds in the Lower Basilica as well. Simone Martini decorated one chapel, and Giotto and his workshop (or perhaps just his workshop) were responsible for a chapel and the right transept. My favorite works are by Pietro Lorenzetti in the left transept and his Deposition in particular.
 |
| Lorenzetti Deposition, courtesy of f_snarfel @ flickr |
Airfare: $117.36
Hotel: $66.06
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Roma: Gallery 10
Feburary 18, 2012, Saturday
Miles flown: 3452 miles + 898 miles
Flight time: 10h 45min (7h 5min + 3h 40min)
Arrived: 4:20 pm Rome FCO
I had a dreaded 3.5 hour layover at Heathrow. The kind of layover that is too long, but yet not long enough for a brief escapade. I considered visiting Hampton Court Palace, but in the end, I decided to read piles of New York Times at the airport.
I arrived at Fiumicino Airport at 4:20 pm and got my hopes up for catching the 4:38 pm train to the city. I almost made it, but I had no cash on me and went to the wrong ticket counter instead of the real Trenitalia counter, which would have accepted credit cards. So instead I watched the train pull out and stubbornly waited half an hour for the next train instead of taking a taxi. Since Gagosian was open until 7 pm, I had enough time, but part of me just really wanted to take a taxi and get it over with.
Once I got to the city, I walked everywhere. A few weeks ago Europe was hit by extreme cold, and now the weather was much more inviting. After I got my card stamped, I went to the Pantheon, one of my favorite places anywhere. It's the best preserved structure from antiquity; the technology that went into building the dome was lost for centuries. Raphael was buried there, as was the first King of Italy following unification, Vittorio Emanuele II. It inspired the German photographer Thomas Struth to take some memorable photographs. Nearby was Piazza Navona with Bernini's fountains. Quite a contrast between Classical and Baroque, but Classical wins for me.
A Rome visit calls for gelato and the Trevi Fountain. While the New York Times swears by San Crispino, I decided to revisit Giolitti, where I hadn't gone in years. This shop has been making gelato for over 100 years. The Obama daughters made gelato here, and Hepburn and Peck visited in Roman Holiday.
I had dinner at L'Asino d'Oro, where Jeff Chu (the second person to complete the Challenge) ate as well during his Rome visit. Jeff wrote about his experience for the Wall Street Journal. The restaurant has good reviews on the web and what I had definitely tasted better than it looked.
Airfare: $908.90
Hotel: $102
Miles flown: 3452 miles + 898 miles
Flight time: 10h 45min (7h 5min + 3h 40min)
Arrived: 4:20 pm Rome FCO
I had a dreaded 3.5 hour layover at Heathrow. The kind of layover that is too long, but yet not long enough for a brief escapade. I considered visiting Hampton Court Palace, but in the end, I decided to read piles of New York Times at the airport.
I arrived at Fiumicino Airport at 4:20 pm and got my hopes up for catching the 4:38 pm train to the city. I almost made it, but I had no cash on me and went to the wrong ticket counter instead of the real Trenitalia counter, which would have accepted credit cards. So instead I watched the train pull out and stubbornly waited half an hour for the next train instead of taking a taxi. Since Gagosian was open until 7 pm, I had enough time, but part of me just really wanted to take a taxi and get it over with.
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| Yes, I'm in Italy (Via del Corso) |
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| Gagosian Rome |
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| Thomas Struth's photograph of the Pantheon, courtesy of Whitechapel Gallery |
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| Bernini's "Nile," Piazza Navona |
I had dinner at L'Asino d'Oro, where Jeff Chu (the second person to complete the Challenge) ate as well during his Rome visit. Jeff wrote about his experience for the Wall Street Journal. The restaurant has good reviews on the web and what I had definitely tasted better than it looked.
 | ||||
| I can't recall what the meat was (getting old, think it was boar?), but the sauce was chocolate and vinegar |
 |
| Night falls on Ancient Rome |
Hotel: $102
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Last Leg...
I hope to complete the last leg of the challenge with Rome and Athens this long weekend.
51 people have already completed the challenge. Over 20 people have two galleries or just one gallery remaining.
51 people have already completed the challenge. Over 20 people have two galleries or just one gallery remaining.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
#AverageJoe and the Challenge
Speaking of trading paper clips...
Josef Valentino has financed his trip by selling shares at 20 pounds each. (Be sure to watch the amusing clip.) He's now on his way to Hong Kong...
