. . . . the most astute blue chip buy of the season:
NOTE: the actual Maison Tropicale bought at CHRISTIE’S was a slightly different house,
but follows along these guidelines.
JEAN PROUVE, ‘A TROPICAL HOUSE’, exhibited in the HAMMER MUSEUM courtyard,
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2005.
PHOTO: COURTESY HAMMER MUSEUM
archival notes from the HAMMER MUSEUM (OCT 4, 2005):
. . . “A prefabricated metal house constructed by French designer JEAN PROUVE, known as the Tropical House, will be installed in the Hammer Museum courtyard
during October and November 2005. Installation of Jean Prouve: A Tropical House will begin October 4, and deinstallation will begin in January 2006.
The installation and deinstallation periods will last for approximately two weeks and are integral aspects of the display, allowing the public to observe, first-hand, Prouve’s notions of prefabricated architecture in practice.
Prouve designed the Tropical house in 1949 as a prototype for inexpensive, readily
assembled housing that could be easily transported to France’s African colonies. Fabricated in Prouve’s French workshops, the components for the house were completed in 1951 and were flown disassembled to Africa in the cargo hold of an airplane. The house was erected in the town of Brazzaville, Congo, where it remained for nearly 50 years. In 1999 the Tropical House was disassembled and shipped back to France for restoration…”
an excellent essay by ROBERT RUBIN, About Jean Prouve’s Tropical House, as well as a striking series of installation photographs can be found on the HAMMER MUSEUM website: www.hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/95/index.htm
THE NEW YORK TIMES, JUNE 6, 2007 – Metro Briefing, Page B8
MANHATTAN: HOTIELIER BUYS 1951 HOUSE
“The hotelier ANDRE BALAZS bought Maison Tropicale, a small 1951 aluminum-paneled house by the French designer JEAN PROUVE, for $4.97 million yesterday, Christie’s auction house said. Christie’s had estimated that the house would go for $4 million to $6 million. (The final price ncluded Christie’s commission: 20 percent of the first $500,000 and 12 percent of the rest.) The house had been on view since mid May in Long Island City. Prouve designed it as a prototype for prefabricated homes for French colonial officials stationed in Africa.
The seller, Eric Touchaleaume, a French antiques dealer, as said he plans to use the proceeds to finance a Prouve museum that will travel in another Maison Tropicale.”
CHRISTIE’S, NEW YORK – AUCTION DATE: JUNE 5, 2007
illustration not available
LOT 0311
JEAN PROUVE (1901-1984)
THE PROTOTYPE LARGE MAISON TROPICALE FOR BRAZZAVILLE, 1950-51
ESTIMATE: $4,000,000-6,000,000
SOLD FOR: $4,968,000
note: the property offered for sale as LOT 0311 consists solely of the prototype Maison Tropicale created by Jean Prouve. Photographic illustrations (not available on-line) may include the base, which includes the iroko decking and the tall pillars from which the prototype is raised on short, adjustable, telescopic pillars was not designed by Jean Prouve. The iroko base and the tall pillars, designed and manufactured by the present owner to provide an optional platform for the prototype Maison Tropicale, are not being offered for sale in this auction but will be made available for purchase by the successful bidder via a private sale.
note: the base was bought privately.
CHRISTIE’S
from the artlovers archives:
CATHRINE PROUVE, JEAN PROUVE’S DAUGHTER .. and
SERGE PROUVE, JEAN PROUVE’S GRANDSON, (said to resemble his grandfather),
sitting at one of his grandpa’s original work desks …
a folding chair by JEAN PROUVE,
at the opening of: ‘Furniture and Architecture by JEAN PROUVE’,
curated by PATRICK SEQUIN,
SONNABEND GALLERY, FEB 22, 2003
Photos: Nancy Smith
these photos first posted in artnet, MARCH 17, 2003
~JEAN PROUVE/CHRISTIE’S/ANDRE BALAZS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 15th, 2007, 12:56pm
URS FISHER, in front of his painting, ‘A Novel & Its Novelist’,
in ‘Fig, Nut and Pear’, his one man show at Gavin Brown’s enterprise
FEB 19, 2005
PHOTO: Nancy Smith
the one image worth cruising the FRANCOIS PINAULT, PALOZZI GRASSI in VENICE, for – is ‘JET SET LADY’ by URS FISCHER. it is a huge tree ‘infrastructure’ containing many small artworks on paper, or as the site describes it:.. “simultaneously beautiful and ugly, mammoth and intimate, ‘JET SET LADY’ is a three dimensional map of the artist’s mind in the form of a tree…”
(..have absolutely no idea why the word “ugly” is used here … ?!!)
