20x200 Newsletter

Edition Announcement #256 - Mark Ulriksen

2010-03-18T17:20:00Z

Aloha collectors! It's SO good to be home sweet home AND it's starting to feel like spring around here. Winter coats have been banished and the sun seems just a little higher in the sky, bringing a bit more light to even the darkest of dark first-floor apartments. I'll have a recap of all good goings on soon. I have but a minute today to introduce this edition from one of our favorite New Yorker contributors: Mark Ulriksen. Mark most recently put together The Oscars issue cover. If you're a subscriber, you might have also caught his third-page punchline in the tri-folding money issue a couple months back. As you all most likely know, Jorge Colombo is our other favorite New Yorker cover artist — and he's been at it again! In Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, Mark's invented a moment for two of his country-music heroes to share the limelight together, with an owl! Dressed in their singing-Sunday best, standing in front of fence posts and what I imagine to be a very weathered barn tucked off among green acres somewhere south or west of here, the two look ready as ever to croon. Lonely, broken hearts be gone! This nostalgic print is a perfect companion for Hank Williams' Bed, Georgiana, Alabama as photographed by Scott Eiden. To conclude our brief week of tributes to all good things that are a lil' bit country, we've rounded up our best bets for the cowboys and gals among you below, including Scott's photograph, yesterday's ode to Lyle Lovett, Untitled (I like you 'cause you like me and you don't like much.) by Mike Monteiro and Rodeo Stars, Strong City, Kansas by Mike Sinclair. Mark's first edition with 20x200 is also a good one for music lovers: Monk. He generously agreed to create the edition with 20x200 as a benefit for a fine San Francisco institution, SFJAZZ, and only two prints remain! Speaking of benefits, we're gearing up for a super kiss-off-to-winter event with our friends at Aperture this very Friday: SNAP! A few tickets are still available so hop to it and we'll look forward to seeing you there! Before then, I'll be back here tomorrow with one final fresh edition for this week. SNAP! OUT OF WINTER Friday, March 19, 2010 9:00 p.m. to midnight Aperture Gallery 547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor (Between 10th and 11th Avenue) New York, NY 10001

Edition Announcement #255 - Mike Monteiro

2010-03-16T19:12:00Z

Hello collectors! It's Sara, filling in for Jen as she enjoys her last few hours of SXSW-fun in Texas. I'd imagine it's a bittersweet departure for our friend — she's been out and about all over Austin, browsing boots, duking it out in battledecks and toodl-looing with a coupla 20x200 all-stars — Austin Kleon and Mike Monteiro. BUT, she was oh-so-far-away for a very big day yesterday: Jen Bekman Gallery's Seventh Anniversary! March 15th marked seven fine years at 6 Spring Street, no small feat. We'll be toasting upon her return for certain. Happy birthday JBG! Instead of dwelling on the fact that we're far from south-by-southwest up here in the Northeast, we've decided to introduce a little southern sweetness to y'all this week. And we're kicking it off with Untitled (I like you 'cause you like me and you don't like much.) by Mike Monteiro. While the image is all his own, the words sprang forth from another source. Scratching your head? Here's a hint: fat babies have no pride. Did ya get it? It's LYLE LOVETT. I've been giggling over this edition for *weeks* now. (And if you listened to that last.fm link and didn't laugh at least a little, I don't know what's wrong with you.) I LOVE LYLE. Seriously. I will forever live over in my head the moment he smiled at me from across a hotel lobby — Julia Roberts was no dummy for marrying the man, let me tell you. Also no dummy: Mr. Mike Monteiro. Not only did he paint it on thick with this latest edition, he's skillfully selected wise words from musicians in the past. Need I remind you? Untitled (I'm an island of such great complexity) comes by way of Pavement. The SXSW 2010 rumormill was spinning yarns about Pavement's possible appearance that so far have proven false — the SXSW-music fest starts tomorrow — just another reason for those of us stuck at home to smugly convince ourselves that we're not missing out on much. Even if we are. No need to feel sooooo blue, JB will be back to regale us with all the details soon — tomorrow we'll break from our regular programming to bring you a heart-breakin', good-lookin' print of a lonesome twosome, were they ever together, by a recent New Yorker cover artist. If you're not feeling our country fun, check out Mike's gift guide for his witty picks from the archives. Till tomorrow!

