The New York Enemy/Ally Project

Rationale

2008-10-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

It’s a hard job because we don’t want to see all the shit that we are. The idea is that we are so full of contradictions and to accept all your contradictions is the most important thing to do in life. We all have one face we like to show, but the other faces are denied and they are all there screaming to get out.

-Marina Abramovic, The Brooklyn Rail, 2003, Interview with Delia Bajo and Brainard Carey

The above passage is a description of apprehending oneself in a mirror in the middle of a conversation or after reading a passage of a book, and Marina's interpretation of the event resonates with this project. I am not the author nor the speaker of the following rationales offered by anonymous participants in the nomination process, but the comments provided during an online survey reflect the sentiment that there are indeed faces denied screaming to get out, as well contradictory perceptions of individuals within and without the art world. The Enemy/Ally project is part of an art work made for Michael Waugh's 2008 show, Caucus, at Schroeder Romero Gallery. If you are offended by the language or the anonymous descriptions, please be advised that you are asking me to censor this work of art, however disagreeable you may find it. Again, I'm reminded of another quote I read by Marina Abramovic recently during research for a new project regarding performance art.

One of the most difficult things is to do things you are ashamed of.
-Marina Abramovic, 1996 interview with Kay Deepweel

William Powhida

Self-Censorship

2008-05-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that Google is coughing up Enemy/Ally nominations high in the rankings directly followed by the ANONYMOUS insult/compliment. These are not my rants or raves and were part of a larger project where people were invited to anonymously submit nominations and a brief rationale. If you find your name or reputation sullied by the the commentary of anonymous people (welcome to the blogsphere), please submit a request to enemiesalliesproject@gmail.com to have your name removed from the art project and actively engage in censorship.

It's your option, sell out your ideals or protect your reputation from Google. Clearly, I have to offer the option, or I will be 'punched in the head' or threatened with litigation. Let's make it an ethical dilemma for everyone involved. Everyone will know I caved to the powerful, but I will know who censors art, which I take very seriously.

NY Enemy/Ally Project Installation

2008-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

The installation of the New York Enemy/Ally Project was completed yesterday afternoon at Schroeder Romero as part of the group show, Caucus. Twenty graphite portraits of the people (and things) represent the range of voting from the equivocal to the absolute. The subjects were selected from the results based on their total number of votes and rank in the certainty index.

The show is up through February 16th and includes works by co-curator Michael Waugh, Eric Heist, Laura Parnes, Jennifer Dalton, Charles Browing, Laurie Hogan, Lou Laurita, Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz, Heidi Schlatter, and David Wojnarowicz.

Final Results

2008-01-14T07:31:00.000-08:00

All of the votes have been tabulated and arranged in a spreadsheet. The entire range of results can be viewed here. The winners/losers of the contest have been arranged according to certainty, a percentage based on the number of enemy/ally votes out of the total. This is how the drawings will be presented in the continuum at Schroeder Romero next weekend. I will also be working on a larger drawing that will attempt to include a representation of all the nominees from the initial survey form and the write-in ballots. Please send images of obscure nominations to me at enemiesalliesproject@gmail.com

Nominations for the NY Enemy/Ally Project will resume at a later date as part of an ongoing survey of the highly competitive New York art market.

Preliminary Results

2008-01-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the project at the opening Thursday night at Schroeder Romeroa. I have begun tallying the votes and with approximately 33% of the vote counted here are the results so far. Clearly, people do not like Patrick Mimran or stupid billboards. Perhaps he will heed the results of the project and quit the art world, as Rudy Giuliani ought to do in the presidential contest. Other results present a more complicated view of the art world, and hopefully I will be able to release some statistics about the voting patterns, but I'm sure you can draw some conclusions from the data so far.

I have to wonder though, based on the results so far, if Patrick Mimran didn't show up and vote for himself. Please visit www.patrickmimranneedshelp.com to support the stop Patrick Mimran campaign.
Click here to see the current tally.

