Scope: The New Destination Fair

by Paddy Johnson on December 7, 2010 · 4 comments Art Fair

Bushwick's Roberta's makes an appearance this year at Scope

Scope just went up a notch in my book. I still don’t care much for the art, but so long as they keep enlisting reputable restaurants like Roberta’s there’s a reason to visit. Their food tastes great, and while the prices aren’t cheap, compared to everywhere else in Miami it was steal. I paid $17 dollars for an eggplant, avocado and arugula sandwich, a cup of watermelon lemonade, and a cinnamon bun; it was hands-down the best food I’ve ever had in Miami.

As for the fair proper, Hrag Vartanian over at Hyperallergic liked Scope a lot more than I did. We’ll be hosting a tit round up shortly, but in the meantime — two highlights from the fair.

Ma Jun at Krampf Gallery

This pony might have gotten lucky with its trick but credit where credit is due. Execution wise, the TV and beat box were expertly fashioned. Other works in the booth, such as the Ming pottery-esque water bottles, looked too cheap to be compelling.

Crochet everything. Olek's room + performance in Christopher Henry Gallery's booth

Okay, clearly this isn’t very good. A general rule of thumb: no matter what material you’re covering a room with, once a crochet bodysuit and head mask enters the equation there will be trouble. Resist the urge. Still, there were a few nice moments within the installation.

A paint roller by the sink

This paint roller beside the sink for instance. Not bad. I like that the color of the paint is represented on the roller itself.

Bike in the sunset

I shot this bike just outside the Rubell collection. There may be nothing more poignant than renegade crochet in the sunset.

{ 4 comments }

Clay December 8, 2010 at 2:14 am

I don’t know if I’d call that oddly hideous bike cozy “poignant”. Funny, definitely.

People should crochet whatever they like. It fits solidly in the “too much time on one’s hands” category of art production. But that’s cool (I got the same criticism of my sculpture in grad school and I came to own it eventually). So take a breath, Paddy. Maybe if no one was fawning all over whoever did this then they’d come back and really make something amazing with their next pseudo-transgressive act.

Artfagcity December 8, 2010 at 2:20 am

I already said the work isn’t very good. “poignant renegade crochet” was a joke.

Mcmanstache December 8, 2010 at 2:10 pm

Olek hit somebody with a surfboard and it was the best piece of conceptual art i saw

Scope2010 December 15, 2010 at 6:34 pm

“Too much time on one’s hands… category of art”…I was not aware that there was such a category of art?? As if devoting time and love to one’s art was a bad thing?

Isn’t making art supposed to be about passion, obsession and inspiration??… For a true artist there is no separation between their work and their life…

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