tag-arts newsletter

The American Dream was in full force! Thousands flocked to Miami this year for the annual "See and Be Seen" art fairs that took place the first week in December. Art Basel and its satellites logged record-breaking crowds, proving that art buying is once again on the rise - not affected one bit by our struggling economy. Contrary to years past, the art itself however seemed subdued and mature, elegant and less edgy....no big political statements this year...no outrageous show-stoppers, except for...

One of the most amusing sights was watching Puff Daddy, entourage in tow, stalk a 40-something female art collector after she had bought a rhinestone piece by Mickalene Thomas that he had wanted! These highly sought-after works sell for approximately $45,000-55,000.

The theme of sparkle and shine was dominant throughout the fairs. Mary Corse drew a lot of attention with her glistening white minimalist canvases.

She uses a radical technique that mixes clear glass micro-beads with pigment to act as a prism, reflecting and refracting light. Depending on the viewer's perspective and angle, at times, the surface appears flat and even. But with a slight shift in location, a new image shimmers into view. Prices start at around $50,000.

Another artist embellishing her work with sparkle is Lorna Simpson. She incorporates gold embossing powder in her drawings and large-scale photographs. These monumental works are silk-screened onto pieces of felt and depict postcards of Lincoln Center from the 1970s. One in an edition of three sells between $55,000-65,000.

Iranian newcomer Sissi Farassat employs Swarovzki crystals and sequins to add sparkle to her photographs. She embroiders her self-portraits with the gems making each print unique...and affordable at under $10,000.

Sebastiaan Bremer is also embellishing photographs. He is renowned for transforming ordinary snapshots into surreal imagery. Using India ink and an acrylic pen to add more dimension to his pieces, his latest works involve seascapes. Prices start at around $16,000 for small works and go up to about $32,000 for the larger pieces.

Mother of pearl is inlaid into Nancy Lorenz's gold and silver-leaf abstract paintings. Using these luxurious materials together, Lorenz reinterprets a Japanese aesthetic into her work, having lived in Tokyo for five years. Prices range between $6,000 and $40,000 depending on size.

Asian influence abounded....Liu Bolin's photos were a big hit at the Art Asia fair. He is known as the "Vanishing Artist." He takes photographs of himself fully blended in with a background behind him as a form of political protest and his way of hiding from the authorities. His camouflaged self-portraits are available in two sizes, each only in an edition of 6, hovering around $10,000.

Chul Hyun Ahn's sculptures also drew curious onlookers, trying to figure out the optical illusion he achieved with his lights, plywood and mirrors. His signature "tunnel" creations simulate alternate dimensions and challenge the viewer to experience intellectual and spiritual travel. These works are only available in editions of three and are installed on the wall or are free-standing floor structures. Large works are priced at about $55,000.

Traveling from Japan to Paris to New York, Leandro Erlich's newest video allows us to sightsee without the hassle of packing and unpacking...."Global Express" takes us on an eight-minute journey through three cities from a subway car window. This trip costs a mere $65,000, excluding TV equipment.

Experimental filmmaker Leslie Thornton also plays with our minds in her latest additions to her celebrated Binocular Series. Her mesmerizing kaleidoscope technique watches animals' movements in their natural habitats. Thornton's newest piece is a 12-minute video filmed in the Alps of sheep grazing under a ski lift. The high-definition footage can be viewed easily using a Mac-Mini or on a Blu-Ray disc.

Photographic out-takes can be printed as well. Videos are priced around $8,000 and photos are under $2,000 each.

A fun installation we came across was the Paper-Cut-Project, paper wig sculptures designed by two Atlanta-based artists, Amy Flurry and Nikki Salk, who were clearly influenced by vintage 1960s fashion photography. Their creations have captured the attention of numerous fashion houses and will be featured in a spread this December in Italian Vogue.

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