Even More Nominations

2008-01-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

Allies

Eric Doeringer: For quietly reimagining the life of an artist, and for inventing a new model for the 21st century. And for the shit stream.

Everyone at CRG Gallery: possibly the nicest gallery crew around.

Ed Winkleman; He thoughtfully considers other peoples' opinions ... pretty fucking rare in the art world.

Rupert Ravens for showing raw edgy work in Newark without snide pretentious Chelsea attitude. (2o min. on the Path.)

Five newer LES galleries: Sunday, Thierry Goldberg, Luxe, Amy Smith Stewart, 31 Grand. Modest, committed, friendly. The real deal.

The Pink Bunny in front of Gagosian. Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Steven Kaplan Hold your head high, guy.

The Obama/Clinton ticket? The time has come today. All eyes on NH.

Robert Curcio modest, smart, a mensch

Vanessa Buia You go girl!

Ed Winkelmann "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like EW".

Lollipop Lollipop If you can't lick em, join em. edit

The Swivel Sweeper Clean Dirt Faster and Easier with the Swivel Sweeper

Steven Kaplan a hidden jewel. his persecutors must all be eliminated.

Christopher Henry the little engine that could

My Left Foot Vive le difference!

Megan and Heather of 31 Grand Hoorah!

the Met Museum- for it's knights in Armour

dan cameron- he cares about art and artists he's a human being.

John Connelly, because he has the "eye" for good art and his gallery is the only one worth visiting in that block/27ST. He doesn't need a blog to create hype or politics to sell art.

Jerry Saltz, for taking on MoMA for its sexism.

William Powhida, because he's really brave and that's rare Heather Stephens and Megan

Bush at 31 Grand. For fighting the good fight, and doing it with charm, grace, intelligence, and lack of pretension. Good ol' gals.

Barack Obama as Fela said thirty years ago: Black President

Enemies

Richard Beckman, Conde Nast Corp VP (or some title like that), for destroying so many lives with his anger, viciousness and steamrolling ego. At the very least, he broke a female salesperson's nose!

Rudy: Among other things, 'we will never forget' what you tried to do to the Brooklyn museum.

The whole lower East Side artist "Crap-Pack" that gets the Viagra erections going of the older collectors, museum trustees and, and exhibition space decorators (UM, curators) at same museums: Terrence Koh, Dan Colen, Dash Snow, Nate Lowman, Ryan McGinley. Oh, add TEAM gallery to that list of A-holes as well.

The Horts. They believe only the opinions of powerful people.

the L train relentless evangalist -8am in the morning crowded enough dont need jesus also.

Sculpture Center for featuring cold, sanitized, emotionless art.

Max Protetch and his flunkies. Bad character. Bad gallery. Uptight, vindictive, self important, morally bankrupt. Hateful. All fucking douche bags.

*** ******** of ******** Noxious ass kisser. Coke head. Curries favor with power, shits on subordinates. Dirtbag.

Mike Weiss "A frog with pubic hair". Wish I had come up with it.

Marc Glimcher Abusive prick. Needs to consult his daddy's shrink. Same anger management problems. Must be genetic.

Klaus Biesenbach The omnipresent, the unctuous, the insufferable diva. He needs to change the springs on his casting couch for young gay artists. They are worn out from wear.

Tracy Williams and Andrea Rosen wouldn't cross the street to piss on either

Protetch, Max TERMINATE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE

Ann Collier Photographer. Wife of the Higgs, to whom she owes her "career". Nasty when drunk, and can never hold her liquor.

******* ****, **** Meanie must die

Lisa Phillips her will to power just makes me puke. also, she knows how to hold a grudge.

Anne Pasternak of Creative Time not the sharpest tool in the shed, to be sure.

******* **** snob, idiot, **** ******, all the worst aspects of PR wrapped up in one aggressive, supercilious faggot bundle

Max Protetch virulent scumbag, mindless fuck, flatulent jerk, where does he get off?