Edition Announcement #254 - Gregory Krum

2010-03-10T06:18:00Z

Warm and springish greetings collectors! It's Sara today, filling in for Jen and oh-so-happy to be introducing a new photograph from the ever wonderful Gregory Krum. Paris is the fourth edition we've released by Mr. Krum, and is a fine companion to the sold out Chateau Pool and Nymphenburg, and New York (Peony), which is still available. We've lined up this new edition just in time to remind the New Yorkers out there to swing by the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum to see Quicktake: Rodarte, an exhibition celebrating the fashion design duo, curated by Mr. Krum. The exhibition closes this weekend, on Sunday, March 14th. Jen returned from the very fancy Vogue preview of the exhibition with rave reviews, so I'll be scooting myself uptown to see it this weekend and suggest that you do too. Next on the calendar for Gregory is his own solo show at Jen Bekman Gallery, opening in a few short months this May. We'll have more details soon! When I was reviewing the final proof of this photograph with Gregory, he told me that his last specification to our printer was to make the image "more dreamy." I'm smiling as I share this because only Gregory could give that instruction in all seriousness without sounding like a dolt, and only Eric, our printer, could turn around a new version of the image that was exactly what Gregory wanted. And so we have a subtle and specific representation of a boat on the river Seine. It's easy to give this image a minute to study the tangled coils of ropes and hose and foliage, alive and dead, scattered and floating, and the next thing you know, you too are scattered and floating, a glance having gleaned a full ten minutes of your time. For me, ten minutes turned to a half hour as I scoured the web for houseboat rentals on the Seine. As soon as the idea entered my mind, I couldn't get it out — what could possibly be more romantic than staying on a riverboat in Paris? One thing that comes close is Mr. Krum's own notion for the series of works that Paris is a part of — Sailors' Valentine. Yes, plural, possessive "sailors'" and singular "valentine" — as he writes, "as if there was one mythical collective Valentine" — all those sailors seeking the one and same thing to bring back to their patiently-waiting loves. If your own seeking doesn't take you far from a desktop today (sad but true for most of us!), no need to shelve indulgent fantasies entirely: Paris isn't that far away.

Edition Announcement #253 - Carolyn Swiszcz

2010-03-08T19:06:00Z

Post-art-fairs-insanity greetings my friends! Did you catch all the hubuzz about our good-looking, not to mention terribly handy, Art Fair Survival Kits over the weekend? Based on tales from the trenches, I think they were a hit! Team 20x200 reported back with glee having met many of you long-time collectors and I think there just might be a few newcomers reading today's newsletter — we love having you here! Before I bring forth details about today's edition, I have good news: you still have a chance to win one of our $200 prints through our weekend-long contest. Upload your photo of someone carrying a tote to Twitter or Flickr by midnight tonight, tag with @20x200 or #20x200, and we'll send you a $5 20x200 gift certificate PLUS you'll be in the running to snag the aforementioned $200 print!* We'll announce the lucky winner in tomorrow's newsletter. Till then, I'll let you daydream about this gorgeous print from West St. Paul-based painter, Carolyn Swiszcz: Pelican Harbor Park Boat Ramp, Miami Beach, FL. As I was preparing to write this newsletter, I came across this write-up about Carolyn's exhibition last year at Franklin Artworks, by Melissa Stang on mplsart.com. Her essay is titled Carolyn Swiszcz makes interesting pictures and just happens to use buildings — and if I do say so myself, the lady has a point! As I waxed on some time ago about Carrie Marill's House Plants series, it's not so much that Carolyn paints buildings, but that she paints those buildings with her own particular style. In this instance, she's painted the sign and surrounding landscape of the Pelican Harbor Park Boat Ramp in Miami Beach in such a way that it instantly conjured the Miami I know from several art fair pilgrimages south. While this painting is specific to Carolyn's perspective and marked by her own tools, which, in this case, include a stencil and stamps, it's brought up my own memories of that city by the sea — palm trees, pinky-purple skies, 1950s architecture and cars. I can almost smell the salty sea air mixed with exhaust. Setting her sights on un-monumental landmarks, Ms. Swiszcz makes them into memorable works, worthy of a second look, or two. I've got my own sights set on the South: not Florida, but Texas will soon find me stomping around. I'll be touching down in Austin later this week for South By Southwest and a round of Battledecks. Till then! * Please play fair! Only three photo entries per person will be accepted. Retweeting doesn't count. Gift certificates cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.

