Art Exhaustion, Part 2: Gossip Edition
Blackman is out at Art Chicago. The guy who bailed him out and moved everything to the Merchandise Mart has bought Blackman's company. Blackman has signed an agreement barring him from starting another fair in Chicago. I guess the memory of last year's Fair Wars is still very much with us. He has basically been exiled.

Saw signs beginning to pop up using the phrase "Art at the Mart." Is this going to be the new slogan? Stay tuned.

Other than being forced to start hanging at 1:00 a.m. the night before the show opened, the dealers seemed unanimous in their praise in how it all came together. One said that it was better, more courteous and organized with 2 days lead time than other years had been with months and months of planning. They all felt that a miracle had occurred.

Some galleries (even some local ones) did pull out, and may end up regretting that they did. The aisles were terribly narrow, and some of the smaller spaces were, um, intimate to say the least. But was enjoyable. And the VIP lounge was very comfy -- big overstuffed sofas and thick carpet (I am not a VIP. However...)

Pix and more details later. And don't feel all that exhausted, maybe because of the condensed floor plan and good carpeting underfoot. But the brain is stuffed full.

NOVA tomorrow.
- posted by Cynthia @ 7:12 PM | | | Link |