David Hunt- everyone knows why, yet you still let him curate for you. Becky from bellwether- because shes' a self hating meanie. Jerry Saltz- for his insistence on writing about how young the artists he likes are, then slamming the P.S.1 gny2 show for following his example. for saying that john currin is "a genius" yet somehow lee bontecou is "repetitive"...c'mon jerry! and lastly, jerry saltz again, for killing jeremy blake and theresa duncan.

jerry saltz- he writes about- sex, drugs, rock n' roll, youth, and the goyem in general.- these are five things he knows NOTHING about. all his writing makes me feel like i'm back in high school. i picture him in the sandbox in elementary school, with no one to play with. and we give him the power.

NYFA, because it is the Welfare of bad artists.

Wiliam Powhida, for hiding behind the pseudonym of “Keane” to smear those he’d never have the nerve to do to using his own name—sort of sleazy. No, not sort of.

Rudolph Giuliani because the rest of the country doesn't know how much he sucks and that pisses me off

Ana Finel Honigman Aside from the hypocrisy and back biting, because she thinks she's hot, and she's not. You like London bitch? Stay there.

The girls with the clipboard at Petzel. You know who you are, cunts.

Fuck Max Protetch and all his douchebag enablers. Most of all George "Cuntface" Wong. Fop, backbiter, effete asshole, coward, anus of the universe.

More Nominations...

2008-01-07T14:53:00.000-08:00

Allies

The man on Craig's List that will pay my rent if I let him massage my feet three times a week.

Tom Colicchio - for creating the craft empire and because I rely on daily 'wichcraft lunch deliveries.

Omar Lopez-Chahoud for spending so much time and energy on the shows of emerging artists.

Nancy Princenthal Smart, supportive, informed, always interested...

Mike Hoeh, writer, ModernArtObsession.blogs.com - for his honest insight and smart choices.

Bill Powhida. For the platform.

Dalai Lama not in NY (a great asset)

Tim White Sobieski- hardworking and talented artist

Saunder Jurriaans. He is an independent musician. He works hard, loves his girlfriend and is a really good friend.

Damien Hirst, for furrthering the conversation on intellectual property and celebrity with works that are smarter than he is.

Holland Cotter Triple Candie James Wagner David Cohen and Artcritical.com James Kalm Joy Garnett Eric Doeringer Artbloggers who stir shit up (2nd time, not sure if it went through earlier)

Tom Moody, Joy Garnett, James Kalm, Eric Doeringer - and any other working artists operating under their own terms, apparently regardless of how it plays. David Cohen and Artcritical.com Holland Cotter James Wagner - Generous to a fault. Righteous. Triple Candie

Tom Moody talks straight, even if you don't agree with him.

Thomas Nozkowski is a real artist.

Celso. For making the city prettier.

Celso. he's my husband, my friend, my partner-in-crime.

Mari Spirito - is there a nicer person in Chelsea?

Omar Lopez-Chahoud; because his show are about nothing and anyone can be in them.

Enemies

The Senate- If they raise the price of a MetroCard.

Tom Colicchio - because I rely on daily 'wichcraft lunch deliveries and I need to crack the habit but I can't stop.

Patrick Mimran His billboards make me feel sick to my stomach every day when I am coming to work.

David Kiehl Super inflated ego maniac

Becky Smith, owner of Bellwether - do to her poor attitude every time I walk into her space. And her overwhelming bitchy persona.

Max Protetch Deluded fuckup. Return of the repressed. Sadist. Self satisfied prick. Whore.

Max Protetch passive aggressive egoist, self satisfied, failed architect, ass kisser, child molester, pulls the wings off flies

Sikkema Jenkins- total snobs

Andrew Krepps. He is a jerk. He has no gratitude and shows no courtesy towards anyone who doesn't show him the money.

Sallie Mae and her ilk for the siren call of doom.

Matthew Higgs - Hands-down the worst ally a struggling New York artist could have. He has made White Colums a joke.

