XMAS at the TATE

A bit of Christmas cheer before the end of the year! Check out this year's Tate Xmas Tree, Make Your Own Xmas by Bob and Roberta Smith.


Make Your Own Xmas, 2008 Copyright: Bob and Roberta Smith Photo credit: Sam Drake / Tate Photography.

MCA Building News

Sam Marshall of Marshall Architects has been revealed as the Principal Architect to create the $50 million extension to the MCA, Sydney. The project is set to be completed in 2011 with a focus on better educational facilities and people circulation throughout the building.

Images to come although from first look it a relatively tame extension all be it a very sophisticated and clean one with the original building not being overwhelmed by the new. This project has been hotly anticipated so I will update as soon as any new information becomes available.

Virtual Art Basel Miami Beach

If you didn't make it to Art Basel Miami Beach this year you can check out the galleries and artists that exhibited on artnet. You can also revisit galleries and artists that you enjoyed, if you were able to attend. It has an interactive map and you can search artists, galleries and look at the different curatorials sections throughout Art Basel Miami Beach. This interactive look at Art Basel Miami will be on artnet from December 3, 2008 until February 7, 2009. Worth a look.

Desperate times at the ADAA?

On receiving an email regarding the ADAA Collectors' Forum The Global Economy and the Art Market: A New Perspective in Uncertain Times it seems that judging from this collectors and dealers are definitely struggling with uncertain economic times especially in the USA.

I would suggest that it is the more unpredictable or less committed collectors that would perhaps be buying less art or being cautious. Buyer's with serious collections and knowledge would understand that this is the time when some serious bargains are to be had (and to use some economic jargon) a bit of a readjustment period.

The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) which is holding this forum seems to be made up some of American's oldest and established galleries and dealers with speakers from Yale, The Guggenheim Foundation and one half of Luhrig Augustine Gallery, Roland Augustine (President of the ADAA) all speaking. Clearly this is a genuine example of the seriousness in which the art market in American is taking this financial crisis. On the upside, if there is one, I hope that younger and emerging artists will benefit in more investment due to their lower prices - here's hoping.


ADAA Collectors' Forum
The Global Economy and the Art Market:
A New Perspective in Uncertain Times

Saturday, December 13, 2008 10:00 am-noon
New York Historical Society December 13, 2008

Manfred Mohr - Klangfarben Series

P-1272_19001
2007-8
pigment ink on paper
15.75 x 15.75” / 40 x 40 cm

Bitforms, NYC presents Manfred Mohr's collection of works based on the geometry and multi-dimensional aspects of cubes. Although I probably understand little of the maths behind these works the exploration of shapes and composition is always engaging and these works are a clear link with the abstraction art of the 1970s to today contemporary painting. The exhibition will mix paintings and video images of Mohr's work, which is also currently exhibiting at PS1 - the contemporary satellite venue of MOMA New York.

The Klangfarben series will be on show from Dec 6 - Jan 17, 2009 @ bitforms and Mohr's works will be part of a group show on Reductive art @ PS1 until the 19 January 2009.

Portraits stay popular

Portraits have always been popular with Australian audiences, with the Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW being one of its biggest exhibitions every year. Even overseas, Annie Leibovitz's exhibition at England's National Portrait Gallery has been doing extremely well with audiences although her celebrity connection probably helped out in this area. It is no surprise then that the Government has sprung for a new National Portrait Gallery in Australia. Located next to the National Gallery in Canberra it is set to change the precinct which is populated with many other museums.

The work on the new gallery has been going on since mid-2006 and the design and construction process is up on the NPA website and is a great look at the way galleries are built. The gallery opens on Thursday the 4th of December with My Favourite Australian from 4 December 2008 - 1 March 2009 in conjunction with the ABC program and is set to be another crowd favourite.

Cildo Meireles at the TATE MODERN

Showing until the 11 January 2009 at the Tate Modern, Cildo Meireles is part of some of the very engaging exhibitions that I had the great pleasure to see this year. The interaction with viewers and public programs that I have spoken about before really comes to play in this exhibition. One of the founders of conceptual and social art Meireles's works are also very enjoyable and relatable.

It was the simple works that completely captured the audiences' imagination. From Mission/Missions (How to Build Cathedrals), made from gold coins and communion wafers or Southern Cross a tiny sculpture I saw a woman nearly step on. This exhibition demonstrates the excited and joy that contemporary art can bring.


Cildo Meireles
Mission/Missions (How to Build Cathedrals) 1987
Daros-Latinamerica © Cildo Meireles
Approximately 600.000 coins, 800 communion wafers, 2000 bones, 80 paving stones and black fabric
235 x 600 x 600