~CINDY SHERMAN/BEST BLUE CHIP of 2008
PHOTO (of ARTFORUM AD): NANCY SMITH
when, we first saw this ad in the NOVEMBER 2008 ARTFORUM – for the CINDY SHERMAN SHOW at METRO PICTURES, NOVEMBER 15-DECEMBER 20, 2008 – we knew this was gonna be her first great show in a long long time, the work had gotten tired, stale and stupid – witness the CLOWN SHOW, also at METRO PICTURES, of MAY 2004. Maybe she had to get rid of PAUL H-O !! sometimes being happy – well, at least initially, can do that to ya !!
. . . HAPPIER DAYS, long gone, now. – CINDY SHERMAN and PAUL H-O (HASEWGAWA-OVERACKER) at the 2004 opening of Cindy’s new Clown photographs, METRO PICTURES, MAY 7, 2004
CINDY SHERMAN, CLOWN photograph, METRO PICTURES, MAY 7, 2004
CINDY SHERMAN, at the TONY OURSLER dinner, NATIONAL ARTS CLUB, Feb 25, 2006 – by this time Cindy and Paul were over. Cindy now dates rock icon DAVID BYRNE of the TALKING HEADS, or – has been.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
see: original post FEB 2006 – THE NEW ESTABLISHMENT !!
. . . anyways, like they say – BACK TO THE FUTURE !!
this was the card for the show.
CINDY SHERMAN, NOVEMBER 15 – DECEMBER 20, 2008. METRO PICTURES – 519 WEST 24 ST, CHELSEA, NYC.
you could see right away – the work was tight, serious, and deadly !!
CINDY SHERMAN, ‘Untitled’, 2008. Color photograph. 90.75 x 60 in (image). 96.25 x 65.25 (frame)
Edition of 6.
the piece as it looked in the gallery. The works were quite large. The price range was in the $250,000 ea.
ballpark – and yes, if you bought one, if you could reach that far into your pocket !! you made money.
the face, the expression, and the background, were great, even priceless. Cindy does all her own make-up and props. This was also her first set of photos in which the backgrounds were digitally added/altered or even abstractly manipulated.
of course, the best touch – was the sagging boobs. You got the impression that all these women were specific, that is that the re-imaging was based on real individuals, doyennes of a rich elite, that Cindy had touched base with, but there was no name dropping !! you definite got the feeling, she might have crossed the line – as in …. bitten the hand that feeds ???
apart from the postures, with the implied sense of the individual undergarments, or exercise routine !! – skin tone, make-up and bling – a lot of detailed attention was lavished on the (aging) skin of the hands, and the state of the subject’s nails.
one of the younger subjects – this one really got to me. it felt among the realest !!
along with a good approximation of this matron’s boobs, was a great kind of just losing the battle of the midriff bulge. and the pudgy arms, just this side of going flabby – with a somewhat overall slouchy posture, opposing the hard core ‘status’ attitude – love it !!
this was one of the portraits that made us ask ourselves, (and in fact we overheard 2 women in the gallery, asking each other the very same question !!) did she let go of her diet and fitness routine for the sake of her art !! Cindy in real life would never be caught dead, looking like that !! in real life she aspires to be forever 21 !! and she does a good job. youth and appearance are almighty factors in the cruellest of business worlds – the art world, just every bit as image-conscious, as the enterainment biz !! and, in truth, she’s no spring chicken, she must be fast approaching 60, herself. yep. just looked it up. Cindy Sherman born January 19, 1954 !! happy Birthday – Miss 55 going on 30 !!
Housewives of Orange County look out !!
another of the portraits that seemed very real. some did seem a little too stagey for realism – but had great dramatic effect. whatever. room for both.
yeow !! but, look at her treatment of the neck, here, this must be make-up .. meow !!
when do you the face-lift … you gotta watch the neck !!
not one of my personal faves, a lot of people in the gallery really admired this mother-daughter tour-de-force. I guess for the virtuosity of playing both parts !!
look at the neck treatment, here.
flawless detail, or what !!
an example of one of the more theatrical pieces, if you can say such a thing, of such a slight crossing of the realism line, they were some, especially upstairs in the 2nd floor gallery, that were even more exaggerated). n but still, obviously quite super.
actually it works fairly well from further back.
a little heavy-handed close-up.
not as striking as the last piece – but very interesting, personification-wise !!
again – the big question – can those flabby arms be make-up? or did Cindy let herself go – for the sake of art !!
looks pretty real to me ?
this is more like the real (toned) Cindy !! maybe she took this photo, first ?
like we said, Housewives of Orange County – look out. our art world Cindy is hard-bodied and ageless.maybe you can add fake ‘flab’ – but you can’t fake – good muscle tone.
the photo that most resembles Cindy herself.
well all-in-all – a most amazing ride !!
this one was upstairs – where the more exaggerated ones were. well no matter, maybe they were even more real. truth being stranger than fiction. I got the chills up and down my spine – I’m sure I’ve someone just like this !! at some art opening uptown !!
here’s a close-up – anybody know this (sad) person ?
another intense portrait, upstairs.
back down stairs, who’s this ? yo !! JAN ALBERT – artlovers’ very own movie critic – who just happens to be a great CINDY SHERMAN fan, and who wrote that amazing essay on the 2008 Indie release – PAUL H-O’s documentary – on his relationship with Cindy – called appropriately enough, ‘GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN’ !!
check it out: GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
p.s. if you want to see some pix of Cindy, night of the big 2008 opening – and – more importantly read ’bout her fabulous over-the-top party, party like its 1999 !! where you definite get the feeling she is printing money, not limited edition art photos !! yo, maybe in this case – what’s the diff !!
you gotta go to: where else ? ARTFORUM !!
the last hurrah. well give me those days any day. who needs an economic bloodbath, 2009 – is no fun !! give me an over-the-top party any ole day – with people that look 55 is the new 30 !! I’ll take that any day !!
I mean, even I was making $10,000 a week, o.k. – so not every !! week – way back in 1999 – working art parties for JOSH HARRIS. the art skills don’t decline. the art bubble hasn’t really burst – the art talent is still cookin’ – its just everybody else’s liquidity that’s broke – that’s what you get for not buying (good) art and listening to those coked-up crooked-out money mangers – those guys, the financial services ‘artistes’ – ruined it for all of us – and, looks like for a long time to come. the only thing that’s gonna save your skin – is street smarts and real skills. so hopefully artists have a foot up !! if you bought (good) art last year – you were about the only one on your block – making 5 to 10 times your initial investment.. name one: TAYLOR McKIMENS. name some: CINDY SHERMAN, EUNICE KIM, TOMOO GOKITO, PETER SUTHERLAND, STEVE POWERS, BEN JONES, JOE BRADLEY, STERLING RUBY, NATE LOWMAN, WES LANG. ANDREW GUENTHER. ROB PRUITT. a big guy like URS FISCHER, is a no-brainer !! anything cheap at CINDERS or AD HOC, FACTORY FRESH, whatever. its out there, and low-ball, too. doesn’t necessarily take a big pile to get into the art game. just smarts !!
guess that’s a valuable commodity, but at least, it ain’t only on paper !!
so yeah, you a wanna hire me as your art consultant – instead of weasling the info for free off the site – the contact is on the home page. top left hand corner. serious inquiries only. dumb-ass !! I’ve been making 10 x my initial investment, at least, off my art trades and purchases from day one !!