Wednesday, April 21, 2010

SOFA New York 2010 : outside gallery gen booth

In this post we step out of our booth to walk through the show. We will select a handful from the exhibit and invite you to see which pieces sold at SOFA New York 2010. Through the ticket counter we enter the show...

above: This year again we are welcomed by the Venetian glass of Lino Tagliapietra (76) represented by Heller Gallery (NY).

above:  This year the show floor was predominantly white walled. The show floor had an overall gallery-feel, with the pockets of colored booths standing out. 






above: One example was Joan B. Mirviss Ltd (NY), each year selecting a wall color to match her solo exhibition of the finest contemporary Japanese ceramics.  Everyone came with expectation, and she answered their call with an impressive body of work titled "reflections on nature" by Shoko Koike (67); ranging from $2~3000 to over $20T, they sold 23 pieces "withing 30 minutes of the show's opening" - according to SOFA.



above: Galerie Besson (UK) featured four Finnish ceramicists. The selected piece here is vessel by Kati Tuominen-Niittyla. Mistaken for rusted iron, the surface texture is coarse, but it's form so elegant. Silent but strong. Its presence humble, and would be a great piece for an ikebana practioner ($9,500). No Red dots could be seen by Monday, so perhaps they will return to London once the Icelandic ash has settled.


above: Five rare Warren Mackenzie pots could be seen (immediately sold) at Lacoste Gallery (MA). Lucy Lacoste said that these pieces were specially prepared for SOFA by the 86 year-old master.
below: Another selection from Lacoste Gallery (below) is a mechanical object which looked to be the product of nature after years of weathering. American artist Tim Rowan is traditionally trained in Bizen, and now works in New York. This piece looked to be returned to the gallery.







above: Korean artist Jaehyo Lee (45) brought an amazing chair made out of logs apparently weighing over 1500 lbs - Cynthia Reeves (NY).






above: Browgrotta Arts (CT) with Dutch fiber artist Marian Bijlenga (56), a small beautiful wall piece made of cotton, paper and horse-hair ($4,000 SOLD).






above: As with all SOFA shows, it is easy to find amazing glass art.  Seen above is the work above is by Toshio Iezumi (56) represented by Chappell Gallery (UK).  The glass is layered in such a way as to reflect and refract light within the piece. On the contrary, the object itself is stripped of expression, getting less and less figurative each year said the director of the gallery. This would look wonderful on a window seal at full moon, for the pattern of light within the art work will change quietly as time passes.  A couple of the tall standing piece could be seen with a Red dot.




above: Katie Jones (UK) had fine works of contemporary Japanese metal. Bronze lidware by Koji Hatakeyama (54) were pretty much all sold as the artist was there during the four day exhibition. 
below: Two copper pieces by Toru Kaneko (48) were stunning, a cool feel perfect for a summer house.  No Red dots present, however, it should be a matter of time.





above: Ten472 Contemporary Art (CA) had local artist Elisabett Gudmann paintings on copper which resembled the taste of antique lacquer on a contemporary medium.  The wall piece behind the horse sold.


above: The last selection is the larger than life porcelain jars made in China by the English Felicity Aylieff (56) was featured by Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon (both sold). The combination of glazed and unglazed blue and white was a refreshing idea, but its overwhelming size was quite impressive. A video interview at the show with the artists can be seen here: http://www.sofaexpo.com/NY/2010/live/video/Felicity_Aylieff.htm.





above: The SOFA New York 2010 catalog can now be viewed online: http://www.sofaexpo.com/NY/2010/catalog.htm .   
below: For a more comprehensive list of the art work sold, visit the official site with over one hundred photos of a selected pieces sold at SOFA New York 2010: selected sold artwork






Friday, April 16, 2010

Opening Preview Night Report: SOFA NY 2010


This blog will be updated throughout the fair to find beauty and answer the question which art is being sold at this year’s SOFA New York ? This first edition will report last night’s VIP preview party and introduce the high-light exhibit by New York’s gallery gen.


In their fifth year at SOFA New York, gallery gen was relocated to center stage with a grand view of the massive new work by Yoshiaki Yuki being shown for the first time in New York. Contrasting to these giant reversible twelve-panel screens were his latest works on clay and silver; 46pcs of hand carved tea bowls “stone” which he said he prepared specially for this exhibit. They are just like the first flowers of Spring just waiting to be picked ~ ($95.00/pc)














Many of New Yorks top architects and designers could be seen, immediately reacting to these sculptural screens; their dynamic design for one, but also their unique functional aspect. The artist aimed to achieve a screen which would act to uneven the so often cubic look to the home environment - said Yoshiaki Yuki, who is currently in Kyoto for his current solo exhibition ($10,000). The abstract images representing “regression” (kai-ki) are symbols of the sun and the moon which returns to the sky day in/night out, but still shines our lives with subtle new experiences each time.













