Curator/critic Carlo McCormick & gallery owner and soon to be MOCA director Jeffrey Deitch (photo courtesy apexart via Artinfo)
Andrew Russeth of Artinfo published a report from Jeffrey Deitch’s talk last Thursday at apexart. The most interesting tidbit is Deitch’s observations about how the art world has changed in the last four decades:
The art world is less open than it was in the 1970s, Deitch admitted, when he and Dan Flavin could go to the Locale bar after installing a show, run into Blinky Palermo, and be served dinner by the popular chef Julian Schnabel. He explained, “Now, when there is a Gagosian Gallery dinner, you’re only invited if you’re a billionaire, if you’re a world-famous artist, or if you’re extraordinarily good-looking.” There were some nervous chuckles in the audience. “It’s true,” he said soberly. “I’m not even exaggerating. That’s really what the deal is. It’s created a lot of resentment. There’s a lot of resentment against me, because I’m associated with some of that.”
I’d be curious to know how he has experienced resentment and how he think it has manifested towards him. I don’t think it’s fair to throw something like that out without specifics.
Sorry, but only a white male could say that the art world was more open 40 years ago. For women artists and artists of color, things have gotten better, though unfortunately not by much.
Good point.
The whole talk is up on the Bad at Sports Web site now! Deitch and McCormick share some pretty remarkable stories: http://badatsports.com/2010/episode-241-jeffrey-deitch-interviewed-by-carlo-mccormick/