Monday, December 20, 2010

Banksy 'Jungle Book' Painting Revealed

This never-before-seen painting by British street artist Banksy was commissioned by Greenpeace in 2001 as a part of their 'Save or Delete' campaign, which aimed to bring attention to the current deforestation crisis. Featuring the famous Jungle Book crew awaiting execution, it was intended for use on posters, billboards, and postcards, but was never used due to copyright issues with Disney. The piece was recently revealed when Banksy donated it for an upcoming auction at Bonham's in January.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Rob Pruitt's Art Awards 2010

Hot off the heels of Art Basel Miami Beach, Rob Pruitt hosted the second annual Art Awards to benefit the Guggenheim Foundation. Playing off the format of a Hollywood awards ceremony, the performance based artwork, honored notable individuals, exhibitions, and projects that contributed to the contemporary art scene over the past year. 2010 winners include; Artist of the year, Louise Bourgeois; Best New Artist of the Year, Tauba Auerbach; Blogger/Critic of the Year, Jerry Saltz; Curator of the Year, Chrissie Iles.

The Rubell Family Collection: Contemporary Arts Foundation

Jean Pigozzi and ARTCO's Cary Leitzes enjoy artworks at The Rubell Family Collection during Art Basel Miami Beach. Many thanks to Tierney Gearon for sharing her photos!

Breakfast of Champions: Saturday at Miami Basel

What better way to start off the day then with a breakfast of champions? Saturday in Miami, Soho Beach House hosted an intimate artist brunch at Cecconi's to celebrate Art Basel and the club's impressive art collection. Since opening back in October, the Soho Beach House has acquired over 150 original works by artists including Miami-based Hernan Bas and Jim Drain, as well as Elizabeth Peyton, Glenn Ligon, John Baldessari, KAWS, and Jack Pierson. Curated by Soho House Group Curator Francesca Gavin and Art Director Jonathan Yeo, we've included a few of the many artworks on display throughout the property. Additional highlights from the day included SPiN and MOCA's Art Star Ping Pop, hosted by Susan Sarandon at The Delano, where table tennis talents Wally Green, Kaz, and Sooyeon Lee made a splash showing off their skills at a table set up in the hotel's pool. With great music to keep guests SPiNning on the dance floor, it was exactly the sort of fun filled evening that makes Art Basel Miami Beach great.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

A Game Show, A Movie & A Lap Dance: Friday at Miami Basel

Having spent the day marooned on The Island, highlights from Friday night in Miami included Assouline's Art Game Show hosted by Peter Tunney and Brooke Geahan at the Delano's Water Salon. Fashionable attendees including Nicole Miller, Marchesa's Edward Chapman and personal favorite, Kembra, celebrated David Rosenberg's book while being schooled in art trivia during this competition for an enviable Van Cleef & Arpels watch. Meanwhile, at The Standard, Jefferson Hack and Andre Balazs hosted guests including Francisco Costa and Michael Stipe for an outdoor screening of Marco Brambilla's Evolution (Megaplex). During intermission from Brambilla's 3D video eye candy we were treated to DJ sets by Leigh Lezark and Geordon Nichol of The Misshapes. Last, but certainly not least, after celebrating avaf's Labyrinth at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, with a dinner hosted by artist Eli Sudbrack and Suzanne Geiss, Club Madonna hosted the opening party for Ryan McGinness' Women: The Blacklight Paintings. I think it's safe to say visiting the Miami gentleman's club was a first for Jeffrey Deitch, where he was spotted congratulating former Deitch Projects artist McGinness. The project, made possible by Country Club and The Standard, exhibited the first four blacklight paintings in his new series alongside projections of the artist's illustration studies.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Island: Miami Basel

The invitation read "those who should be there, will be there" and Friday in Miami everyone was on The Island. From Jeffrey Deitch to Cecilia Dean guests were escorted by boat from the chic Mondrian Hotel to Flagler Memorial Island where LAND in collaboration with OHWOW partnered to bring art to life in the sandy island settings. For one day only fair goers escaped the convention center to roam the beaches and uncover site-specific installations by artists including Scott Campbell, Hanna Liden, and Terence Koh. Check out ARTCO's exclusive photos from the art happening!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Turn Up The Heat: Thursday at Miami Basel

From a boat to a psychadellic trailer, day two of Art Basel Miami Beach picked up speed with the opening of some of the most highly anticipated installations of the art fair! In the design district, Kathy Grayson and Meghan Coleman's The Hole with former Deitch Director Suzanne Geiss, and some help from ARTCO, welcomed pARTy goers back to Tony Goldman's Wynwood Walls with the expansion of their murals. Guests danced to DJ's Andrew Andrew while taking in new murals by Ryan McGinness, Ben Jones, Dearraindrop, and assume vivid astro focus, and exploring installations to include a magical life-sized labyrinth of wallpapers by assume vivid astro focus and an Airstream with black light interior, realized by Kenny Scharf. Meanwhile, back in Miami Beach, The New Art Dealers Alliance, NADA, celebrated installations at the NADA Sculpture Garden and its 7 For All Mankind Best Booth Prize Winners at Canyon Ranch, which awarded a cash prize of $7,000 to Kate Werble Gallery & Francois Ghebaly Gallery for the most innovative NADA booth presentation. ARTCO's Cary Leitzes was also among the artists and collectors including Kehinde Wiley, Larry Gagosian and Jay Jopling, at Aby Rosen & Samantha Boardman's star studded dinner at Soleá. Followed by an after party at Wall hosted by Vito Schnabel, Alex Dellal and Stavros Niarchos. Special thanks to Billy Farrell Agency for providing pictures of the event!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Welcome to Miami

Last night in Miami Beach, André Balazs and Dom Pérignon were joined by friends including MOCA's Jeffrey Deitch and artist Sante D'Orazio at The Standard to toast the innaugral US sea launch of Marc Newson's Aquariva and kick-off Art Basel Miami Beach. The boat, designed in partnership with Riva, is an edition of 22 and will remain on view at the hotel for the remainder of the art fair. Stay tuned for ARTCO's full coverage of Art Basel!