Just returning from his exhibit at the Institute of Textile and Clothing in Hong Kong, the fiber art magician Jun-ichi Arai also prepared several new pieces for the show. These includes his classic crush textiles in Black (SOLD) and his more recent Transperancy and Reflection series with the crinkled Gold wall hangings; their half tranparent design making them look almost like glass ($1800). His collaborative work with artist Yoshiaki Yuki of two wall hanging surcoats are also here at SOFA. Inspired by the 16th century battle surcoats jinba-ori worn by the Fuedal Samurai Lords, the purple-black and silver is crested with Yuki’s “enjoyemnt” (Raku), and the gold with “beauty”(Bi) ($2600/pc).

















gallery gen has also selected smaller but nonetheless wonderful picks of contemporary Japanese ceramics could also be found at gallery gen’s exhibit. The 37year old Hajime Tamura had two works of porcelain; the white hakuji vessel had a coarse mat finish almost as if clay, but still maintaining the sharp quality of the porcelain clay ($500). Goro Suzuki, the only artist in our time who is able to recreate true 16th century Oribe had his Kuro Oribe Bowl with his signiture squiggled sketch of crows ($11,000). An animal like creature by Masayuki Yamashita is a wood fired ceramic from Yakushima, the island off the tip of southern Japan; a sculpture which has a function as a sake pitcher ($110).







Screens by Bokuma













Left: "Moon and Cherry Blossoms" Right: "Immortal Cranes"


Outside gallery gen booth, the SOFA show offers many fine standing and wall-hanging sculptures, clay seeming to gain a growing popularity. In the following days, we will walk through the SOFA exhibit to select other fine works of art by dealers and see what has been sold.


General Admission Hours
Fri. & Sat., April 16 - 17 11am - 7pm
Sun, April 18 Noon - 6pm
Mon., April 19 11am - 5pm

Park Avenue Armory
Park Avenue at 67th Street
New York, NY 10021


For further information, please contact gallery gen:
718- 392-7717
info@gallerygen.com
www.gallerygen.com


SOFA NY Website
http://www.sofaexpo.com

Sunday, April 11, 2010

SOFA new york 2010: the 13th International Exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art


gallery gen cordially invites you to the 13th Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair.

The fair will open next week on Thursday, April 15th
and run through Monday, April 19th.
Sixty galleries from around the world will display
artists who push the boundaries of various mediums
and genre to present cutting-edge contemporary design.


Please visit

gallery gen at Booth 410

where we will be exhibiting the works of our main Japanese artists,
Jun-ichi Arai and Yoshiaki Yuki.





The Opening Night Preview
:
Thursday, April 15th 5:30pm – 9:00pm

General Admission Hours:
Friday & Saturday, April 16-17 11am – 7pm
Sunday, April 18 Noon – 6pm
Monday, April 19 11am – 5pm

Park Avenue Armory
Park Avenue at 67th Street
New York, NY 10021


Having received high acclaim at January's Art Palm Beach Show in Florida, we are proud to present Yoshiaki Yuki's new works here in New York at SOFA. His new screen paintings are more massive and dynamic than ever. The shimmering silver and the powerful red and indigo colors will be sure to leave a lasting impression and change your concept of modern art. Titled “Kai-ki – Regression,” these 12-panel screens as well as his asymmetrical modern screens have a wonderful transformational quality that enables you to enjoy the fluidity of these functional arts by shaping them to suit your living environment. Yuki's popular silver ceramic series will also be back with a new selection of designs.
















































For viewing new works by Yoshiaki Yuki
www.yoshiakiyuki.com


Featuring Artists
Jun-ichi Arai
Bokuma
______________________________________




R. S. V. P. TODAY






If you respond no later than April 14th,
we will automatically place you in a special lottery.
The winners will receive complimentary VIP passesto SOFA NY.


For general admission tickets, please contact gallery gen:
718-392-7717
info@gallerygen.com
www.gallerygen.com


SOFA NY Website
http://www.sofaexpo.com