Minus Spacers Matt & Rosanna are poseurs.

Jeffrey Deitch is a real asshole.

C-Monster. Ill-informed and Overrated. Make her stop!

C-Monster. I am my own worst enemy.

Since Javier Peres doesn't live in NY - John Connelly gets the de facto nomination simply because he shows so many of the same irrelevant and ridiculous artists.

Soon to be exiled again Pedro Velez; because anything he touches promptly turns into shit.

Nominee Update

2008-01-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

I'm preparing to draw my portrait tonight as an enemy. Having been nominated five times as an enemy of New York and finally with some serious malice from someone who clearly does not like my work, I think I should make a good showing during the vote. Unlike most criticism that is privately leveled at artists, dealers, critics, and collectors this is a public display of those opinions we often share conspiratorially confirming a shared place in the world.
While I haven't seen anything too surprising in the enemy nominations the allies have been far more educational and worth the risk. I look forward to seeing the continuum from saint to scumbag as the project unfolds at the gallery. Getting my ass-kicked in the process is expected considering the amount of enemies I've made over the years, but I will say that Schroeder Romero, Platform, Momenta, and Haines are all great galleries. Anyway, I'd really be a fucking hypocrite if I got upset with anyone's judgments. I'm getting precisely what I asked for, so if you feel strongly about your nominations, please come out and vote at the opening.

Allies:
Steve Kaplan, for showing us the future of William Powhida.
mike bloomberg underrated toughguy
David Childs/Daniel Libeskind - Architect and dsigners of the Freedon Tower.. bringing unique inovative design and architecture back lower Manhattan, restoring it to it's once former center piece of the big apple.
Improv everywhere for destabilizing the norm in the city and being totally hilarious at it
James Wagner Because he is more generous than a real art critic
President George W Bush -- never before has the hatred of a single individual united so many divergent peoples
Charlie Finch. Someones got to say those things.
Chuck Close -- for original creativity in portraiture, persistence in the face of adversity, and for saying out loud that inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just get on with it.
edward winkleman - manages to run a good gallery AND have time to blog!
Thomas Von Lintel: YUM.
Matthew Deleget & Rossana Martínez making art real again
Joel Beck at Roebling--perhaps not a crackerjack businessman, but a great manager and supporter of artists, who is in it for all the right reasons.
time
Death. Make room!
Anonymous, who bites at the heels of the cults of personality and necrophillia.
Ambiguity, who's fields and trees hide us until we see the whites of their eyes. Hold your fire!
Shelly & Peter @ Triple Candie - TC has the most interesting gallery program in New York. I only wish they were closer to Brooklyn!
Jane Scott, a loyal friend and advocate for every artist and person she believes in
The Metropolitan Museum - awe-inspiring institution and an international treasure.
Tony Feher, great artist and a nice person, a rarity in the art world