Josef Valentino has financed his trip by selling shares at 20 pounds each. (Be sure to watch the amusing clip.) He's now on his way to Hong Kong...
New York: Gallery 9
February 11, 2012, Saturday
I made a quick trip uptown for the third Gagosian gallery in New York before I head to Rome and Athens next weekend.
The first Hirst spot painting from 1986 could be found in the Madison Avenue location. I was prohibited from taking photos of paintings unless I was in it. I had a photo taken of a 1988 spot painting where some paint had come off.
On my subway ride back home, someone got on and started ranting:
I'm an angel who has been sent here
Look my way if you're a female angel
You! You're a homosexual; you should be thrown under the tracks
We'll put the rapists and the homosexuals on Staten Island
A random passenger yelled, How can an angel talk this way?
I'm going to Washington
I'm fixing Washington
I'm using 25 million dollars to start my own ministry
My stop arrived and I had to get off the train.
Bus and subway: $2.25
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Malevich and the American Legacy, March 19, 2011
I made a quick trip uptown for the third Gagosian gallery in New York before I head to Rome and Athens next weekend.
The first Hirst spot painting from 1986 could be found in the Madison Avenue location. I was prohibited from taking photos of paintings unless I was in it. I had a photo taken of a 1988 spot painting where some paint had come off.
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| A small corner of Untitled (with Black Dot), 1988 |
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| Something for every budget at the Spot Shop next door |
I'm an angel who has been sent here
Look my way if you're a female angel
You! You're a homosexual; you should be thrown under the tracks
We'll put the rapists and the homosexuals on Staten Island
A random passenger yelled, How can an angel talk this way?
I'm going to Washington
I'm fixing Washington
I'm using 25 million dollars to start my own ministry
My stop arrived and I had to get off the train.
Bus and subway: $2.25
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Malevich and the American Legacy, March 19, 2011
Sunday, February 5, 2012
"Blogging" the Spot Challenge
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| Three more to go... |
Having now visited eight of eleven galleries, I decided to blog about my experience. So strictly speaking, this is not a blog. I'll be filling in most of this retrospectively. Perhaps my decision to blog is another nail in the coffin for the "Death of the Cyberflâneur." Seventeen have already completed the challenge, with the first two being a crypto-socialite and a tech journalist. So it seems a bit more fun now to write about the challenge than to worry about publicity.
The Challenge was instantly appealing, as I am no stranger to flying to see art exhibitions or a historic reunification of a Yuan dynasty scroll. And coincidentally, I had already planned to be in London to see the Leonardo exhibition at the National Gallery over the Jan 14-15 weekend, and it's easy for me to cover the New York galleries as I am a New Yorker.
I planned the following trips for the Spot Challenge.
1. I extended my Jan 14-15 trip through Jan 16, which is Martin Luther King day, a US holiday, to cover London, Paris and Geneva.
2. Chinese New Year fell on Monday Jan 23. My parents decided to spend their new year in Kuala Lumpur. So this provided me with an excuse to spend Chinese New Year with my parents there after a quick stop in Hong Kong.
3. I flew to Los Angeles on Jan 28 for the Beverly Hills gallery.
4. Feb 20 is another US holiday (Presidents Day). I'd cover Rome and Athens that long weekend.
I sought to minimize disruptions to work, so this plan required just two days off work. I took Friday Jan 20 and Monday Jan 23 off and was back in the city on the night of Chinese New Year.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
New York: Galleries 7 and 8
February 4, 2012, Saturday
My first weekend in town in a bit, and I went to Chelsea.
I'd spent plenty of time in airports and on airplanes to catch up with stacks of NYT. One article I read was a Sunday Arts & Leisure feature on Doug Wheeler. Wheeler is a founder of the Light & Space movement, but I'd never heard of him before, and I also did not know about the Light & Space movement. However I've been to several James Turrell light installations, including the 2010 Dhatu at Gagosian at Britannia Street. As the NYT article notes, "Mr. Wheeler’s role as a pioneer had been diminished in Mr. Irwin’s and Mr. Turrell’s favor, perhaps owing partly to the difficulty of both the work and the artist."
