I published my first gallery reviews in the October 1969 issue of Artnews. Every month for the next two years, the Assignments Editor Delores Fenn would give me a list of a dozen shows to write up. That may seem a lot, yet it was doable. Reviews were sometimes just two or three sentences long and profound insight was not required. The standard review noted the look of the work in question, described its subject matter if there was any, and made a general comment about the artist’s progress. Had there been a breakthrough or was it business as usual? In those days, the magazine deemed about two hundred galleries worthy of attention, so I was one of a fairly large handful of reviewers—or Editorial Associates, as we were known on the
Yes small talk is annoying but all the openings all those events and parties and performances and the spirit of community is long gone and much missed. Dinners at the Spring St restaurant, Jaap Rietman's book store ;the Performing Garage and all the artists and loft parties .....alll one gone now replaced bu Zoom meetings and Facebook.
Thanks for the recollections, and for insights on the uncertainty of art, its meanings and interpretations. It underlines the need for an "Art World".... I concur with the commentators that a more communicative format would aid the Arts broadly .
Yes small talk is annoying but all the openings all those events and parties and performances and the spirit of community is long gone and much missed. Dinners at the Spring St restaurant, Jaap Rietman's book store ;the Performing Garage and all the artists and loft parties .....alll one gone now replaced bu Zoom meetings and Facebook.
That’s my childhood, you’re describing. Smile
My youth in NYC then too; soon all part of my forthcoming book "All Around Town: The 70s Art Scene in New York "
Looking forward to learning more about your book.. heady to read that paragraph for me
Intimately insightful piece.
Thanks for the recollections, and for insights on the uncertainty of art, its meanings and interpretations. It underlines the need for an "Art World".... I concur with the commentators that a more communicative format would aid the Arts broadly .
Very interesting piece. As someone who is profoundly bad at gallery-opening-small-talk, I totally relate