Art Fair Survival Kit

2010-03-04T17:45:31Z

The Art Fairs and Other Useful Spots Map by Jason Polan, downloadable PDF Sunny California greetings collector friends! I'm trotting around in a hoodie today, totally coat free! I hear that it's warming up on the East Coast too; maybe we'll have some bearable weather just in time for the weekend's art-fair insanity. Come rain, snow, sleet or wind, the 20x200 street team will be out and about distributing our JBP Art Fair Survival Kits. Superman (and woman!) -style, they'll be coming to the rescue of weary fairgoers everywhere, dispensing good cheer and all the things you'll need to make it through NYC's Armory Fair weekend, today through Sunday (for free!). Exactly what is an Art Fair Survival Kit? It's a super stylish orange and green Live With Art totebag, chock-full of goodies to revive, refresh and direct. As an extra bonus, a golden few, random totes will include a Why You Should Buy Art print by William Powhida in the sold-out 10"x8" print size. Too good to be true!? It gets better yet... If we see you carrying it all in your handy Live With Art carryall, we might just hand you a select 8"x10" print from one of our favorite artists. That's right, free art for you! If we don't spot you, you still have the chance to reap the benefits of our fun and games. If you take a picture (on your phone, with a camera) of someone (yourself, a friend, a stranger) carrying a totebag and upload it to Twitter or Flickr with a 20x200 hashtag (#20x200) or tag, you'll be rewarded with a $5 20x200 gift certificate and be in the running to win a $200 print at weekend's end. To keep track of our tote-distribution locations, follow us on Twitter @20x200 starting right now! In short: + Take a picture of someone (yourself, a friend, a stranger) carrying a Live With Art tote at the art fairs and post it on Twitter or Flickr. + Include #20x200 in your tweet or tag 20x200 on Flickr and we'll send you a $5 gift certificate to 20x200. + Our favorite photo from the weekend will win a $200 print from 20x200. + The contest ends Sunday at midnight (EST). Only three photo entries per person will be accepted. Retweeting doesn't count. Please play fair! Ready to get set and go? Today you'll find team 20x200 at these locations: + The BAM Booth (P-7) at PULSE + The Blind Spot Booth at The Armory, Pier 92 (12th Avenue & 55th Street), near the entrance + SCOPE: look for us around the fair handing out totes! + Jen Bekman Gallery at 6 Spring Street* To find your way around, see our 2010 NYC Art Fairs Map on Google or download your own printable PDF of the prettier guide by Jason Polan. I'll hope to see you soon, maybe even for the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 Second Edition Exhibition opening tomorrow, Friday, March 5th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The show features fifteen works from our five newest Hot Shots: Marisa Aragona, Leah Tepper Byrne, Alejandro Cartagena, Jessica Eaton and Justin James King, and will be on view 'till March 20th*. Hurry in. If I don't see you at JBG, I'll be on a panel at The Armory and then talking about Twittering, Tumbling, Facebooking and Flickring at SMartCAMP, details below. The Upside to the Downside: Young Collectors in the Global Market Time: Saturday, March 6; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: The Armory Show, Open Forum Lounge, Pier 92 (12th Avenue & W. 55th Street) The Value of Building Community Time: Sunday, March 7th, 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. Location: SMartCAMP at Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Avenue After you've soaked it all in, don't forget to vote for your favorite installation at artlog's People's Choice Awards! * In addition to our normal Wednesday – Saturday hours, 12 – 6:00 p.m., the gallery will be open this Sunday, March 7th, 12 – 6:00 p.m.