So I arrived excitedly at David Zwirner for the Wheeler, but there was a line waiting. Even after I got inside the gallery, I had to wait. I waited for a total of two hours, which to be fair, the gallery staff warned us about. I used the time to flip through interesting old catalogues on display. Coincidentally I had just seen art by Craig Kauffman, described by NYT as a "sculptor of plastic" in his obituary, and by Helen Pashgian at LACMA the week before. All these West Coast artists had exhibited together, and I felt that I got to the party a bit late.
When it was finally my turn to see the Wheeler installation, I'd forgotten the story about the little boy in Bilbao from the NYT article, who did not realize that the "wall" in front of him was actually penetrable light. I was unimpressed at first until I realized I was fooled by Wheeler's trompe l'oeil. Once I stepped inside, I found that Wheeler had created a disorienting infinity environment in a room with no sharp corners. The curved walls gave an illusory effect of never-ending tunnels.
Zwirner has three spaces on 19th Street -- 519, 525, 533. The other spaces were showing On Kawara's date paintings ("Today" series). Karen Rosenberg of the NYT quips, "Right now in Manhattan you can see a large group of astonishingly simple
paintings, installed in multiple branches of a gallery, that
demonstrate a single artist’s global reach... Speaking broadly, you could say that one is about time and the other is about money."
I stopped at the two Gagosian outposts, of course, as well as at Mary Boone. Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds installation from the Tate Modern was considerably downsized for the Chelsea incarnation. I found it more accessible and the shimmering porcelain seeds were beautiful.
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Andreas Gursky opening, Nov. 4, 2011 (21st Street)
My first weekend in town in a bit, and I went to Chelsea.
I'd spent plenty of time in airports and on airplanes to catch up with stacks of NYT. One article I read was a Sunday Arts & Leisure feature on Doug Wheeler. Wheeler is a founder of the Light & Space movement, but I'd never heard of him before, and I also did not know about the Light & Space movement. However I've been to several James Turrell light installations, including the 2010 Dhatu at Gagosian at Britannia Street. As the NYT article notes, "Mr. Wheeler’s role as a pioneer had been diminished in Mr. Irwin’s and Mr. Turrell’s favor, perhaps owing partly to the difficulty of both the work and the artist."
So I arrived excitedly at David Zwirner for the Wheeler, but there was a line waiting. Even after I got inside the gallery, I had to wait. I waited for a total of two hours, which to be fair, the gallery staff warned us about. I used the time to flip through interesting old catalogues on display. Coincidentally I had just seen art by Craig Kauffman, described by NYT as a "sculptor of plastic" in his obituary, and by Helen Pashgian at LACMA the week before. All these West Coast artists had exhibited together, and I felt that I got to the party a bit late.
When it was finally my turn to see the Wheeler installation, I'd forgotten the story about the little boy in Bilbao from the NYT article, who did not realize that the "wall" in front of him was actually penetrable light. I was unimpressed at first until I realized I was fooled by Wheeler's trompe l'oeil. Once I stepped inside, I found that Wheeler had created a disorienting infinity environment in a room with no sharp corners. The curved walls gave an illusory effect of never-ending tunnels.
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| On Kawara painting, courtesy of David Zwirner |
I stopped at the two Gagosian outposts, of course, as well as at Mary Boone. Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds installation from the Tate Modern was considerably downsized for the Chelsea incarnation. I found it more accessible and the shimmering porcelain seeds were beautiful.
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| Ai Weiwei Sunflower Seeds, Tate Modern, January 23, 2011 |
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Los Angeles: Gallery 6
January 28, 2012, Saturday
Miles flown: 2475 miles x 2 New York JFK <-> Los Angeles LAX
Flight time: 10h 45 min = 5h 45 min + 5h
Landed: 9:15 am at Los Angeles LAX
Left: 9:25 pm for New York JFK
Returned: 5:30 am at New York JFK (January 29, 2012)
I left my apartment at 4:10 am. Remember my insistence at using public transportation?
Not having been to Frank Gehry's concert hall before, I was interested to see the building and I bought a ticket for a children's concert at 11 am. Though my flight arrived 40 minutes early, I was four minutes late because of a problem with public transportation. The concert featured excerpts from Mahler 5. The acoustics were impressive, and I found Gehry's design ingenious.
My next stop, after lunch, was LACMA. I spent most of my time inside the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, designed by Renzo Piano. The second floor featured a special Ellsworth Kelly exhibition. Koons, Baldessari, Therrien and Warhol shared the third floor, while Serra's sculptures and a Nauman video were on the first floor. The elevator shaft showed Barbara Kruger.
