Or: Gotta pop down to the photo lab, pick up an exhibition.

David Horvitz wants to make “something that is personal to the viewer”. In this case, the something is called “For a Brief Time Only at a Location Near You” (–> Link) and the something is part of my small but ever growing collection. I was stumbled over this item by Christian Schwarm right in the middle of a discussion of new or even alternative concepts for galleries and the apparatus that is the art market in general.

David Horvitz is one of the curators of the show. And he makes it extremely difficult for me not to make this post to be entirely about him, since he is an artist whose work I find extremely interesting. (–> Link) <cut back to “For a Brief Time Only …>  Alongside David, there is Mylinh Trieu Nguyen, the other part of ASDF, which „is a designer/ artist collaboration.“ David does the „curating, conceptualizing and writing, and Mylinh does all the design and production work“.

For “For a Brief Time Only …”, David and Mylinh collected and curated the work of 24 artists who readily agreed to have their work printed in 4×6 inches on standard photographic paper. At any shop near you that accepts file upload and in-store photo-pick up & payment.

So it’s not only affordable but also extremely convenient to visit. “Infiltrating their (i.e. mostly major American drug-stores) spaces with our game” is one of the purposes of this exhibition.

It could also be seen as a sympathetic elbow, nudging the rib cage of the established functionaries of the art market (artists, galleries, auction houses and collectors alike). Which is what I like most about it.

The above is the index photo, one of three “organisational” slides. The other two are a list of artists and artwork titles and the third is a letter to the person operating the image printing machine, ensuring the staff that everything is alright.

The twenty-four artists featured in the exhibition are: Ken Ehrlich, John Sisley, Martin John Callanan, Miranda Lichtenstein, Lucky Dragons, eteam, Jim Skuldt, Mira O’Brien, Joshua Kit Clayton, Matt Keegan, Emily Mast, Brian Kennon, Lukas Geronimas, Amy Lam, Paul Pieroni, Moyra Davey, Graham Parker, Paul Branca, Penelope Umbrico, Lucy Raven, Bik Van der Pol, Emilie Halpern, Tim Ridlen, and Vlatka Horvat.

Of course, it’s not a limited edition or even unique works, at the time of writing over 300 units have been ordered. Still, the concept is well worth supporting and owning. I’m wondering how to present it at home. In a flip-book? Individually framed? All in one frame? So many options …

If you want to see the show, you can do so until December 4th. Just visit www.asdfmakes.com (–> link) to make the necessary arrangements.

If you don’t live in the USA or UK but are registered at Independent Collectors, just look for a collector from these countries and ask for assistance. Or if you’re visiting art basel miami beach, you could probably order it for pick up there …

PS: Of course I bought one of David’s own works. He thought about me for a minute. Which is definitely the most personal artwork I own (apart from the patina painting by Karin Sander, maybe). I thank Christian, for shoving me in the right direction to discover David’s work before he did.

Images provided by ASDF.

Or: What the hell, I’ll answer anyway.

Today I was given the book „Collecting contemporary art“, edited by Andrea Bellini and published by HAPAX and distributed by jrp/ringier (ISBN: 978-03764-015-9).

It is a collection of interviews with collectors of contemporary art from around the world.

Naturally, I have not been interviewed. That’s ok. I hadn’t even decided to collect when this was started, I assume.

But hey, this is the internet and I’ll take the freedom and follow standard teenage-blogging proceedure, steal the questions and anser them. Have fun!
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Tommi Brem, Stuttgart, Germany

Interview by Tommi Brem, translated by Tommi Brem

When did you start collecting contemporary art?

On June 4th, 2008. I did so because I was asked to write a weblog for this platform of collectors of contemporary art and I thought I couldn’t do this without a certain reason. So becoming a collector was the solution and I have no reason to regret the decision.

Can you give us five reasons why you purchase a particular artwork?

When I started out I actually believed the myth that one has reasons for buying artworks. I went so far as to develop a set of criteria by which to decide. Let’s see if I can remember them all:

There are Pull, Sustain, Inspiration, Love & WTF. Hey, it’s five!

The „pull-factor“ is how much an artwork interests me instantly. For example, if an artwork consists of several seemingly identical pieces, the pull-factor is at maximum. Or if the artwork contains something tiny.

„Sustain“ describes how long the artwork continues to interest me after an initial inspection and/or explanation by the artist/gallery owner or fellow collector. This is mostly defined by the conceptual background.

„Inspiration“ is something that deals with what the artwork triggers in my brain or gut. If it sets off a chain reaction of imagination, the score is high.

The „love-factor“ is somewhat tricky because it’s unexplainable.

And finally, „WTF“ means „what the fuck“ in three different meanings. One: „I don’t get it, what is this?“ Two: „They didn’t really, did they?“ and Three: „Oh whatever, I HAVE to have it!“

Of course, these five criteria are absolutely useless and I never ever bought a single artwork according to it and after not even six months I already own ten. I buy art following „Love & WTF“. That’s easier and it’s more fun! I want to have fun in everything I do. Even in collecting. So there you go. Two reasons.

Who do you trust?

