April 2006
The Cottelston Bulletin
Michael S. Sellinger
The Whitney Biennial 2006: Day for Night is a must-see show for gauging the pulse of contemporary art. Every two years the museum becomes a barometer of the art world by showcasing some of the most creative artists from around the world. Day for Night is a coherent exhibition which makes a sincere attempt to give a sense of today's zeitgeist and it is not exactly a pretty moment in terms of the way the world looks, nor the way that art is responding.
The Biennial is a direct, visceral response to what is happening in America today. Squalor and violence are everywhere. Hypnotic and sad, the Biennial is full of art about the breaking up and polarization of society. The nihilist message is that there is nothing we can do while we wait for the end except console ourselves with sex and/or consumer products. From the 18th century to the present, the most compelling subject for American artists has been America itself.
In an exhibition virtually obsessed with the subject of America, this long tradition makes it easier to interpret the sometimes dark and difficult art work. The Biennial runs through May 28 th at The Whitney Museum, 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street.
Another notable show in New York is the Donald Judd exhibit at Christie's. Working in the 1960s, Judd was one of the key exponents of Minimalism. He changed the course of modern sculpture with his exploration of volume, space and color in addition to his rejection of traditional artistic craftsmanship.
By using industrial materials and focusing the viewer's attention on the volume and presence of the structure, Judd's work draws awareness to the relationship between the object, the viewer, and the surrounding space. The 36 works on view are installed in a raw, cement-floored office space flooded with natural light and with striking vistas of midtown Manhattan. The exhibition is at 1230 6th Avenue, 20th floor until the auction May 9th.
Finally, as reported earlier, the excitement of the Chinese art market continues to build. Sotheby's recently held the first ever Contemporary Chinese Auction in the U.S. and by the day's end sales totaled $13.2 million, far above the high estimate of $8 million.
As always the art world has choices for all tastes and budgets.