If I wasn't the first to complete the Challenge, I could very well be the first to arrive at the Beverly Hills gallery by bus! Afterwards I was off to see the Chinese Theater in Hollywood before heading back downtown for dinner. I thought of having dinner in Chinatown, but oddly most places had closed or were about to close, and it was not even 6 pm yet. Little Tokyo was much more inviting.
I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light.
My strong allegiance to Manhattan has softened over the years, and Los Angeles is probably much more exciting culturally than it was when Woody Allen's Annie Hall was released. Still Los Angeles is difficult without a car, but I found much I liked. I'd like to see all the famous modernist architecture some day. The urban sprawl was jarring, and using the bus made me acutely aware of deep economic divisions. But yes, I'll admit this:
Sun is shining, the weather is sweet
Make you want to move your dancing feet
Airfare: $298.10
Miles flown: 2475 miles x 2 New York JFK <-> Los Angeles LAX
Flight time: 10h 45 min = 5h 45 min + 5h
Landed: 9:15 am at Los Angeles LAX
Left: 9:25 pm for New York JFK
Returned: 5:30 am at New York JFK (January 29, 2012)
I left my apartment at 4:10 am. Remember my insistence at using public transportation?
Not having been to Frank Gehry's concert hall before, I was interested to see the building and I bought a ticket for a children's concert at 11 am. Though my flight arrived 40 minutes early, I was four minutes late because of a problem with public transportation. The concert featured excerpts from Mahler 5. The acoustics were impressive, and I found Gehry's design ingenious.
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| Walt Disney Concert Hall, courtesy of Wikipedia and Carol Highsmith
Mahler 5 Adagietto, Walter & Vienna, 1938, courtesy of YouTube
|
If I wasn't the first to complete the Challenge, I could very well be the first to arrive at the Beverly Hills gallery by bus! Afterwards I was off to see the Chinese Theater in Hollywood before heading back downtown for dinner. I thought of having dinner in Chinatown, but oddly most places had closed or were about to close, and it was not even 6 pm yet. Little Tokyo was much more inviting.
I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light.
My strong allegiance to Manhattan has softened over the years, and Los Angeles is probably much more exciting culturally than it was when Woody Allen's Annie Hall was released. Still Los Angeles is difficult without a car, but I found much I liked. I'd like to see all the famous modernist architecture some day. The urban sprawl was jarring, and using the bus made me acutely aware of deep economic divisions. But yes, I'll admit this:
Sun is shining, the weather is sweet
Make you want to move your dancing feet
Airfare: $298.10
Monday, January 23, 2012
Hong Kong: Gallery 5
January 21, 2011, Saturday
Miles flown: 8067 miles New York JFK to Hong Kong HKG + 1569 miles Hong Kong HKG to Kuala Lumpur KUL
Flight time: 24h 35 min (20h 55 min + 3h 40 min); return on Jan 23, 20h+
Landed: 7:55 am at Hong Kong HKG
Left: 4:15 pm to Kuala Lumpur KUL
Landed: 7:55 pm at Kuala Lumpur KUL
Returned: ~9 pm at New York JFK, January 23, 2011
I booked my ticket too late, so the direct flights to Hong Kong were too expensive and I had a connection via Vancouver. I'd never been to Vancouver, but all transit passengers were confined to the aircraft while it was cleaned quickly. Cathay Pacific has an excellent entertainment system, and I watched several movies (all on demand), and during the New York-Vancouver segment, the aircraft was virtually empty.
While this was just two days before Chinese New Year, Gagosian kept to its regular hours. It wasn't opening until 11, so I took a cab for Tuen Mun to visit my friend S and his family. This time I caved and took a cab, as a bus would just be too taxing after a transpacific flight. S's wife fed me homemade corn bread and tea, while we all chatted and watched their kid whip up some amazing Lego structures in no time.
S insisted on driving me to Central. We walked past Occupy Hong Kong underneath the HSBC building. The protesters had a reduced presence compared to when I saw them a month before.
When we arrived at Gagosian, two other Challengers had already arrived and were waiting for their stamps. From their conversation, I guessed that one was juggernut3, who writes for the art blog Arrested Motion. I had been following the travails of my fellow Challengers virtually prior to my trip, and I knew that three people were racing for the top. Juggernut3's last stop was Hong Kong and was the third person to finish. I chatted with them briefly, and it was really nice of juggernut3 to take a photo of me and the other Challenger, who I'm guessing was estefue. He subsequently finished in Beverly Hills, based on Gagosian's Facebook pages.
