Art Market Monitor

Chilled by Chihuly

The Wall Street Journal points out that Dale Chihuly has gotten his first “fine art” museum show and they’re not to impressed by the fact. Here’s a quote worth reading no matter what your interest level in Chihuly:

The word most commonly used by Chihuly-fanciers to describe the works is “beautiful,” a concept of little value in defining serious art after the Impressionists. Although some Chihuly objects appear snakelike or surreal, there is never anything troubling or challenging about them. It all looks strangely safe and escapist, even Disney-like, for art of our time.

Too Big to Shake

While you’re reading the Journal take in this nice story about the Polaroid large format cameras–there are only six of them–and their fate now that the company no longer makes Polaroid film.

Out of Sight, but Somebody is Minding It

The new way to prove that you’re cool is to talk about how all of your art is storage somewhere. Like this quote from a WSJ profile of Nicolas Bergruen: “The art I buy now goes to storage,” he says. “I don’t have a home to hang it in.” Ever wonder where all the art goes when it’s not on the wall? That’s where this great real estate story from the New York Times comes in.

Half-Baked Heist

The Brazilian police have recovered more paintings from that robbery where two Picasso prints were stolen from the Pinacoteca Museum in June. Two Brazilian painter’s works worth more than $500,000 were found under the bed of the suspected thief, a 29-year-old bakery manager who led the armed robbery in daylight. More on the first arrest here and the latest arrest here.

In Case You Missed It . . .

Slate runs some of the best art pieces around. Look for the keen-eyed Mia Fineman but don’t overlook this wonderful slide show from Christopher Benfey.

Also of Interest:

• Happenings
  Down on Your Haunches Alexandra Peers in New York Magazine gives us the Haunch of Venison saga: auction houses vs....
  
• Happenings
  Well, That’s Definitive! In a mostly uninteresting primer on the art market from the BBC, Godfrey Barker has this either/or...
  
• Happenings
  Museums Pounce on Low Prices Implicit in the many quotes about buying Contemporary art at a discount is the expectation...
  
• Polaroid Preview
  NPR previews Sotheby’s forthcoming Polaroid sale via audio feed, online summary and slideshow.  This collection of photographs is voluminous and...
  
• Happenings
  Crichton the Collector The LA Times reminds readers that Michael Crichton was as a canny art collector. He wrote the...