Displaying items by tag: john currin

A group of 54 artists and other art worlders has signed a letter asking Mayor de Blasio and Meenakshi Srinivasan, chair of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, to deny the Frick Collection’s proposed plan for expansion.

“Those of us in the art world who cherish the unique and tranquil ambiance offered by the Frick are urging the Frick to withdraw its proposed plan and consider alternative methods of expansion that would preserve the character essential to its appeal,” says the missive, which is signed by gallerists Paul Kasmin and Irving Blum, filmmaker Sophia Coppola, and artists Jeff Koons, Chuck Close, John Currin, Brice Marden, Frank Stella, Cindy Sherman, Deborah Kass, Cecily Brown, Lisa Yuskavage, Rudolf Stingel, and Sarah Sze, among others.

Los Angeles certainly knows how to throw a party. But never is it more obvious than in the week leading up to the Academy Awards, when its party-throwing prowess is on full display. There are soirées by "Vanity Fair," the Weinstein Company, and Bulgari—one can easily find herself invited to four or more fêtes in one evening alone. The art world of LA is no exception; in fact, why wouldn't dealers capitalize on the likelihood of having Sir Elton John or Ingrid Sischy swing by, say hello, and support an opening night shindig even if only for a 15-minute drive-by en route to another celebration?

Gagosian Gallery is the master at availing itself of the big guns visiting LA during this high-flown week; the last four years, the art world monolith has brought forth fantastical openings by Urs Fischer, Richard Prince, and Taryn Simon (also known in LA environs as Gwyneth's sister-in-law). This year, Gagosian gives us figurative painter John Currin, opening Thursday, February 19, with his first solo show in LA in nearly a decade.

Amagansett firefighters are working to contain a fire in a guest house on the art dealer Larry Gagosian's Further Lane property. 

The fire, which was suspected to be electrical in origin, was reported after an alarm went off around 4:45 p.m. Firefighters reported light smoke in the crawl space, and they were checking behind walls with thermal imaging cameras.

The iconic 11,000-square-foot house, designed by the late Charles Gwathmey, was heavily damaged in a June 2011 fire that was linked to plumbing work.

A group of leading artists, artist estates, collectors, and dealer has donated 25 works of art to benefit the Whitney Museum of American Art’s new Renzo Piano-designed building in downtown Manhattan. The works, which are said to be worth upward of $8 million, will be put up for auction at Sotheby’s New York from May 14-15, 2013.

All of the artists involved in the multifaceted gift have strong ties to the Whitney and are represented in the museum’s stellar permanent collection. The most valuable work that will be up for auction in May is Jasper Johns’ (b. 1930) oil on canvas painting Untitled (2012), which is estimated to sell for $1.5 million to $2 million. Johns has had five solo shows at the Whitney and has participated in over 37 group exhibitions; the donation came directly from the artist. Other highlights from the sale include a Jeff Koons (b. 1955) silkscreen on stainless steel, a Cy Twombly (1928-2011) work on paper, a recent nude by John Currin (b. 1962), and other works by John Baldessari (b. 1931), Andy Warhol (1928-1987), and Ed Ruscha (b. 1937).    

All of the profits from the sale will directly benefit the Whitney’s new building, which is expected to open in the High Line District in 2015.