S treated me to dim sum at Luk Yu Teahouse, and we met another friend for a quick coffee before I set off for the airport via the Airport Express.
Prior to landing in Kuala Lumpur, the flight attendants walked down the aisles and sprayed a disinfectant, supposedly following some rules. I'd never seen this before. Upon arrival, I caved and took a cab again. While the airport is far from the city center, the fare, around $25, wasn't outrageous. I spent the night and the next day and a half with my parents, flying home Monday Jan 23 at 1:45 pm, the first day of the Year of the Dragon.
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Lichtenstein's Chinese landscapes, Dec 22, 2011
Airfare: $1660.15
Hotel: free, thanks to mom & dad
Miles flown: 8067 miles New York JFK to Hong Kong HKG + 1569 miles Hong Kong HKG to Kuala Lumpur KUL
Flight time: 24h 35 min (20h 55 min + 3h 40 min); return on Jan 23, 20h+
Landed: 7:55 am at Hong Kong HKG
Left: 4:15 pm to Kuala Lumpur KUL
Landed: 7:55 pm at Kuala Lumpur KUL
Returned: ~9 pm at New York JFK, January 23, 2011
I booked my ticket too late, so the direct flights to Hong Kong were too expensive and I had a connection via Vancouver. I'd never been to Vancouver, but all transit passengers were confined to the aircraft while it was cleaned quickly. Cathay Pacific has an excellent entertainment system, and I watched several movies (all on demand), and during the New York-Vancouver segment, the aircraft was virtually empty.
While this was just two days before Chinese New Year, Gagosian kept to its regular hours. It wasn't opening until 11, so I took a cab for Tuen Mun to visit my friend S and his family. This time I caved and took a cab, as a bus would just be too taxing after a transpacific flight. S's wife fed me homemade corn bread and tea, while we all chatted and watched their kid whip up some amazing Lego structures in no time.
S insisted on driving me to Central. We walked past Occupy Hong Kong underneath the HSBC building. The protesters had a reduced presence compared to when I saw them a month before.
 | |||||
| Occupy Hong Kong, photo taken Dec 2011 |
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| gago11 in black jacket and estefue (I think), courtesy of juggernut3 of Arrested Motion |
Prior to landing in Kuala Lumpur, the flight attendants walked down the aisles and sprayed a disinfectant, supposedly following some rules. I'd never seen this before. Upon arrival, I caved and took a cab again. While the airport is far from the city center, the fare, around $25, wasn't outrageous. I spent the night and the next day and a half with my parents, flying home Monday Jan 23 at 1:45 pm, the first day of the Year of the Dragon.
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Lichtenstein's Chinese landscapes, Dec 22, 2011
Airfare: $1660.15
Hotel: free, thanks to mom & dad
Monday, January 16, 2012
Geneva: Gallery 4
January 16, 2012, Monday
Miles flown: 469 miles x 2 + 3452 miles London LHR to New York JFK
Flight time: 11h 25 min = 1h 40 min + 1h 45 min + 8h
Landed: 11:35 am at Geneva GVA
Left: 3:25 pm for London LHR
Returned: 8:20 pm at New York JFK
Time was especially tight as I insisted on using public transportation as much as possible. I only had about 45 minutes in the city center. The weak dollar and the strong Swiss franc were giving me sticker shock, so I was actually glad that I had little time in Geneva. I had a quick look at the Flower Clock and saw Jet d'Eau from a distance, bought some Thai takeout, and I was back at the airport.
At Heathrow, I managed to get on an earlier flight for New York that left two hours before the one I was booked on without paying another change fee. I was very thankful.
Airfare: $211.80
Miles flown: 469 miles x 2 + 3452 miles London LHR to New York JFK
Flight time: 11h 25 min = 1h 40 min + 1h 45 min + 8h
Landed: 11:35 am at Geneva GVA
Left: 3:25 pm for London LHR
Returned: 8:20 pm at New York JFK
Time was especially tight as I insisted on using public transportation as much as possible. I only had about 45 minutes in the city center. The weak dollar and the strong Swiss franc were giving me sticker shock, so I was actually glad that I had little time in Geneva. I had a quick look at the Flower Clock and saw Jet d'Eau from a distance, bought some Thai takeout, and I was back at the airport.
