This is the start of my blog from the wonderfully named Flushing Avenue in Bushwick, NY where I am staying with Julie. Its technically about the residency I’m going to be doing at i-park, in Connecticut, but as I’ve been doing some ‘research and planning’ (i.e. galleries and shopping) here in New York, I thought I’d start with that.
Today I sampled the joys of good old fashioned face to face sales at the bizarre photography Mecca that is BH (thanks to Eirini for directing me there). They don’t call it the BH Superstore Experience for nothing: besides its arcane process of choosing your product, getting a receipt, then lining up to pay, then lining up somewhere else to pick up your stuff which arrives via a chute, then lining up somewhere else to get the bag you had to check on entrance, the place is a strange sight to London eyes- its run almost entirely by Hassidic Jews: not a community I have had much opportunity to meet, talk to and do business with in London. Good stuff though, and good second hand department.
Apart from the fun of buying a new (used) camera, the galleries. Well, from my English perspective I can’t help be dazzled/ bamboozled by their production values. The first show I saw was by Darren Almond, at Matthew Marks. The finish, even before you get into the screening space, is immaculate: the crispness and almost glowing quality of the vinyl lettering, the cool blue spotlight illuminating your passage into the total darkness of the room…no expense spared. As for the installation itself, incredibly creepy and dark, 6 screens hanging/ floating in the gloom, following the movement of a monk walking through a forest, attempting to complete a ritual of purification that has only been managed 46 times in the last 4 centuries (this is the piece of info that stayed in mind most clearly- obviously his chances of succeeding are limited). Although I’m not sure it communicated the immensity of the task and the mental strength I assume it requires, the work did create a sort of meditative and lonely space in which you could maybe begin to empathise with the monk’s experience and his silent journey into the woods.
Beyond that- so many others. And almost all of them equally crisp. Lots of paintings- 5 rooms of Roy Lichtenstein still lives at Gagosian anyone? Or, in his other space, Monet’s something or other. Gagosian gallery is basically a museum. Eye Beam is great though, they had a show called Re:Group: Beyond Models of Consensus about models of participation in art which I enjoyed; good books in the foyer and even, the football playing on a telly. It is the one space which seems to touch directly on issues of public space, social relations and participation, and inevitably it felt much more familiar, a bit more DIY, a bit more text to read and absorb, less visually striking than the other galleries.
Finally- the World Cup. Contrary to received wisdom, people over here are following it, its been playing in bars all over the place, and there are plenty of Argentinean and Mexican flags draped across restaurants and shops (although this could be usual practice, considering the US penchant for flags). So hopefully I’ll get to see the finals after all and not be reduced to only reading the Guardian football blog.
Next time: a report from the woods.
