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After an already amazingly exhilarating time in New York, I could not believe that the next few days would be just as great.
We enjoyed one lovely evening which ended with Matthew Slotover playing some very cheesy sets, including my request 'We Are Family.'
In the morning I was on my way to Brooklyn again, to the heart of the Hasidic district where buried amongst the prayer books a few artists had taken up studios. With the help of Michael Nevin from Journal Gallery and Amir Shariat, I paid a visit to see Graham Collins.
Straight away I really couldn’t fathom Graham's work, it was very instinctual but totally out of the box and I didn’t entirely buy into it, even if the work is very original…
He is young so I wonder if he can sustain his unique individuality through the next few years? I guess this is what makes my field of acquiring emerging art so interesting, I am after all taking certain risks.
Then off I went to NADA thinking I wasn't going to see anything new. Well, I was totally wrong and there was plenty of new art to discover. My most exciting discovery was Hector Acre-Espasas at Luce Gallery where I acquired his work for the Collection.
I received a big hug from Jane Suitor and a lovely intimate moment as she whispered the name Jesse Greenberg in my ear. In a shot I was there to investigate
and voila!
There was quite a variety of work at NADA, as Gina Beavers demonstrates at Clifton Benevento Gallery.
Hannah Perry’s work at The Sunday Painter was innovative and totally unique.
The most special moment of my whole trip was a visit to the home of Bob Gober and Donald Moffat to celebrate Robert Buck's book launch. I had entered another world. In the grounds of this 10th Street seminary in Chelsea I had been transported to the serene cloisters of Oxford or Cambridge.
I spent time with Donald talking about his trips to Texas, where he was born and to Robert Buck who spoke to me about a work in the Collection that was a very personal and sad moment in his childhood.
Then it was down town to finally meet Dora Budor at Grand Century and see the new show curated by Tara Downs. There she was, hanging outside with her friends checking out the neighbour’s bananas.
I finally got to meet up with Jon Rafman, who turns out to be best friends with Jaakko Pallasvuo. The very same Jaakko whose work we saw yesterday at Eye Beam, it is a small world. Jon introduced me to artist Ben Schumacher who will be fishing for telegraph cables in Turkey for The Moving Museum show in September.
Finally, late at night we headed up town to view Simon Lee’s sleek new gallery. Here is the very happy chappy as he stands in front of Toby Ziegler’s new painting, he has definitely reached another level.