Crashing...

So two little girls in plaid coats crashed a couple of chichi gallery openings on Thursday.

But first...

My friend and I went to see the screening of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" at the Film Forum.  It was the last day and we went to the 3.00 pm showing.  We were chatting at a Dunkin' Donuts around the block, checked the time and - yikes! - it was 2.52.  We ran to the theatre and made it.  We were perhaps the youngest there, but wow!  I really didn't see much of a difference between this new restored version and the one I have from Kino on DVD.  I have shown the movie to my Photo II classes, discussing the link to German Expressionism and the elaborate sets.  However, seeing it on a big screen was fabulous, scary, gave me new ideas for the kids....

Then we worked our way up to Chelsea for some gallery hopping.  We stopped in at Chelsea Market - my friend had not been there - and then found places to see art.  It was opening night for lots of shows, so we were not in a rush.  The first one we stopped in at was nice, mid century paintings and drawings....  Classical type stuff, but nicely done.

Then we walked up to W. 24th and 25th streets.  We wandered into Pace Gallery.  Oh, it was a David Hockney opening.  And he was there.  They were recent paintings and photographic collages - those were presented on flat screen monitors.  Perfect, since I talk about Hockney and his photographic and art history work with my Photo I students.  Mr. Hockney looked quite old, but so happy.  I was just happy to be there...

Then we walked a bit more.  And oh, is that a Francesco Clemente opening?  OK, let's go.  There were two tents and then a room with works on paper...  I got a kick out of the comments my art therapist friend made about his work.  Tee hee....  Snakes, submissive figures....  The artist was there too.  I am not so into his tents, but I did like the paper work.

Then.... The Picasso and Jacqueline at the other Pace location.  Sigh....  I am so not a fan of Picasso - not his work, not his life, not anything.  I like Georges Braque more, if we are going to look at Cubism.  And there are many other things to say....  but I won't.  This was a meh kind of show.  I don't know, the work just did not move me anywhere but out the door.  Is it Picasso overload?  Maybe.  Even knowing some of the love story, it did nothing for me.  But then, I am not a sentimental person....

We did see other shows....  but sort of so-so.  I was hoping to catch more photographic work.  I did like something I saw at Agora Gallery.  I was surprised at that since I really am not a fan of their shows.  This woman - Tamar Avni - had large scale photographic images of women from the Middle East.  They are women who work on waging peace.  The images were striking, but not overtly so.  Reading the goals of the artist and then looking at the work and taking it in was eye-opening and I thought her work should have been in the front room...

So, my commentary.   I like Hockney more now.  I liked his demeanor and his paintings made me laugh.  He doesn't seem to be slowing down and I respect that.  When I went to a Joseph Kossuth opening while writing my thesis, I could not tolerate his "Don't worry everyone, I am here!" schtick.  And he sashayed around the place like everyone was there to give him nothing but accolades.  Ho humility.  I liked that Hockney and the other artists were going to see other works at other openings.  They gave off a vibe of happiness at being there.

The crowd?  Well, we certainly crashed some high class parties, that's for sure.  When Fran Lebowitz is holding court in the front of the gallery, you know you don't belong.   But then again, we were there to see the art, not to be seen.  The majority of the crowds were there to be seen or be seen with the artists.  I am just not into that kind of art scene.  I need to make sure I pick the right outfit next time... (sarcasm)

Oh, and the free wine and hors d'oeuvres seem to be a thing of the past....  Budget cuts?  Perhaps, but no more free dinner and no more gallery cruisers getting in the way of the art.  We ate in Jersey City, and we were ok with that.