Overheard in the Art World

We’re in Soho on Tuesdays, the Lower East Side on Wednesdays, Chelsea on Thursdays. We go to openings, art fairs, auctions, performances, lectures, galas, member events, after-parties. (Oh the afterparties!) WE are the New York Art World, though we do travel, so we’re really everywhere.

Every Friday, we post things in “Overheard in the Art World.” #OHAW Honestly, art world, don’t take yourself so seriously.

This week, riding the coat tails of Galas for Bomb Magazine, NYFA and the High Line was the British-born Frieze Art Fair. Coming to town (or Randall’s Island at least) with much debate on the future of the New York art fair and the fate of staples like The Armory Show and the newer trendy Independent, we overheard quite a bit:

“Are we in the Bronx?”
— on Ferry to preview of 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

“I’m staying at The Standard. It’s like they made the rooms as cheap and small as possible.”
— overheard at the 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

“Where are all the people?”
— British accent at 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York preview

“Why is no one drinking?”
— same British accent at 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York preview

Man: “Don’t sleep with him on the first date.”
Woman: “But he lives in the new Gehry building!”
— overheard at the 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

Visitor 1 to Visitor 2: “He sold a Monet!”
Visitor 3 to Visitor 1: “Shhhh!”
— overheard at the 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

“We are representing young, living artists here.”
— overheard at Sean Kelly Gallery Booth, Frieze Art Fair

“I may hang out in gay bars, but I still like paintings of naked women”
— overheard at Klemens Gasser Tanja Grunert Gallery opening of Ellen Phelan

“I found a skull like that on the street.”
— overheard at Valerie Buchholz Booth, 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

“He looks like a red-headed rocker version of Warhol.”
— overheard at Gramercy Theatre performance of the Cringe

“There are devious ways and honest ways.”
— On “making it” in the art world at Bomb gala

“That sculpture looks like a TV with static.”
— Old man on tour of the Islamu Noguchi Museum in Queens

“Let’s take the ferry, at least to Manhattan, then we can take a cab.”
— overheard while leaving 2012 Frieze Art Fair New York

Visitor 1: “She is so captivating”
Visitor 2: “Well, I’m sure she’s had work done”
— attendees overheard in Chelsea discussing Marina Abramović talk that happened the night before at Columbia University