the site doesn’t allow images to be lifted …(once a businessman always a businessman) nor hyperlinked – so go to:
www.palazzograssi.it/sequence1
then hit: ENGLISH
then hit: artists
then hit: URS FISCHER
more URS FISCHER, ‘Fig, Nut and Pear’ photos
~URS FISCHER/GBE/PALAZZO GRASSI |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 15th, 2007, 10:43am
RUDOLF STINGEL is in the news regarding his participation in ‘SEQUENCE 1’ – a FRANCOIS PINAULT presentation of contemporary art (from his personal collection) that just opened, in his PALAZZO GRASSI exhibition hall in Venice. The exhibit was curated by ALISON M. GINGERAS, and focuses on 16 artists, Mr. Stingel being one of them. Some of the works were reportedly commissioned just for the show, including a pavilion-like structure within which one can find a silver-paneled room and chandelier installation by Mr. Stingel. Besides being an avid art collector and exhibitor on a grand museum quality scale, Francois Pinault owns CHRISTIE’S AUCTION HOUSE.
RUDOLF STINGEL has recently presented 2 installations in New York City that really caught our imaginations. The first was a very striking installation of one large single painting – a portrait of his NYC dealer, PAULA COOPER, in the large and beautifully designed gallery space in Chelsea that bears her name. The exhibit opened on Feb 12, 2005, PAULA COOPER GALLERY, (Chelsea), NYC.
RUDOLF STINGEL at the opening of his installation,
PAULA COOPER GALLERY, NYC
FEB 12, 2005
RUDOLF STINGEL, large painting, PORTRAIT Of PAULA COOPER,
PAULA COOPER GALLERY, FEB 12, 2005
PAULA COOPER, photographed at the opening,
RUDOLF STINGEL installation, PAULA COOPER GALLERY,
FEB 12, 2005
ABOVE PHOTOS: Nancy Smith
A VIEW OF THE RUDOLF STINGEL INSTALLATION,
PAULA COOPER GALLERY, FEB 2005
PHOTO: COURTESY PAULA COOPER GALLERY
The second installation, presented a year later, was even more intriguing, and very different.
Mr. STINGEL installed a complete gallery floor of ‘mirror-polished aluminum’, in
the aptly and poetically, wonderfully named, ‘Hiding in the Light’, a small group exhibit, curated by NEVILLE WAKEFIELD, at MARY BOONE GALLERY (CHELSEA), that ran from Jan 12 – Feb 25, 2006.
Looking back at the photos, it still resonates as one of the most beautiful and critically awesome exhibits, ever. Resonates is the perfect word, for this exhibit, in more ways than one, and the RUDOLF STINGEL floor certainly contributed greatly. Sublimely invisible and reflectively dynamic all at once, it was installed in a seemingly seamless effort, from wall to wall, creating a 4th dimension that could be there, or not. You felt something magical happening the minute you walked in, but the effect was so sublime, you didn’t always realize you were actually walking on a perfectly reflective surface. It was curious, beautiful.
in the foreground, CAROL BOVE, ‘YSL’ (hanging lines of crystal-like beads)
reflected in the RUDOLF STINGEL mirrored floor, note the gallery-goers,
considering the ‘properties’ of the floor underfoot . .
a bronze, life-size, ‘Lifeboat’ by JEFF KOONS, adrift on the RUDOLF STINGEL
mirror-polished aluminum floor,
with a reflection of ALEKSANDRA MIR’S ‘Beauty Free’ canvas.
