Christo's "The Gates" are being dismantled this
week, and the good news about this latest exhibit of the
Bulgarian conceptual artist is that no one has been seriously
hurt - which wasn't the case in 1991 when his giant
"Umbrellas" exhibit caused the death of a spectator in
California and the electrocution of a workman in Japan.
At Central Park, aside from some children crashing into the
cement poles holding up the saffron drapes while sledding
downhill during a snowstorm, there were no reports of injuries
that I know of. We can now all breathe a sigh of relief that the
city will not be sued over this elaborate marketing stunt by the
"artist" and his wife, Jeanne-Claude.
The other positive result of "The Gates" is that
restaurants near Central Park enjoyed the best business they've
ever had. Back in October 2003, I wrote a column, "Rapt in
the Ridiculous," about the proposed exhibit and suggested
that it would really benefit the city if "The Gates"
were to be erected in a park that needed the publicity. But
altruism was the farthest thing from the Christos' minds, and the
sales of souvenirs and the increased value of his other works - I
understand that Mayor Bloomberg owns a Christo - made this a
win-win for the couple.
I did not venture into my favorite park while it was being
desecrated because 1) I don't like crowds, and 2) I don't
appreciate conceptual art. Like Morley Safer, who has voiced his
own doubts about modern art, I tend to be reluctant to ascribe
artistry to conceptualists who appear to be more skillful at
self-promotion than anything remotely resembling art. But then,
what is art? Even more puzzling: Who is an artist?
A few years ago, a young artist named Albert Loewy was brutally
attacked by a group of Hispanic thugs in the Bronx. He was in a
coma at the time I learned of the talented man's horrific ordeal.
Fortunately, Mr. Loewy has made an almost full recovery, but he
has lost his left eye as a result of the assault. That sort of
loss can be devastating to any artist, but the young Mr. Loewy is
still creating real art. Are the hip Chelsea art galleries
hunting him down for a solo show? Probably not. He is, after all,
a bona-fide artist.
Seymour Kaftan, Holocaust survivor, created oil paintings
depicting the horror of the concentration camps. Sorry, no
Manhattan showcase for him, either. He was a bona-fide artist as
well.
It's getting harder and harder for a "real" artist to
find recognition in a city that is so impressed by trendiness and
schlock art. Sometimes we need a reminder of how beautiful art
can be, and how it can even be lots of fun.
The ArtExpo New York opened yesterday to the trade at the Jacob
K. Javits Convention Center and will be open to the public
tomorrow and Sunday. Admission is a reasonable $15.This year's
theme is "A World of Art Awaits," and there's something
for everyone.
There will be examples of artwork by celebrity artists such as
two rock stars of yesteryear, Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and
Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. TV's "Dr. Quinn, Medicine
Woman," Jane Seymour, will be on hand to show off her works
at the Cold Canyon Publishing booth. So will another TV actor,
Stephen Shortridge, who played Beau, that cute blond heartthrob
on TV's "Welcome Back, Kotter." He's quite a talented
artist, whose original paintings cost between $2,000 and $10,000.
Anyone interested in memorabilia will be delighted with the
display of 30 of Marilyn Monroe's personal effects, including her
pre-engagement ring to Joe DiMaggio and signature pink
sunglasses. Dog lovers will enjoy the works by artist Ron Burns,
who will be unveiling his portrait of Elizabeth Taylor's dog,
Sugar.
Bring the children to the Animated Pavilion to see Disney
characters, the Simpsons, the sexually ambiguous SpongeBob
Squarepants, and many more of the kids' favorite cartoon
characters. Actually, the most interesting part of the ArtExpo is
the SOLO area, which showcases emerging artists. From what I've
seen of their work, they compare quite well to giant umbrellas
and fabrics in construction site-colors masquerading as art.
One definition of the word in the "American Heritage
Dictionary" is:
"The conscious production or
arrangement of sounds, colors,
forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects
the sense of beauty, specifically
the production of the beautiful
in a graphic or plastic medium."
How positively quaint! To think that modern art has anything to
do with beauty. While "The Gates" did bring many
thousands to Central Park, the installation also managed to
distract from the park's natural beauty, crafted by the true
artistry of Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, and God.