Enemies:
William Powhida, for making shallow work for bad galleries. This isn’t institutional critique; this is just art school level retardation. Print this, I'm sure you'll get off on it.
rudy giuliani his endless rejiggering of his "legend" his cynical exploitation his escalating credit-taking watching the nation-at-large fall for it the very idea of his relations, much less his continual tee-heeing about 'em the sickening notion of st rudy becoming musolini 2 the unfathomable tentacles and roots he has in so many shadowy, corrupt, secretive deals and organisations; makes kissinger look like andy dick oh lord...
Starbucks the main killer of unique family coffee shop/culture that once was NYC. And for that matter, I would also add.. Gap, Banana Republic, KMART, McDonalds, California Pizza Kitchen, Olive Gardern, Barns & Noble, Outback Steak House.. the malling of America.. turning the entire world and now NYC into one homogenous retail consumer society with little unique identity or creativity.
Dash Snow for trying to emulate a hamster and becoming ever so famous for it
Mauricio Laffite Because he talks too much
Artist William Powhida -- no one likes a showoff
Gavin Brown. For being part of the reason New York art turned into a "trustfund kids only" affair in the 90s. Gotta love those Brits theyre trained to swallow.
Stan Parchin -- for his knack of making art history boring and taking so long to get to the point. How anyone calling themselves to be an educational editor can write so badly is perpetually astounding and worrying.
galleries that don't let people take photos; hiding the art from the people
Dilettante Korean "dealers" with bad taste, daddy's money, and copious amounts of both.
No enemies--
Larry Gagosian--the Darth Vader of the art world.
time
Tim Griffin and Artforum, head of an ad driven form of high burlesque.
William Powhida, who's straw dogs and false dichotomies lead us in ever wider circles around the heart of the matter until, dizzy, we all fall down.
Truth, because with truth, there is always false, and absolutes cause so much trouble.
Bruce Ratner - Building an arena and mini-city in Brooklyn through cronyism, eminent domain, and taxpayer financing -- because Brooklyn needs a pro sports team and more luxury housing.
Mike Weiss, you have to take a shower after running into him, he's so slimy
My upstairs neighbor - would it kill you to take off your clogs at 4:30 am when you stumble home with your latest trick???
Linda Yablonsky - art "critic" for artforum.com. only interested in famous people, shallow, thinks being invited to exclusive dinners is being part of the art world. if she doesnt know you you dont exist.

More Nominees

2008-01-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Here are the newest nominations for your consideration. My personal favorite so far is the insightful nomination of a more nuanced position than this awful dichotomy and binary thinking. Shit, you know I had no idea that was what I was doing. I feel terrible and I really want a peaceful and positive future.

Honestly, if only our government applied such complex logic to foreign relations, maybe things would be different. I don't know, maybe this project might have something to do with that....hmmm.

Allies:
Jeff Stark because without him, there would be a lotta weirdos running around in the "normal" bars and nightclubs bothering the finance types.
Holland Cotter: admirable. Has mastered the unforgiving art of productive criticism; I've never seen him bash someone out of personal moodiness, crass vengefulness, or just plain sloppy thinking. If there were academy awards for art critics...

Tzipporah Wexler: A fantastic Lower East Side Real Estate Broker. And a good person.

Edward Winkleman: Smart gallery, great blog, cute boyfriend, always picks up the check when he goes out for drinks.
Tinkerbell
Pierogi Gallery: for giving under-represented artists a professional, yet off-beat, venue for selling their work.
through deciding to divide the world into good and
evil or enemies and allies you corner yourself into an
adversarial position where forgiveness is not an
option. From this position without the potential for
forgiveness there follows that there is no potential
for reconciliation and therefore no potential of
growth and a more positive and peaceful future.
Jack Shainman: possibily the nicest, most accomodating, and gratious dealer in Chelsea. Has a track record of presenting thoughtful group shows that are of Museum quality.
Lia Gangitano, Because she stays true to her heart and champions what's left of downtown
Rudy Guialiani. He has brought fame to NYC in his run for the presidency. He will fail, but that will not impact negatively on The Big Apple.
Marian Goodman. Who I want to be when I grow up.
any artist living in NY without a trust fund
SchroRoHo Girls (just bring em' a jug)
Jerry Saltz because he balances out Bertha
The ladies from PPOW. They continue to do it their way and remain relevant.
Mark River -- he helps out.
Is this supposed to be most beloved/hated in the art world specifically? The nominees are mostly in the art world, but it's not clear that that's what you meant. Please clarify. Thanks.
-It's up to the caucus. -William
Chris Rywalt, for his naive, articulate, humorous, dogged and incisive reporting upon the Naked Emperor Syndrome in Chelsea.