Edition Announcement #252 - Landon Nordeman

2010-03-03T19:08:00Z

West-Coast greetings collector friends! I'm still hustling around semi-soggy San Francisco as team JBP gears up for this weekend's artfest in NYC. I hear our Art Fair Survival Kits are coming along swimmingly. As I mentioned yesterday, they'll be stuffed with all kinds of goodies — what I didn't let on was that among the totes we're handing out, a golden few will include a 10"x8" print of William Powhida's ridiculously rapid-selling Why You Should Buy Art (the sole remaining edition of 14"x11" prints is quickly dwindling). Sweet surprise, no!? I thinks so. All the more reason to pick up your Live With Art tote at our soon-to-be-disclosed locations. Stay tuned; we'll have a dispatch with all the details, tomorrow! Striding in to save us all from the mid-week slump is today's aptly-titled edition, Nice Pants. Evidence that good things come in threes, these poly-patterned golfers paraded across Landon Nordeman's roving frame, providing a perfect photo op. Fast and often funny, Landon is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Saveur. His Best-in-Show photos for TNY of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show got a shout-out from super blogger (and first-ever Hot Shot) Rachel Hulin who concurs, Landon's work is great: "when the images from the WKC Dog Show come out in the magazines and I laugh and feel oh so amused, in that delightful Christopher Guest-ian way. No one does it better than Landon Nordeman." And yes, Weimaraners are the best dogs to photograph! We know at least one other photographer — not to mention hundreds of collectors — who agree. Landon's fans are not limited to fellow photographers alone. New-to-team JBP, our ever-sunny superstar Philae Knight counts Landon among friends and says, "Landon sees the world with fun and optimism. He's zany and adventurous. He took one of my favorite portraits when I was dressed up as a geisha for a masquerade wedding. All my make-up was happily documented. I suppose it was a fitting subject for Landon... Elvis fan clubs, geishas, dogs... Who doesn't love a man in zany pants?" Funny stuff aside, his work reminds me of that of former Village Voice and fellow TNY photographer Sylvia Plachy. She's another one to not drop her eye from the viewfinder, picking up bits and pieces of optimistic humanism in visual form. It was this sense of the brighter things in life that attracted the eyes of the Hey, Hot Shot! panelists when Landon submitted this very photo last season. We saw it there first and it's now my pleasure to present it to you here, just a few days before our newest Hot Shots make their debut at JBG on Friday. I hope you like it and we hope to see you there!

Edition Announcement #251 -William Powhida

2010-03-02T19:32:00Z

Airborne greetings, collectors! I am en route to SF for some meetings, but I will only touch down for the briefest of spells — I need to make it back in time for what is shaping up to be an art-filled marathon of a weekend. I'll kick things off — fresh [sic] from the airport — with the Hey, Hot Shot! opening on Friday evening, which will have all five Hot Shots in attendance. Much as I'd like to paint the town red with them afterward, I'm going to have to conserve my energy for the panels I'm doing over the weekend. You can find me at 11 a.m. on Saturday at The Upside to the Downside: Young Collectors in the Global Market at The Armory, then at SMartCAMP on Sunday. And when not empaneled and pontificating, I'll be joining the 20x200/JBP street team. We'll be fanning out across key art fair locations throughout this metropolis, distributing our amazing Art Fair Survival Kits to those in need. More details to come, but trust me, they're gonna be fan-freaking-tastic. With all art world eyes on New York, and our efforts focused on the art-for-everyone evangelism we're so fervent about, it seems a most fitting time to introduce today's edition from William Powhida, who's done such a grand job of skewering insider art world machinations that he's in danger of being taken into the fold. After all, Jerry Saltz did single out his recent solo show at Schroeder Romero & Shredder as being "one of the trickiest and most satirically cutting shows of the season," placing William in the #2 spot on his Best Art of 2009 list. His Why You Should Buy Art casts a gimlet eye on the acquisitive aspirations of a certain swath of the collector set, providing a checklist that is a wry medley of fact and fabrication. The online dialogue that led to our collaboration on this edition — via blogs, Twitter, Facebook and IM — is one much more familiar to me from my web-world endeavors. It was really refreshing to experience that odd we're-meeting-for-the-first-time-but-kinda-know-each-other-already feeling with an art world denizen. For the most part, it seems like the art world is still hovering around the edges of the pool, scared to dive in, in spite of an increasingly louder chorus of "Come on, just JUMP already. Not so with @powhida, whose practice employs his fluency with social media in a way that just makes sense. Of course it takes a lot of time to get to that "just makes sense" stage, which is why I wish everyone else would get on with it. (I'm happy to help! No, really.) Nowhere is William's way with the web is more evident than #class, an experiment in artworld transparency currently underway at Winkleman Gallery. William calls it:

a 'think-tank' with artist Jennifer Dalton, where we are exploring questions of class and access in relation to the market system... with over fourty participants and the public we will be engaged in creative problem-solving trying to understand an opaque, complex system that can perhaps work better for everyone, not just the wealthy and 'successful' few.