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| Jet d'Eau, courtesy of Wikipedia |
Airfare: $211.80
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Les Macarons Perdus
January 15, 2012, Sunday
Number of lost macarons: 5
My friend A was running late, so I wandered over to the Charing Cross Road bookstores. I had bought some Hévin chocolates for her, but when I was getting my things from the coat check at the National Gallery, I ran into the friend who had gone to the show with the woman who had sold me her extra ticket. So she got the chocolates instead as a thank you.
I told A this story over lunch, and I said, Well, I have some macarons I didn't get to eat in the morning and we can share these for dessert. But as I reached for them in my bag, I realized they were gone as well. I'd given them away inadvertently.
Off we went searching for macarons at Ladurée Burlington Arcade. But instead we indulged ourselves at the Parlour at Fortnum & Mason across the street.
I marveled at how well A coped with motherhood. While she was caring for her baby in a changing room, I waited in the lingerie section nearby. One item had this on it, which I thought summed up the Challenge quite well:
Veni
Vidi
Visa
Number of lost macarons: 5
My friend A was running late, so I wandered over to the Charing Cross Road bookstores. I had bought some Hévin chocolates for her, but when I was getting my things from the coat check at the National Gallery, I ran into the friend who had gone to the show with the woman who had sold me her extra ticket. So she got the chocolates instead as a thank you.
 |
 | ||||
| Ladurée Burlington Arcade, courtesy of Ladurée.fr | |
I marveled at how well A coped with motherhood. While she was caring for her baby in a changing room, I waited in the lingerie section nearby. One item had this on it, which I thought summed up the Challenge quite well:
Veni
Vidi
Visa
Leonardo at the National Gallery
January 15, 2012, Sunday
Time spent waiting in line: More than 2.5 hours
Time spent at the exhibition: Less than 2.5 hours
Number of Leonardo paintings seen: 9*
The Leonardo ticket was the hottest in town. Advance tickets were sold out shortly after the exhibition opened in November. And sadly I arrived too late. Though the people at the end of the queue and other "latecomers" and I (7 am was considered late; people started queuing at 5:30 or earlier, apparently) were told repeatedly that there were no more tickets that day and it'd be a waste of time to wait, I stayed anyway.
I was hoping for my moment of serendipity. When traveling, one is especially dependent on the kindness of strangers. I once made it into a sold out Bruckner 8 concert at the Concertgebouw. I've been especially lucky in Paris, where I'd gotten back cash (and even a passport!) that I'd accidentally dropped. I had to wait for two hours for this moment to arrive. About 20 minutes before the museum opened, a woman was looking to sell an extra ticket, and someone connected the dots and remembered the guy who had flown all the way from New York to see the show. So I ended up inside the museum when it opened.
Was the Leonardo show hyped and not worth the trouble? I found it remarkable that I was able to get so close to his art because of the strict crowd control policies at the museum. As I was in the first group that was let in, I was able to take a quick look at all the paintings before others got to them, and I looked at the drawings later.
It was a treat to have two versions of Virgin of the Rocks at opposite ends of the room. The London version is later than the Louvre version, and Leonardo's palette had become more restrained. Leonardo also added halos in the London version. The Entente Cordiale might have been signed nearly a century ago, but different art tastes in the two countries have led to a very public clash in the restoration of Leonardo's celebrated The Virgin and Child with St Anne, over which two French art experts resigned in protest.
The face of the exhibition was Lady with an Ermine. This painting came from Poland and reports were that it would not be lent to another show for at least ten years. I found myself being fascinated by the ermine, which recalled other exquisite art on animals, such as Durer's famous hare.
Pairing paintings and related drawings made for a particularly enjoyable and educational experience. The curators seemed to be making a case for Boltraffio's significant hand in Madonna Litta from the Hermitage through drawings by Boltraffio, one of Leonardo's most talented students. Drapery drawings by Leonardo supported the attribution of Salvator Mundi to the master. There someone else had his moment of serendipity, or, put more simply, hit the jackpot. The Lenoardo attribution meant that a painting that was worth 45 pounds about fifty years ago was now worth more than 120 million pounds.