I trust the idea that you can make no real mistakes in collecting contemporary art. When it comes to investing in contemporary art, this is a completely different business. But this is about „collecting“ though and I honestly seperate the two. God, I despise money! I try to get rid of it as soon as it comes in. Let me tell you I’m pretty successful!

When do you sell?

Whenever the price is right. I believe that for some artworks the price can never be right because the value I attach to them has nothing to do with money. With others, their effect might wear off and selling them might enable me to buy others.

So I guess I would sell if I wanted another artwork badly enough.

What’s the artwork you identify as the starting point of your collection?

Lasse Schmidt Hansen, x/°°.

What has your greates mistake been? And what your greatest success?

The biggest mistake was to start collecting in the first place. It’s bloody expensive and time consuming! The biggest success was to start collecting. It’s extremely exciting and fulfilling!

Could you define your strategy of collecting?

I try not to ruin myself. No, seriously, the only thing I strictly stay away from is decoration. If an artwork has passed this filter, I buy according to gut feeling and budget. In that order.

How important is it to be part of a social network?

I’m glad you ask this question! There is this community for collectors of contemporary art I work for … just kidding. My autism-level is pretty high so … just kidding. No really, both of it is true but to answer the question: I found a network to be vital. Mine includes some galleries, some artists and some collectors. And I have to say that I find the enthusiasm of fellow collectors most inspiring. They don’t have to present or explain themselves and their interest is not in sales. Missionary, maybe, but that’s ok. I think a right mixture is essential.

How has your collection changed with the recent boom in the global market?

Not at all. I started after that „boom“ went „ka-boom“. Of course it hasn’t but if you’re collecting with my budget, neither has relevance to the collecting habit. If prices go down, they don’t go down far enough for me, and if they go up, it was too expensive before anyway.

—–

These are my answers to the questions and I hereby thank the „curators“ of the book for asking the questions. Not to me, to these collectors: Marc and Josée Gensollen, Giovanni Giuliani, Renato Alpegiani, Blake Byrne, Valeria Napoleone, José Carlos Vallejo Marsal and Pepa Iriarte, Gemma Testa, Jean-Conrad and Isabel Lemaître, Teresa Sapey, Anita Zabludowicz, Christian Boros, Andrea Zegna, Pier Luigi and Natalina Remotti, Renato Preti, Paolo and Maddalena Kind, Josep Inglada and Roser Figueras, Eugenio Lopez, Charlotte and Bill Ford, Manuel Alorda and Hanneke Derksen, Tian Jun, Francesca Cillufo and Angelo Chianale, Uli Sigg, Josef Dalle Nogare, Licio Minvielle, Guillaume Houzé, Beatrice Trussardi, Albrecht Kastein, Eloisa Haudenschild, Bruna Girodengo and Matteo Viglietta, Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, David Roberts, Joshua Adler, Jérôme Tordo, Bet Swofford, Fundación Sorigue, Frank Cohen, Cesar Cervantes, Maurizio Morra Greco, Enea Righi and Ivo Wessel.

No, I didn’t double-check the spelling on these, I know I should have. Please correct me.

Or: The promised pictures.

Being completely relaxed at artforum Berlin (no intention or money to buy), I took the time taking some pictures which I’m usually not very fond of. But I figured with so much art out there I will never own but like nevertheless, I should start getting over it.

I simply loved this sculpture by Via Lewandowsky (at least this was the nearest name tag). A beautiful winter landscape, complete with footprints and the gaping hole reaching to the bottom of the earth maybe.

Thomas Feuerstein has created this manifestation of Stoner Rock. At leat for me that’s exactly what it is. Pop in the first two or three albums from the Desert Sessions series published on Man’s Ruin to that and I’m all fine.

This definitely has to be posted right after Feuerstein: “Pluto; the ultimate antihero” by Kim Seob Boninsegni. The line “and my shadow plutoes the sun” alone is worth buying this, if you have the change left. This clocks in at several thousand, but lower than 10k, if I remember correctly.

Tom Molloy is the brain behind the soap boxes here. I simply fall for artworks that consist of more than two seemingly identical items, so naturally, I was attracted to this one. Although they are being sold separately. Molloy also painted the book “1984″ by George Orwell (at least that’s what I believe it was) in watercolour, omitting everything but the love story. Beautiful.

Some more stuff by Lasse Schmidt Hansen. The item on the left right is called “In your face (Borrowed shirt)” and it is actually a shirt Lasse borrowed from another artist and the collector “owning”this (who is registered over at Independent Collectors, by the way –> link) is not actually buying it but borrowing it from Lasse for a fee.

And then the crisis struck:

And as if this real life installtion weren’t enough (I expressed interest and handed them my card but never heard from then again, by the way), German television was collecting statements regarding the situation:

Beind questioned: Christian Schwarm, one of the founders of Independent Collectors.

And last but not least two works that grabbed my attention and that somewhat fit my passion for science fiction and for little items (i.e. dots) on large backgrounds:

Left is “Great Britain” by Anatoly Shuravlev (the white dot that seems to hover behind the dude in the blue shirt is great britain in white on a huge black background) and right we have “Red Son of the Scrith” by Justin Lieberman. Which was taken down after the professional opening, I believe.

Not bad for taking pictures, right? I think I finally got the hang of it. No I only need to be more precise in noting down names, titles and prices. I will get there, eventually.