Better for everyone? I like the sound of that. The deets: #class February 21 – March 20, 2010 | Wednesday – Sunday | 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. | 621 West 27th Street

Edition Announcement #250 - Youngna Park

2010-02-24T19:05:00Z

Snowy-ish Wednesday greetings, collectors! Thanks for bearing with my absence yesterday due to Biennial-related festivities. I really wanted to be the one to write about today's edition-maker, Youngna Park. YP, as we like to call her, has been working with us here at JBP for a smidge over a year now, but we go waaaay back. Her Brooklyn Morning made its debut on the very same day that 20x200 took its first bow, appearing alongside another long-standing 20x200 fave, Jennifer Sanchez, in my very first newsletter. That wasn't her first first with JBP however, nosiree. Our long, strange (and decidedly awesome) trip began back in 2005, the year that Hey, Hot Shot! made its debut. She was one of the ten winners selected to participate in our Summer Showcase, went on to become an Ultra and continues to be represented by Jen Bekman Gallery to this very day. And what better day than today to introduce her latest addition to our various endeavors, Winter Flags (East Village, New York)? As she mentioned herself earlier today on Twitter, her photo of blue skies and lots of color is basically the opposite of what it looks like outside today. It's the perfect antidote for what I consider to be my beloved city's ugliest season, this dreaded stretch after Christmas and before springtime, when it feels like looking up only calls attention to what's missing, whether it's holiday lights or the eagerly-awaited blooming brought by warmer weather. The colorful triangles blowing in what I imagine to be a biting breeze remind me that what makes the city most beloved is its people, and the ways in which they make it beautiful whether they intend to or not. The constant change brought about by their movement and efforts mean that there's inevitably something new in our everyday, and that there's joy to be found if you just pay attention. What I love about Youngna's work is that it doesn't just remind me to look, but how. Knowing her as well as I do, it's easy to connect the pictures she makes with her personality: there's a concentrated yet kind, almost languorous quality to her attention. Her photographs depict a world I want to live in, one that includes afternoon naps and outings with friends and meals carefully prepared and consumed among loved ones. And then I realize that I kind of do live in that world, or have the enviable good fortune of being surrounded by its makings. Now if only I could have the good sense to cultivate it properly, as YP does so well. Looking up, that's a good start.

Congratulations to 20x200's Whitney Biennial Artists

2010-02-24T16:04:32Z

Good day collectors! It's Sara with a quick note and warm congratulations to 2010 Whitney Biennial artists Nina Berman and Curtis Mann. I won't go into details but the exhibition is stunning! While the rest of us eventually ducked out of last night's preview for burgers at Melon's, Jen kept her party shoes on till the wee hours. Flying like Superwoman from the art world to the tech world, this morning she's at the Web 2.0 Expo Advisory Board meeting, helping to plan the next expo in NYC. (She'll also be speaking at the upcoming SF Expo — no wonder she never sleeps!) She will be back tomorrow with a full dispatch and a new edition from a talented photographer who is near and dear to team JBP. In the meantime, recaps of the evening are starting to trickle around the web. Todd Eberle of Vanity Fair offered this glowing recount of Nina's work:

...there were some knockout moments, particularly from Nina Berman, whose brilliant and sensitive photojournalistic images of an American soldier whose injuries at the hands of an Iraqi suicide bomber left him beyond any reasonable description of "disfigured." After 50 reconstructive surgeries, he wed his high-school sweetheart. Berman's pictures... are at once beautiful, intimate, and defiantly deny the act of "looking." (I had to go back three times to take in their terrifying poetry.)

The 2010 Whitney Biennial opens tomorrow, Thursday, February 25th and runs through May 30th. I highly recommend that you pay a visit. Until you can go see for yourself, we'll keep you up-to-date on all of our blogs: 20x200, Hey, Hot Shot! and Jen Bekman Gallery. But don't spend too much time browsing — you just might miss the chance to pick up the last remaining prints from Nina (only 2!) and Curtis (only 1!).