The final part of the exhibition took place in the Sunley room in the main building. The Last Supper obviously could not travel, but the curators gathered the drawings related to the badly damaged fresco in this room. Also shown was the earliest known full-scale copy of the fresco by Giampietrino (Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli), now at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, from about 1520. It includes details now irretrievably lost in Leonardo's fresco, such as Christ's feet.
A special HD presentation of the show can be seen in movie theatres around the world over the next few weeks.
*Leonardo paintings in the show, in the order seen
The Musician (c. 1486-7), Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan
The Lady with an Ermine (c. 1489-90), on deposit at National Museum, Crakow
La Belle Ferronnière (c. 1493-4), Louvre
Saint Jerome (c. 1488-90), Vatican Museums
The Virgin of the Rocks (1483-c. 1485), Louvre
The Virgin of the Rocks (c. 1491/2-9, 1506-8), National Gallery, London
The Madonna Litta (c. 1491-5), Hermitage
Christ as Salvator Mundi (c. 1499 onwards), Private collection
The Madonna of the Yarnwinder (c. 1499 onwards), The 10th Duke of Buccleuch and the Trustees of the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust (this painting was attributed to Leonardo and unknown 16th century painter)
Time spent waiting in line: More than 2.5 hours
Time spent at the exhibition: Less than 2.5 hours
Number of Leonardo paintings seen: 9*
 |
| The Lady with an Ermine, courtesy of the National Gallery, London |
Some have queued more than three times, oh my god.... courtesy of audreyamarillo and YouTube
Was the Leonardo show hyped and not worth the trouble? I found it remarkable that I was able to get so close to his art because of the strict crowd control policies at the museum. As I was in the first group that was let in, I was able to take a quick look at all the paintings before others got to them, and I looked at the drawings later.
It was a treat to have two versions of Virgin of the Rocks at opposite ends of the room. The London version is later than the Louvre version, and Leonardo's palette had become more restrained. Leonardo also added halos in the London version. The Entente Cordiale might have been signed nearly a century ago, but different art tastes in the two countries have led to a very public clash in the restoration of Leonardo's celebrated The Virgin and Child with St Anne, over which two French art experts resigned in protest.
The face of the exhibition was Lady with an Ermine. This painting came from Poland and reports were that it would not be lent to another show for at least ten years. I found myself being fascinated by the ermine, which recalled other exquisite art on animals, such as Durer's famous hare.
Pairing paintings and related drawings made for a particularly enjoyable and educational experience. The curators seemed to be making a case for Boltraffio's significant hand in Madonna Litta from the Hermitage through drawings by Boltraffio, one of Leonardo's most talented students. Drapery drawings by Leonardo supported the attribution of Salvator Mundi to the master. There someone else had his moment of serendipity, or, put more simply, hit the jackpot. The Lenoardo attribution meant that a painting that was worth 45 pounds about fifty years ago was now worth more than 120 million pounds.
The final part of the exhibition took place in the Sunley room in the main building. The Last Supper obviously could not travel, but the curators gathered the drawings related to the badly damaged fresco in this room. Also shown was the earliest known full-scale copy of the fresco by Giampietrino (Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli), now at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, from about 1520. It includes details now irretrievably lost in Leonardo's fresco, such as Christ's feet.
Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan, courtesy of Credit Suisse and YouTube
*Leonardo paintings in the show, in the order seen
The Musician (c. 1486-7), Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan
The Lady with an Ermine (c. 1489-90), on deposit at National Museum, Crakow
La Belle Ferronnière (c. 1493-4), Louvre
Saint Jerome (c. 1488-90), Vatican Museums
The Virgin of the Rocks (1483-c. 1485), Louvre
The Virgin of the Rocks (c. 1491/2-9, 1506-8), National Gallery, London
The Madonna Litta (c. 1491-5), Hermitage
Christ as Salvator Mundi (c. 1499 onwards), Private collection
The Madonna of the Yarnwinder (c. 1499 onwards), The 10th Duke of Buccleuch and the Trustees of the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust (this painting was attributed to Leonardo and unknown 16th century painter)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Paris: Gallery 3
January 14, 2012, Saturday
Train travel: ~300 miles x 2 London St Pancras <-> Paris Gare du Nord
Train time: 4h 49 min = 2h 23 min + 2h 26 min
Arrived: 3:47 pm at Paris Gare du Nord
Left: Eurostar 8:13 pm for London St Pancras
As soon as I boarded the train for Paris, I regretted leaving my bag at St Pancras. The left luggage office closed at 10 pm, 21 minutes after I was due back in London. A delay would be troublesome.