Enemies:
Mayor Bloomberg--because he thinks he's king and he's a republican and the mofo doesn't smoke.
Matthew Higgs: despicable. Don't we have enough Xtreme narcissists among us without them usurping platforms for emerging artists to self-promote? If he would volunteer for a round of "Hit the Geek" at Coney Island I might come around to him.
The UPS Store: FUCK YOU FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCEPT AN EXPENSIVE BOX!
William Powhida: Bugger has never included me in his art. And I thought I was someone!!!
God -- no explanation necessary --
Bruce Ratner: for destroying affordable housing while pretending to create affordable housing, fomenting racial tension for financial gain, and destroying viable neighborhoods and historic buildings.
David Ross: A prime example of a puffed-up artworld personality that really has nothing significant to contribute to the world.
Tony Marshall - 'cos he was really mean to his mother, Brooke Astor, and stiffed the Metropolitan Museum out of a $10 million bequest (from his mother)
Roger Clemems. He is either a dopie or a liar, or maybe both, or he has made a liar out of the Mets' trainer. He has brought shame to the fabled Yankees
Jeffrey Deitch. The Devil in horn rims.
Sheri fuck bitch whore cunt ... naaaaaaaaddddddddaaaaaaaaa
Scoop-ur (aka Scope) and/or any circuit fair
Hugh Grant (aka art consultants who wear all kakhi pants all the time) and hang out with peacocks
NADA For making people feel like they are back in high school and are part of the loser crowd.
Tom Moody -- he has ridiculous opinions.
Joao Ribas, for vacuous pretension, baseless elitism, and stomach-churningly bad curating. Also, his blog is the most boring thing on the planet.

Nominees

2008-01-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

The Nomination process has begun. The following people and things have been nominated so far.

Allies:
Lia Gangitano: The most ethical person in the art world.
Bronson Pinchot
The Rev. Billy from the Church of Stop Shopping: He's trying to wake the populace from their never ending consumeristic stupor.
Omar Lopez Chahoud, for hitting nearly every artist studio he''s asked to visit.
Mike Wilson - Artforum Editor and Critic - solid dude who likes black metal
The subway...honestly, it lets everyone in and doesnt judge you when you get too drunk.
Ban Ki-Moon, for trying, however ineffectually, to maintain some global comradery, cooperation and fairness.
Pearl Albino, without question the smartest, best person I know in the art business.
Thomas - because he is the worlds most famous artist assistant
Bloggers - unedited and unafraid, they keep the traditional media more honest.

Enemies:
Rudolph Giuliani, attempt to cut arts funding to Brooklyn Museum for a show he had not seen.
Tom Sanford
Yakov Smirnoff
David Rockefeller: This feeble old man wields so much political power and influence, and all he ever tries to do with it is to dissolve our countries boundries and to hoodwink the public into thinking this is good for them.
David Rockefeller: The proto-typical 'Mr.Burns' Character, except this one is nonfictionional folks! His hobby in the arts have distracted many hipsters to the unsatiable appetite for power this creature yeilds and continues to accumulate. His terrible taste and influence in the art world is infuriating; isn't global domination enough!
Terrence Koh and that little shit Javier Peres. Neither live in NY, but they are both so odious that their evil, like Bin Laden's, transcends geographical boundaries. Can't wait for the schadenfreude on these two.
Dash Snow - raging douchebag
Gavin Brown and his priveleged [sic] kids that get profiled in NY Magazine for no reason. He's a punk bitch and so are his kids.
Jeffrey Deitch, Too much money, but great suits
Hamster nests, there is no rationale
Art fair selection committee members - rarely have so few held so much undeserved power.

The New York Enemy/Ally Project

2008-01-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Internet,

Whether you live in New York or not, as a I do, you may find something both awful and fascinating about the city. I am offering you the opportunity to give voice your feelings by nominating a New York enemy and ally. The resulting nominations will fill out a ballot to be voted on at Caucus, a group show at Schroeder Romero Gallery January 10th from 6 - 8pm. During the nomination process I will be posting nominees for your commentary. I will be rendering the results of the contest in a continuum of most hated enemies and most respected allies following the voting. Please be as judgmental as possible and participate in this democratic critique. Please click Here to make your nominations.