‘Hiding in the Light’, curated by NEVILLE WAKEFIELD,
MARY BOONE GALLERY (Chelsea), Jan 28, 2007
PHOTOS: Nancy Smith
see: more photos of this exhibit: posted 2006-05-12
RUDOLF STINGEL, ‘Untitled’, dimensions variable,
mirror-polished aluminum, 2004
PHOTO: COURTESY MARY BOONE GALLERY
There are no images of the present RUDOLF STINGEL installation at
PALAZZO GRASSI posted on their website.
IT’S got a lot of not very impressive web glitz & flash – BUT its not very generous with the images. not very functional at all. after all, M. Pinault, we can’t all get to Venice, it would sink. is your exhibit archival in spirit, or just another artworld touristas destination ?
. . but anyways, with the words..”silver paneled room and a chandelier” one might imagine it to be reflective and sublimely magical, if it is at all, even remotely, a close cousin to these 2 pieces/installations, above..
palazzograssi.it
~RUDOLF STINGEL/VENICE/PAULA COOPER/MARY BOONE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 14th, 2007, 3:09pm
LOT 4
RUDOLPH STINGEL, b. 1957
Untitled, 2002
Celotex insulation board, wood and aluminium in two parts.
overall 94-1/4 x 67-1/8 ins.
This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.
ESTIMATE: $60,000-80,000
SOLD FOR: $734,000
PART I
CONTEMPORARY ART
MAY 17, 2007 NEW YORK
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
~RUDOLF STINGEL/PHILLIPS/MAY 17 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 14th, 2007, 2:10pm
DAMIEN HIRST diamond encrusted skull – ‘For the Love of God’,
image: courtesy White Cube, London
DAMIEN HIRST, . . . For the Love of Money or (Bad) Art Marketing 101.
Damien Hirst & White Cube have put forth an “extraordinary diamond skull,
‘For the Love of God’, a life-size cast of a human skull in platinum, covered entirely
by 8,601 VVS to flawless pave-set diamonds. They want $100,000,000, YES!! that’s
100 million $$ US !!, for it. the story goes something like, its got $30 million worth of diamonds, and therefore the artist and the dealer get to split the remaining 70 million, left over. As of this posting – they haven’t found a taker, yet.
(well, at least the new owner doesn’t have to hire a scuba diver to jump in and clean it, once a week, which Damien’s ‘aquarium/fish tank’ pieces require.)
They have also made available, for the lesser pocket-booked, a series of silkscreens depicting the skull, cutely titled: ‘For the Love of God, Laugh’ !
These silkscreens are in an edition of 250, and they are sprinkled with real diamond dust !! These prints are going for: 10,000 British pounds+VAT
you can see pictures of the skull & prints on the White Cube, LONDON website:
LAUNCH VIEWING ROOM
and for the data, check here:
VIEWING ROOM/data:
bad enough as that is, a young and slightly eccentric, or is it obsessive, collector,
down in Tribeca – is telling anyone who will listen, the unsubstantiated claim that: ” . . Damien Hirst is the world’s richest living artist, having amassed a personal fortune that clocks in at over: 250 million pounds (US$500 million)”.
to celebrate this top tier OCEANS 11 heist of the artworld:
here’s some never-before-published artlovers photos, from 2005:
DAMIEN HIRST opens, ‘THE ELUSIVE TRUTH’ at GAGOSIAN GALLERY, CHELSEA, NYC. (24th STREET), MARCH 11, 2005
The show ran from March 11 – May 21, 2005
Photos: Nancy Smith
DAMIEN HIRST opens ‘THE ELUSIVE TRUTH’, GAGOSIAN GALLERY, 24th STREET, NYC.
DAMIEN HIRST greets some fans at the opening.
STEVE BUSCEMI makes the DAMIEN HIRST opening.
MAURIZIO CATTELAN also dropped by the DAMIEN HIRST opening.
one of the paintings in the show. DAMIEN HIRST, ‘ Minerals’, 2000-2003,
oil and acrylic on canvas, 72 x 89 ins.
large painting, DAMIEN HIRST, in ‘THE ELUSIVE TRUTH’, GAGOSIAN GALLERY,
24th STREET, NYC, MARCH 11, 2005
see more: DAMIEN HIRST – ‘THE ELUSIVE TRUTH’ (2005), GAGOSIAN GALLERY
~DAMIEN HIRST/$100 million/man |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 13th, 2007, 4:37pm
LOT 31
DAMIEN HIRST b. 1965
Naja Haje, 2000
Gloss household paint on canvas. 60 x 52 ins.