Edition Announcement #249 - Valerie Roybal

2010-02-23T19:03:00Z

First-day-of-Biennial-festivities greetings collector friends! This eve marks the beginning of a flurry of fancy events in celebration of the 2010 Whitney Biennial. Donning most elegant garb, I'll be ecstatically, if not also a bit nervously, tottering in heels of epic elevations, escorting guest-of-honor, Nina Berman. Our JBP triple-crown artist — Spring 2007 Hot Shot, JBG-represented, 20x200 edition-maker — is a VIP at tonight's VIP party. In true Cinderella style, I'm still putting the last touches on my look and am resting my pretty polished little toes so as not to turn into a pumpkin at midnight. So my intro today will be short but sweet! Thankfully, today's edition is sure to be a 20x200 paparazzi-pleaser. As soon as Valerie Roybal's prints are introduced to the pages of 20x200, they begin to disappear, going much in the way of the hefty alphabetized tomes that once decorated the educated's shelves — encyclopedias. Remember them from way-back-when? From these hard-bound books, Valerie derives the titles (and some source materials) for her latest series, of which we've selected one to bring to you: Encylopedia 2. The timing's just right for this new release; Valerie's work is on view for one more week in The Enormous Tiny Art Show at Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She's in good company. Fellow friends of 20x200, Kate Bingaman-Burt and Lisa Congdon, are also featured. See some small-scale works from this 20x200 trifecta until March 1st. Details about the show can be found on the 20x200 blog. You're all too familiar with my wordy ways, so I'll spare you the pain of my puns! But I won't shy away from sharing a few favorite editions that go by the way of books and letters. Secret Language 3, Secret Language 1 and Well-being 2 round out Valerie's excellent edition repertoire. Mickey Smith's Collocation No. 14 (NATURE) Left Panel and Collocation No. 14 (NATURE) Right Panel burst boldly forth in gold and green. More softly, Stefanie Posavec's Walter Benjamin: A Literary Organism Analysis analyzes the structure of WB's sentences and sections. Our troves are chock full of treasured editions that celebrate the printed page. Just skim our offerings: text and typography, media and more books abound! I'll leave you to browse and promise to bring Biennial updates tomorrow!

Edition Announcement #248 - Hollis Brown Thornton

2010-02-19T17:09:00Z

Nerdtastic-bonus-edition-Thursday greetings to all collector-kind! I am a bit punchy and rushed today, wading through the high-tide of an unreasonably busy week, and fretting over what I'm going to wear to the big fancy party I'm going to tonight. Our very own Gregory Krum curated an amazing Rodarte exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Vogue is throwing a party to celebrate it. Fortunately my new BFF -- the 20x200-obsessed Robert Verdi -- has given me a pointer or two, making my fashion-laggard self somewhat braver about my hours-away entry into an alternate reality. Today's editions VHS and Closing Credits at the End of the Movie from Hollis Brown Thornton (I found him on the internet, oh yes, I did!) offer a kinder, gentler nostalgia-tinged escape into other realms. In his statement, Brown (as he prefers to be called) writes about how our reality shifts as our present becomes our past, and the media he's depicted -- video cassettes and on-screen space invaders -- reference our progression towards an increasingly digital and virtual future. Pretty simple stuff to grok, on a certain level, yet as this ABC News flashback to their coverage of the 1979 Consumer Electronics Show amply demonstrates, we're woefully inadequate when it comes to actually predicting what the future holds. Maybe that's why it's so comforting to look back as we hurtle through this digital future, at what seems to be an ever-increasing velocity. Popping in a tape seems a cinch when compared to the endless frustrations of trying to get my cable to talk to my Tivo, and I cannot even begin to contemplate getting my internet to play nice with my TV just yet. (I think I'm gonna let Boxee solve that for me instead, in fact.) Tempting as it is to dwell in a time where my entertainment needs were tended with minimal assistance from the more technically dexterous, duty calls! I am off to work on my look, but leave you with these lovely editions and all good wishes for a wonderful weekend. See you on the flip side!

