Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Anonymous said… This woman may have been rude, but many of us are serious about collecting art, not because we’re rich, but because we love it, and we want to invest in something that has meaning in our lives. And it is very, very frustrating to deal with galleries that are simply unable or unwilling to accomodate serious collectors, who experience disappointment time and again with galleries that flake on a constant basis when it comes to dealing with buyers that can’t be at a show. If you want to command high brow prices for low brow art, you have to respect your buyers. Ultimately, it’s often the “bitch” who makes it possible for a Tim Biskup to command ten grand for a painting, and makes that twenty dollar Post-It that someone else bought worth much more in the future. It may be great to have just your buddies at an opening, and sell art only to whomever you’ve decided is deserving, but I, for one, will not patronize a gallery that decides it has the luxury to sell art based on its hasty judgement of a buyer. How very establishment to do so, and how very unappetizing. All I wanted was a Post It… and she wouldn’t give it to me… just one Post-It. ———————– My response if I may… Ah so it was you, mr or ms Anonymous? I’m also very serious about collecting art. And running a gallery store situation in LA, SF and NY is a manifestation of that. I do understand that there are people paying a lot for “low brow” art. We accomodate serious collectors as best we can, but we don’t accomodate rude people. This woman was the latter. We had a simple and democratic numbering system in place, it was to be fair to everyone (I’m repeating myself), she basically wanted to jump ahead of other folks who waiting much longer. Is this person more important because they have dinner plans? What about the other folks who waited and cancelled their plans so they could buy art? Is this woman more important than the next person because she may pay $10,000 for a Biskup piece, over the kid who worked their ass to spend $20 on a Post It? You’re coming at it from the opposite side. I see that side, but in the end, we’re not a huge gallery, but we are a force that has helped the same artists you’re talking about increase the value of their art. Do you think we helped Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara in America? I’d like to think so, and I know since they’ve told me so. Did we help kozyndan and Uglydolls? Sure did. We sell product by Tim Biskup, Ryden, and Baseman. Don’t you think that also helps their value go up by creating a new demand for their products, and later, their art to new people who never go to galleries? We help in ways that people never think about. But...
Continue reading
Let’s beat this down now… Another fairness example pertaining to this show. (If I don’t write about it now, when will I?) One fella called, maybe more than once, but it was much earlier than the show’s opening, asking “I want to buy all of “so and so’s Post-its. I collect his/her work.” If we were all about the money, I’d sell that person all of them, sight unseen. It’s easier to sell a lot to one person than individuals to many. Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson curated the show This all reminds me of the time when we sold neomu books. They’re $1. I remember at Christmas time, a “designer” from another city called and wanted to buy 50 to give away for presents. First, this person is a shitty designer since shit, can’t you afford a present that’s more than $1? Also, don’t you think that’s unfair to have one person swoop in and buy the lot? Having $50 in my pocket in one shot is much better than selling 50 at $1 each to 50 different people. Think of the people power that it takes. We lose from being fair, but oh well. Accident! I’m no longer an ambulance chaser, but there was an accident on Sawtelle Blvd across the street from GR2 during the Post It show. I’ll cut to the chase, no one got hurt, so all was okay. It luckily didn’t ruin the night for anyone. Be careful! This reminds me of a time, when I went to see Jawbreaker years ago, and outside was a terrible accident. A man was hit by a car, and I think he died. I have no idea who he was, and what is legacy may be. Was he a fan of the band? Was he just some stranger? Some people came in anyway, and some left after the accident. Either way, the band played on and in some cosmic way, I hope saturday’s accident (a guy getting hit by a car in front of an evening event) takes care of that type of “quota” for a while.
Continue reading
Post-it show was an obvious hit at GR2. So it’s about 1200 pieces, most at $20, and 42 artists. Today GR2 was packed. With art so inexpensive, it was no wonder. We had to do a numbering system to be fair to those who’ve waited or were there first. With about 190 numbers passed out (of course a lot didn’t actually stick around and use them), only one person got mad enough to leave. This is Post-it by Sir Souther (see him on video)video of the south wall I want to dwell on this one person for a second. The person came in, saw some post its they wanted, and demanded that she get served right away. Her number was later (not much later too!), but she kept trying to ahead of others. I’m the type of person who’d expect that “things” would have an order (such as numbers), so people won’t have to be savages, or bitches in this case, to cheat their way to the front of a line. I’d also hope that by being demanding, one doesn’t get their way and screw the people who’ve been politely waiting. This person got fed up, and bailed out. Good riddance. In GR-land, I’m glad that I have enough control to make things as fair as I can make them. It may take longer to buy the art from us, but there’s less of the “who you are” and “what can you do for us later” type of considerations being made as compared to other places. A lot of the world is based on who’s louder, more obnoxious, or has more money. But what about fairness, gentlemanly-ness (or womanlyness), or just being nice? In our world that’s based on so much bad shit, can’t people understand that mother fuckin’ Post-its should be sold mother fuckin’ fairly? Aside from a great night, it was great to see a lot of old faces, tons of new ones, and maybe first time art buyers who didn’t mind taking a chance on a $20 Post it. A note to them: it’s a slippery slope! $20 becomes $40, which then goes to $100. For those who have the money. $100 then goes up further and further. It’s like crack, and we’re dealing. Thank you to the great crowd who came out on saturday. Even with the large crowd, we also have tons of great ones left.
Continue reading
Snakes. I haven’t seen it, but this Samuel Jackson one liner is just super funny. This can be looked at as a spoiler so beware if you care. Here’s another here It seems like these are getting removed, so this link may not last long.
Continue reading
Sawtelle on myspace! Ok, there’s like nothing there yet, but everything needs a start, right?
Continue reading