ESTIMATE: $800,000-1,200,000
SOLD FOR: $846,000
PART I
CONTEMPORARY ART
MAY 17, 2007 NEW YORK
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
~DAMIEN HIRST/PHILLIPS/MAY 17 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 13th, 2007, 3:44pm
LOT 30
DAMIEN HIRST b. 1965
Loss of Memory is Worse than Death, 1994
Painted steel cage, formaldehyde containers, mask, gloves, and syringe.
42 x 84 x 30 uns.
ESTIMATE: $300,000-400
SOLD FOR: 600,000
PART I
CONTEMPORARY ART
MAY 17, 2007 NEW YORK
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY
~DAMIEN HIRST/PHILLIPS/MAY 17 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 13th, 2007, 3:37pm
JEFF McMILLAN – ‘Some Dispute Over the Color of Hats, and How Outsiders Cope’
opens to-nite – SATURDAY – JUNE 9, 2007 – 7-10pm
FUSE GALLERY – 93 2nd Ave (btw 5th & 6th Sts)
the show will run from June 9 thru July 14, 2007
Rock posters, album art, comics, music, comedy and cartoons influence this Los Angeles
based artist. Claiming as inspiration artist/illustrators such as FRANK KOZIK, PHIL HALE,
and ROBERT WILLIAMS, JEFF McMILLAN “plays close attention to the drawing and execution
of his work. The juxtapositon of a rendered painting with subtle humor as a subject fascinates him most.” (press release)
FUSE GALLERY
~JEFF McMILLAN/FUSE/opens to-nite: SAT |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 9th, 2007, 10:02am
IMAGE: COURTESY CINDERS GALLERY
CINDERS – THE PORCH SHOW – the PARTY is To-NITE !! FRIDAY JUNE 8, 7-10PM
THE PORCH SHOW will run: JUNE 8 – AUGUST 5, 2007
featuring work by:
George Ferrandi, Zachary Rossman, Suzanne Sattler, Kyle Field, Ryan Jacob Smith,
Julianna Bright, Mel Kadel, Rich Jacobs, Erika Somogyi, Sean Samoheyl, Monica Canilao,
Kelie Bowman, Florencio Zavala, Caroline Hwang, Brendan Monroe, Julie Morstad,
Saviour Scraps, Jenny Hart, AJ Fosik, Jeana Sohn, Eric Beltz, Jacob Mickelson, Sto,
the Polaroid Kidd, Matt Leines, Julien Langendorff, Tim Harrington, Ryan Woods,
Matthew Feyld, Amanda Barr, and Richard Colman.
CINDERS GALLERY – 103 HAVEMEYER ST (btwn HOPE + GRAND) – BROOKLYN
Cinders
~THE PORCH SHOW/CINDERS/opens FRI |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 8th, 2007, 1:53pm
IMAGE: COURTESY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
* BEN JONES * ROBERT PIMPLE * TAYLOR McKIMENS * MATT LEINES *
* 4 LARGE WORKS * OPENING TODAY – FRI JUNE 8, 2007 * 8PM *
* COMMUNITY OUTREACH * 101 STANLEY ST * LONDON, ONTARIO * CANADA *
* the show runs from: JUNE 8 – JULY 13, 2007
PAUL BRIGHT of COMMUNITY OUTREACH (in the van), picks up a large painting from
TAYLOR McKIMENS (right), last week, for the show. Taylor’s studio is in BROOKLYN, NYC.
JUNE 1, 2007
(yep. that’s a glimpse of a NECKFACE scribble on the van’s door..)
PHOTO: Nancy Smith
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
~BEN JONES/ROBERT PIMPLE/TAYLOR McKIMENS/MATT LEINES/Community Outreach/London,ONTARIO/opens FRI |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 8th, 2007, 1:35pm
