Sunday, January 6, 2008

Nominee Update

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.

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