~ATTACK of the GIANT ART GALLERIES ..

‘SPIRITUAL HUNGER’ vs TROPHY ART – PART I


the caption reads:
“Matthew Day Jackson’s ‘Burghers of Calais’ at Hauser & Wirth Gallery opens next week. Below, a test run of Richard Serra’s steel works at Gagosian Gallery, opening Oct 26.”

note: in fact the show OPENS TO-NITE – FRI SEPT 6, 2013 / 6-8 PM
MATTHEW DAY JACKSON – HAUSER & WIRTH – 511 W 18TH ST – CHELSEA

ok, here’s a little background on the trending (?) size issues at hand.
since I’m thinkin’ most of ya don’t get the WALL STREET JOURNAL, esp you GRAD STUDENTS !!
here’s the link.
of course, IF you do get the WALL STREET JOURNAL – I’m thinkin’ you might just be part of the problem, haha – trophy art, indeed.

see: ‘ATTACK of the GIANT ART GALLERIES’ ..
“Driven by a booming art market & demand for oversize trophy works, the world’s top galleries are opening vast new spaces ..” – by KELLY CROW / WALL STREET JOURNAL, AUG 29, 2013

don’t get me wrong – I’m not against size – for size’s sake,
just overall, HAUSER & WIRTH .. the new DAO-YI and MAXWELL OSBOURNE ?
I don’t think so !!

way too German expressionism, not enough NEW YORK GRIT !! and STYLE . .
but check it out for YOURSELF. HAUSER & WIRTH.
you know me, I’m always going to skew towards . . the underdog.
and for sure, against .. TROPHY !!

in fact, SIMON ..

SIMON CERIGO my dearly recently departed “ex”, but art buddy forever . . and, I’m sure as this season kicks into gear, or tries too,
it’s not just me .. missing him.

who else gonna run around to every, and I mean EVERY !! damn opening out there – and come back with the definitive low-down ?

SIMON .. gave MATTHEW DAY JACKSON his first NYC exposure / show, and I gave him his FIRST NEW YORK CITY .. MAINSTREAM PRESS.

it was a little show called, what else ?

‘SPIRITUAL HUNGER’ !!

and MATTHEW DAY JACKSON’S PIECE was as tiny, and ethereal .. as it gets !!

a temporary finger painting of ‘Jesus’ .. on the frost-treated, for the show – glass plate gallery front doors.
not a trace remained .. when the show came down.

hey, trust me – BIG AMBITIONS .. COME in SMALL PACKAGES, BIG TIME – TOO !!

witness .. digital gold, from the artnet archives:


“Artist MICHAEL DAY JACKSON with his window painting, ‘Jesus Gives’, (2003), in ‘SPIRITUAL HUNGER’ at DANIEL SILVERSTEIN GALLERY, CHELSEA, NYC. SEPT 13, 2003.”
a group show . . curated by SIMON CERIGO & DANIEL SILVERSTEIN.
PHOTO by NANCY SMITH.

see: the full report / MANHATTAN .. FALL ART SCENE 2003 / artnet