Edition Announcement #247 - Justin James King

2010-02-16T23:03:15Z

Thank-goodness-it's-sunny-because-I-couldn't-stand-another-day-of-gray greetings collectors! Fickle February has been rearing its ugly head, making spring seem so far away. It certainly hasn't stopped team JBP from looking ahead! We're just skimming the surface of this new century and it's shaping up to be a blockbuster. In the nearish future, we'll be wrapping up What You're Told, Clare Grill's gorgeous NYC-debut solo exhibition at Jen Bekman Gallery on February 27th and opening the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 Second Edition Exhibition on Friday, March 5th. Will you please join us in toasting these champs? Decking the walls will be work from today's edition-maker, Justin James King, along with that of fellow Hot Shots Marisa Aragona, Leah Tepper Byrne, Alejandro Cartagena and Jessica Eaton. If you're nowhere near NYC, rest assured, we'll continue to introduce these talented photographers and their work to you on 20x200. And we'll do our best to keep you up to speed as their careers take off — who knows what's next for these young guns? Whitney Biennial-bound artists Nina Berman and Curtis Mann made early appearances in JBP-land as Hot Shots in the Spring of 2007 and Fall of 2005, respectively. Nina was selected as an Ultra and went on to open her solo exhibition Purple Hearts to critical acclaim. We were quick to bring their work to you fine collector folks too. Which brings me back to the task at hand — showing off the latest efforts from our newest ranks, And Still We Gather With Infinite Momentum 1 by Mr. King. Road-tripping on the highway and taking long detours on byways, made even slower by the temptation to stop and peer at scenic overlooks, is certainly among our favorite summer pastimes. But just what are we looking at? And what is the appeal of these landmarked spots? Are we looking simply because we have been told to do so? Justin's given us free reign to re-imagine what we might see if given a blank slate — the opportunity to look at a landscape sans any references to what we anticipate, expect and already know. With fresh eyes, the possibilities are infinite. I knew I liked the sound of twenty-ten! I'll be back tomorrow with two more bonus editions. Till then!

Edition Announcement #246 - Carrie Marill

2010-02-16T06:31:00Z

Soggy mid-February greetings collectors! The snow is falling once again in our fair city, then churning and melting into grey mush along the streets and sidewalks. It's nothing short of dismal out-of-doors. Warm and dry we are in 20x200 HQ, pleased to have an arsenal of great art to introduce you to this week. First off is today's charming and sharp edition from long-time 20x200 artist, Carrie Marill: Be Realistic Demand the Impossible. Carrie's been with 20x200 from the very beginning — and since I found her work on the internets (where else!?) it's been a lovely affair, dappled with editions, exhibitions and a rendevous on ice. Over the years, Carrie's never ceased to amaze with her sophisticated sensibilities and astute skills as she's flighted over an impressive range of subjects, all united by a consistent style and an ever-deepening interest in our relationship with the environment. These affections are not simply a product of Carrie's art practice but also of her life and the interconnectedness of the two. Walking the talk, and certainly not ones to fall trap to a trend, Carrie and her husband run a CSA on his father's farm. Their engagement with the environment is enduring and inspiring. Carrie's work is literally rooted in not just what she thinks, but what she knows, firsthand. Visual Aides includes Be Realistic and will be on view at the JBG later this spring — Ms. Marill's second solo show on Spring Street. The series comprises several re-worked images taken from 1950s posters designed to teach kids about farming and industry. Look closely and you'll see there's something slightly awry in Carrie's adaptations of these utopic idylls. Along with the windmills, solar panels and prayer flags, she's inserted her wry sense of humor in this back-to-the-earth look at the future-perfect-present. Mid-century, post-war optimism brightens the corners of Carrie's critical look at then — before "sustainability" was a buzz word — and now. It's not surprising that Carrie's editions are oft cause for some of the longest newslettering endeavors. I've waxed on and on and on about her paintings. Her latest series, Visual Aides is no exception but lunch meetings and office obligations are keeping me from lingering too long today. Thankfully, I just may have more than one note in your inbox to get out everything there is to say about this work. (Yes, that's a hint!)