I rushed to Gagosian once I got off the train. I walked down rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, past Élysée Palace, past some Christmas lights that were still on at Place Vendôme, to various shops in Paris I always visit when I am there -- Colette, for the latest photobooks; JP Hévin, for exquisite chocolates and agnès b., for essential couture.
While agnès b. was panned in the New York Times for shirts "that would probably cost one-third as much at Uniqlo," I remain a loyal customer. Although prices have ballooned frighteningly (certainly outpacing the rate of inflation) since I bought my first shirt in Amsterdam in 2001, they are still affordable during the giddy Paris soldes and still hard to pass up with VAT refunds. The size 36 shirt is a nearly perfect cut for me, whereas American cuts are probably made for twice my size.
A stop at Gagosian meant that I had very little time for Fondation Cartier (designed by Jean Nouvel). Still I spent twenty minutes there, which was far too short to appreciate properly the Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere exhibition. The show was a collaboration among artists and mathematicians, who included Fields Medalists, such as a 2010 medalist Cédric Villani.
The most striking artwork I found was a sculpture by Hiroshi Sugimoto, renowned for his minimalist photographs of black-and-white seascapes, long-exposure photographs of theaters and blurry photographs of iconic modernist architecture. From the bookshop I picked up a second copy of his monograph Conceptual Forms, which has become impossible to find in the USA.
Dinner was a salmon tart, which I ate on the train. My seat mate was watching La Règle du Jeu on his DVD player, which he said he watched regularly. Renoir's brilliant portrayal of aristocratic dysfunction at the eve of World War II is a masterpiece.
Le plus terrible dans ce monde c'est que chacun à ses raisons. Drop terrible and this famous line from the movie explains why anyone even takes up the Spot Challenge.
I had no trouble retrieving my bag at St Pancras.
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Cy Twombly + Jean Prouvé, Nov 27, 2010
Train tickets: $227
Train travel: ~300 miles x 2 London St Pancras <-> Paris Gare du Nord
Train time: 4h 49 min = 2h 23 min + 2h 26 min
Arrived: 3:47 pm at Paris Gare du Nord
Left: Eurostar 8:13 pm for London St Pancras
As soon as I boarded the train for Paris, I regretted leaving my bag at St Pancras. The left luggage office closed at 10 pm, 21 minutes after I was due back in London. A delay would be troublesome.
I rushed to Gagosian once I got off the train. I walked down rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, past Élysée Palace, past some Christmas lights that were still on at Place Vendôme, to various shops in Paris I always visit when I am there -- Colette, for the latest photobooks; JP Hévin, for exquisite chocolates and agnès b., for essential couture.
While agnès b. was panned in the New York Times for shirts "that would probably cost one-third as much at Uniqlo," I remain a loyal customer. Although prices have ballooned frighteningly (certainly outpacing the rate of inflation) since I bought my first shirt in Amsterdam in 2001, they are still affordable during the giddy Paris soldes and still hard to pass up with VAT refunds. The size 36 shirt is a nearly perfect cut for me, whereas American cuts are probably made for twice my size.
A stop at Gagosian meant that I had very little time for Fondation Cartier (designed by Jean Nouvel). Still I spent twenty minutes there, which was far too short to appreciate properly the Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere exhibition. The show was a collaboration among artists and mathematicians, who included Fields Medalists, such as a 2010 medalist Cédric Villani.
 |
| Fondation Cartier, courtesy of galinsky.com |
 |
| Mathematics: A Beautiful Elsewhere, courtesy of Fondation Cartier |
 |
| Hiroshi Sugimoto's "Conceptual Form 011: Surface of Revolution with Constant Negative Curvature" in the Fondation Cartier exhibition, courtesy of Wallpaper.com |
 |
| Cover of Sugimoto's Conceptual Forms, courtesy of Barnes & Noble |
 |
| Did I just stamp your passport twice, asked an incredulous immigration officer at Gare du Nord |
Le plus terrible dans ce monde c'est que chacun à ses raisons. Drop terrible and this famous line from the movie explains why anyone even takes up the Spot Challenge.
I had no trouble retrieving my bag at St Pancras.
Previous Gagosian gallery visit: Cy Twombly + Jean Prouvé, Nov 27, 2010
Train tickets: $227
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