-on view at PS 1 MOMA
Feb 11-April 16, 2007
Long Island City, NY
Presented in the halls of PS1, the rebellious little sister of MOMA New York, ??Not for Sale? assembles and presents a collection of personal works artists are not willing to part with. Emotional, professional, and financial reasons abound as to why everyone from Jeff Koons to Christo and Jean-Claude keep certain works from public sale.
On view until April 16, 2007, the inherent voyeurism of such an exhibit creates a fascinating dialectic between the art and viewer. In observing the gallery, one finds attention drawn not to the pieces themselves, but to the descriptions mounted alongside. Sincere quotes from the likes of Jackie Winsor admit she will not let go of Small Circle because ??It was one in my first pieces ever made.? Jeff Koons admits that his 108?x84? Popeye canvas is untouchable because he has "always enjoyed the way Popeye has a dialogue with different artists works.? Chris Burden honestly admits that Medusa??s Head is not for sale because ??tt is a photocopy and because I want to keep it.?
The exhibit not only offers a glimpse into the personal collection of well-known artists, but also reveals the creative process by which they judge their own work. Sarah Sze??s Studio is a perfect example. Located in the corner of the gallery, her piece is the contents of her studio. Saltine crackers alongside paintbrushes and toy cars are evidence of behavioral patterns that lead to the formation of her works which are for sale to collectors. For Sze, this moment of creation is the one piece of ??art? she will not part with. In offering it up for view she reveals the essence of this exhibit, the voyeurism we are all drawn to, suggesting that regardless of doors, windows, and locks, all we really want is to peek into the medicine cabinet.
By Emilie Baltz
Emillie is an international freelance designer and photographer. Her professional credits include work for the Vitra Design Museum, Wal-Mart, LG electronics, Converse, Lancome, the IDSA, Baccarat, Wired Magazine, Time Out New York, Oxford University Press, and various chefs. She shares time between Paris and New York: designing, photographing, and eating.
Artist Dennis Oppenheim in front of Blood Breathe. Photo from International Herald Tribune
Curator and PS1 Director Alanna Heiss in front of a work by Christo. Photo from NY Times