Edition Announcement #245 - Daniel Cheek

2010-02-10T19:12:00Z

Wintery greetings collectors! It's Sara, writing from a very snowy New York. School has been canceled and subway traffic slowed, reminders that we're still subject to the whims of nature, despite our best attempts to be sheltered from it. Blanketed in a most flattering quilt of white, the city is rendered in grayscale, and like today's edition, is at its most peaceful and quiet. It couldn't be a better day to introduce you to the photography of 2009 First Edition Hot Shot Daniel Cheek. In his photographs, Daniel illustrates his belief that "few people in the modern age have experienced unadulterated nature," and admits, "I know I have not." The spaces he photographs are often along the perimeter of places that might be described as wild — marked by fences, benches and paths, or in the case of Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida, moderated by glass and plaster. With his 8x10-inch camera, Daniel exaggerates this contrived distance through ground glass. The format that he uses requires him to shoot from stable ground, on fair and friendly terrain. Using a large-format camera is a slow, calculated endeavor, not unlike that of writing. Writing, reading, and photographing are all in their own ways, opportunities to examine an experience from a distance, and from this distance, we're sometimes better able to understand what we see and feel. This morning, as I was thinking about writing this newsletter, I went running in the storm. I'm training for a marathon but this time, headed out with more of a sense of adventure than duty. The streets and sidewalks were still snowy, yet untarnished by tires and exhaust — fast reminders of just how adulterated NYC is. Bewildered by all the wonderful whiteness, there were moments when I began to think this wasn't such a good idea. Until a snowplow met me halfway coming down the ramp to the Williamsburg Bridge, I was sliding half a step backwards for every one forwards. As I ventured farther over the East River, the wind flung blinding bits of ice into my eyes and sucked the snot out of my nose and wrapped it around the side of my face. Lovely, no? But in all this, there was something strangely comforting in thinking about Daniel's way of photographing and its relationship to writing, reading — and for me, on this day, running. In the midst of this visceral experience of Brooklyn, albeit abated by concrete, buildings, and bridge, I was keenly aware of Daniel's sense of our separation from it all and realized that he was right and that that might not be such a bad thing. There is value in creating space to look and think from a distance and more so, in highlighting that this is what we're doing. Like the chairs that dot horizons in paintings by Hopper, the empty rockers at Rookery Bay serve to remind us that in these endeavors, we shouldn't separate ourselves from each other, too. In other words, if you're in the snowbound East like we are, rustle up your nearest and dearest and go make some snowmen. And, when the roads clear, head to Massachusetts. Daniel's work is currently on view in America Now at the Montserrat College of Art Gallery in Beverly, MA. You'll find Daniel's work on the walls along with an allstar lineup of photographers: Ben Huff, former JBG intern and publisher/editor of Lay Flat, Shane Lavalette, Laura McPhee, Alec Soth and Zoe Strauss. Jen will be back tomorrow to introduce a colorful counterpoint to today's edition.

Edition Announcement #244 - Valerie Hegarty Benefit Edition for the Brooklyn Museum

2010-02-08T05:50:00Z

Surprise Monday greetings collectors! I'm sneaking in a day early but not a moment too soon to introduce First Harvest in the Wilderness with Pileated Woodpecker by Valerie Hegarty: a benefit for the Brooklyn Museum. Over the weekend the ever-friendly 20x200 team meeted and greeted many of you at the Museum's Target First Saturday. It was lovely to see you there and we're happy to have you here! A warm and hearty welcome to 20x200 newcomers — I hope you'll enjoy seeing new art in your inbox. Today, we have a special treat for 20x200 friends silver and gold — pick up one of Valerie's prints and receive a one-year membership to 1stfans. 1stfans is the Brooklyn Museums' socially networked membership. Join and you'll have access to all kinds of artist-created online content and exclusive events at Target First Saturdays — an insider's peek into what goes on behind those burly columns. And, you'll have this gorgeous print to hang on your wall. As this collaboration with the Museum came together, I was delighted when I heard that Valerie had agreed to participate. I've known her sculptures for some while, from stumbling over bits on the internets and putting the pieces together with works that I already know and love. When I came across Niagara Falls, I linked it back to photographer Alec Soth's series NIAGARA. I've been looking forward to seeing what she would create in two-dimensions especially for 20x200 and 1stfans. It turns out that Valerie's a super kind person to boot. She visited 20x200 HQ several times to check out her proofs as the edition came to fruition, then flattered me with her presence at the 1stfans meetup on Saturday. I gave a short presentation to 1stfans (one of those exclusive events I was just mentioning!) and was dappled with a smattering of smart questions from the audience. I was happy to be fielding inquiries about collecting, our artists, photography and fine art, all the things that make 20x200 so great. I have two other short-but-sweet announcements to make! It's the last day for guaranteed shipping for Valentine's Day. Get your orders in before midnight EST to do right by your loved ones. Still grappling with what to get? I've recapped our heart-day editions below and you can always defer to the good taste of our artists. Don't delay!

The deadline for Valentine's Day shipping is TONIGHT, Monday 2/8, at 12:00 midnight EST.

And congratulations to Alissa from Coquitlam, British Columbia, the winner of our Lisa Congdon giveaway with Chronicle Books! I won't be seeing you all for our usual Tuesday date, but will be back on Wednesday with some fine photography. We'll resume to business as usual next week.