Jeffrey Deitch proves he’s eccentric as he looks. In this video the new MoCA director offers a tour of his new pad, which as of October still had yet to be furnished. Presumably that’s changed — you can’t woo donors without hosting a few schwank parties — but his priorities are clearly not his living quarters.
Anyway, house aside, he’s busy spouting his usual crazy:
The contemporary museum is potentially the most interesting platform in culture today. Art is a platform that now includes all media, so film, fashion, literature, street culture, that is all a central part of art right now.
Based on Deitch’s description of personalities so powerful they too are “almost an art form” earlier in the segment, it’s pretty clear Deitch isn’t describing multidisciplinary practice, but rather that fine art encompasses *all* creative fields. This is nothing new — he’s been reciting this mantra for years — but it’s scary to watch now that he’s not just some weird New York dealer, but the head of the most important contemporary art institution in the country — MoCA. Not to state the obvious, but the language of film and literature is different than that of fine art, and to conflate the two is to do a great disservice to all discipline’s involved. Blockbuster movies are made for the cineplex — they don’t require the art aura of a museum to be seen the way they were intended. Neither does fashion, literature, street art or any other cultural field in which the maker did not intend a museum or gallery to showcase and/or distribute the work.
Hat tip: Tricia Keightley
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dude you got that RIGHT.
so basically fine artists don’t just have to beat out each other for that 1% of 1% sliver of the pie, we have to go head to head with movie stars, authors, and the fashion world too?
Agreed that Jeffery Deitch is a bit of a nutter. But I agree that contemporary art can now indeed take any form or media: this is not to say that Hollywood films are art – nor is most literature, music or graffiti — but, that all these forms can and are being used by contemporary artists.
Anyway, back to Jeffery, his own narcissism will probably sabotage his ability to do anything truly interesting with MoCA; but we’ll see.
Deitch is more interesting visually than verbally.
We get it: it’s all about celebrity culture now. Except that Hollywood generates cash for its celebrity wattage, the artworld doesn’t. Meaning he wants Hollywood to support an unflattering, money-losing venture…I read somewhere Jeffrey Deitch submitted a proposal for JAMES FRANCO to be the American Representative at the Venice Biennale. Basically anyone who is famous/related to Hollywood can have a show at Moca. Way to go, Jeffrey!!!
By the way, the artworld is dominated by money which needs objects to be exchanged into. So until JAMES FRANCO (insert celebrity) begins making some expensive shit, it ain’t gonna fly…I read somewhere a dealer commenting on Miami Basel “oh the celebrities…they come to be photographed but they don’t really buy anything in the end”.
jeffery is all about jeffery, he is what art isn’t ! People like jeff are the problem. Deitch thinks he gets it do to the fact that he has money. Jeff is a little boy trying to be a big man.
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