collection: commandax

[commandax]

I was weak (again) at the Thinkspace Drawing Room show, finding it impossible to resist this crazy drawing by João Ruas, a young Brazilian artist who's just starting to show in galleries – Thinkspace will be getting more work from him in the coming months.

For anyone who's interested, I wrote a little bit about him on my blog:
commandax.blogspot.com/2008/11/joao-ruas-haunted-world.html

"Haunted #16"

[commandax]

Since the preview's gone public, I'll take this opportunity to introduce my latest acquisition... Definitely the crown jewel of my collection.

Thanks so much to Kirsten for introducing us to this amazing artist!

Chris Berens – Just (Surrender, Submerge and Keep Breathing)

[marcusslo]

whoaaa. great addition

[devours]

Beautiful! I love 'Just' as it reminds me of 'The Apprentice' from his previous show. Sometimes I just prefer a serene lone figure done in a portrait style. Chris does this very well, considering his incredible skill in conveying movement.

[StephenW]

Stunning piece! Congratulations.

[commandax]

Sometimes I just prefer a serene lone figure done in a portrait style. Chris does this very well, considering his incredible skill in conveying movement.

Far from being static, I kind of consider this entire piece to be a study in flow – the motion of light and other elements through water fascinates me.

[devours]

Yes I quite agree. Static was not the word that came to mine considering the other elements surrounding her. The whole painting seems very fluid and pulsing. It has a richness to it, yet is not dense or tactile.

How on earth can he paint that......

[commandax]

Beautiful! I love 'Just' as it reminds me of 'The Apprentice' from his previous show.

I took another look at "The Apprentice," and I see what you mean. It looks like the same character... no wonder she looked a bit familiar. Interesting.

flickr.com/photos/26399460@N04/2475808528/

The girl in "Cornucopia" is also in "Today We Escape, We Escape," and the Madonna-like figure in "The Darkest Hour Before Dawn" appeared in "Fetch!" last year.

[commandax]

Just a little update on the collection... picked up this lovely piece by Imminent Disaster at Thinkspace last weekend. (Many thanks to StephenW, who posted this terrific picture which made me get off my butt and check out the show!) I will have a mini-interview with Disaster up on my blog in a week or so.



Update:
Here's that interview: commandax.blogspot.com/2009/01/imminent-disasters-ghostly-visitations.html

[commandax]

Anyone who reads my blog would know that I'm a big fan of Ericailcane.

commandax.blogspot.com/2009/01/ericailcanes-existential-menagerie.html

I'm hoping to get one of his originals one day, but until then I will make do with this etching, in an edition of 13, from Carmichael.

[commandax]

I guess I can check one more item off my list of 2009 goals, because I bought this great Andrew Hem painting at Nucleus a couple of weeks ago.

Entitled "In the Rouens," it's inspired by Monet's Rouen Cathedral series.



You can read my new interview with him here...

...and my earlier profile of him here.

[commandax]

I'm just about to head over to POVevolving to pick up my latest Kelly Vivanco, from the "Movers & Shakers" show:

"Tune"


Looking forward to her show next Friday at Rotofugi in Chicago. I posted a little conversation with her on my blog yesterday – check it out here.

[juggernut3]

Congrats on picking up Tune. Kelly's stuff is great.

I'm keeping my eye on her and hoping to find something nice for myself.

[commandax]

Thought I'd post a couple of paintings that arrived recently from Tessar's show at Roq la Rue... they're so subtle and emotional. Really fascinating textures.

Hope to see you all Saturday at his show at LeBasse Projects, which should be a blast – and if you haven't read my interview with him yet, check it out here.

Tessar Lo – "Manifest" and "Winter"

[nadiax]

Coming back from a trip to Amsterdam and a visit to Jaski gallery I was all over the Internet looking for anything related to Chris Berens. And then I found your blog and also Andrew Hem. And it keeps getting better! Thank you for sharing, really great collection.

"I'm a natural contrarian, so if an artist is terribly popular, my inclination is to avoid them. (Call me pigheaded... or maybe just stingy?)"

I think it 's wonderful. Your collection speaks on its quality and taste for itself and really clearly. It then becomes a bit irrelevant if they are popular or not. To me at least.

[rizza79]

wow commandax.....

nice to see someone support artists like this....Vivanco, Nimit, Tessar, Acorn, etc.

It's also interesting to see someone who collects artists who I am not terribly familiar with at all. Congrats on a focused and determined collection.

[chameleon]

You have a wonderful collection. I especially love both "Tune" by Kelly Vivancos and "Fragile Hearts" by Sarah Joncas. I'm looking forward to their upcoming show at Thinkspace next month. Only wish I lived nearby so I could see the paintings in person.

[commandax]

Thank you! Sarah and Kelly really started my collection. The first time I set foot in a gallery with the intention of buying a painting was when I went to Thinkspace's "Picks of the Harvest: Batch 4" show to see one of Sarah's paintings. It was already sold... but nearby was Kelly's "Alcove," and I fell in love. Flash forward two years, and I have 18 of her paintings. Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to their June show, too.

Also, welcome to the board!

[chameleon]

Thanks for the welcome! I've enjoyed checking out the forum for a while now and it seems like a fantastic place to admire and learn about art. I can see why you have many of Kelly's paintings. Her work also resonates with me. The paintings I have wanted by both Kelly and Sarah (including the ones I mentioned above) were already been spoken for before I could adopt them. Last month, I visited Distinction Gallery and had the opportunity to meet and chat with Kelly. She was so down to earth, which makes me love her work even more. I purchased one of her cigarette cases, which I use instead as a wallet (since I don't smoke). It's been a great way to carry her artwork wherever I go, and I love the image on it ("Glow").

[commandax]

Thought I'd add my latest Tessar Lo acquisitions, which I fell in love with at first sight. There were several pieces in his latest show that I was smitten with, but there's only so much wall in my world. I wish I could show you how delicious they are in person – the textures, the stippling, the minute sparkling elements that catch the light...

Tessar's show is up for one more day – if you haven't seen it yet, head over to the gallery and check it out!

"Up" and "Down"

[commandax]

Oh, I've been trying to be good... but it's so hard. Fell for this one last night at Thinkspace...

Allison Sommers "In Ictu Oculi"


It's named after a 1670 vanitas painting by Juan de Valdés Leal. The Latin translates to "In the Twinkling Of an Eye." Check out the illuminated book, the monk's tonsure, and the little meats embroidered on his stole... and that's only about 6 square inches of the painting. Morbidly hilarious.

[thecreep]

Looks amazing, I love Allison Sommers work. Thats a great painting of hers as well.

[chameleon]

Congratulations on acquiring such nice artwork by Allison Sommers. Does she work with a magnifying glass? Always impressed with the amount of interesting detail she packs in such small amounts of space.

[commandax]

Thank you! Yes, she does sometimes use a magnifying glass. She talks about it in her interview with Arrested Motion. There's also an interesting interview with her at Sour Harvest, which features adorable pictures of her hedgehog Ludwig, who figures in a few of her paintings. Can't wait to meet her tonight, I think she must be a very interesting person.

[ill]

I absolutely adore that Allison Sommers piece! I'll definitely have to become more familiar with her work after seeing that.