Art Market San Francisco 2014: Has Interest Peaked?
The latest rendition of Art Market San Francisco, May 15-18, 2014, was a mixed presentation of various forms of contemporary art, from high brow to low. On view were works in all shapes and sizes, from painting to sculpture to videography, presented by over 70 galleries from across the nation. Touted as the Bay area’s only contemporary and modern art fair, the cavernous location in Fort Mason Pavilion provided more than enough space for galleries to display and hawk their wares; maybe too much space. This writer visited on Saturday, May 17 and found the place to be rather empty of visitors. Has interest in giant art markets peaked? Are art collectors finding this set up too exhausting, too impersonal, too uninspiring, too expensive? I roamed the pavilion searching for new and exciting art; something innovative that would knock my socks off; art that would make my eyes pop or the hairs on my neck stand up. Alas, this was not to be. Don’t get me wrong, the event was worth the visit, it just wasn’t over the top, so to speak. Here are photos I snapped of some of the fair’s highlights:
Francesca Pastine, “Artforum #47, Unsolicited collaboration with Cindy Sherman, Mask Series,” 2013. Hand-cut Artforum magazines, plexiglass, wood, screws, 19 x 13 x 4 inches.
Stacey Steers, “Night Hunter Cottage,” 2011. Mixed media: video, wood, paint, electrical, 20 x 16 x 15 inches.
Hung Liu, “Parrot and Girls,” mixed media, 40 x 60 inches.
John Chervinsky, “Oranges, Box and Painting on Door,” 2011/14. Archival inkjet print, 76.2 x 96.5 cm.
Ross Bleckner, “Untitled,” 2012, oil on linen.
Eric Nash, “End of Freeway,” 2014. Oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches. $8,500.
Roy Lichtenstein.
Patrick Hughes, “The New Impressionists,” 2014. Oil on board construction, 19 x 49.5 x 8 inches.
Michael Gregory, “La Grange,” 2014. Oil on panel, 45.5 x 35.5 inches.
Eric Zener, “Sea Dreams,” 2013. Oil on canvas, 72 x 84 inches. $64,000.
Kiki Smith, “Sky,” Jacquard tapestry, 114.5 x 75 inches. $78,000.
David Fought, “Two Circle Square Fills and Short Cone,” 2014. Burnt metal, plaster. $2,000.
Richard, Deutsch, “Arpeggio,” 2014. Carbon fiber, composite materials.
Jacques Flechemuller, “BMW,” 2013. Oil on canvas. $3,000.
Julie Speidel, “Dervaig,” bronze. $24,000.
Lalla Essaydi, “Bullets Revisited #3,” 2012. Chromogenic print mounted to aluminum with UV protective laminate.
Anastasia Pelias, “Ritual Devotion (ruby lake light, madder lake brillant),” 2013. Oil on canvas.
