Well here’s my Top Ten for 2004 in no particular order. As you can see I did a little traveling this year. These aren’t easy to put together:
1. Orange County Museum of Art. We snatched Dennis Szakacs from the New Museum and it’s been all uphill from there. They finished the remodel of the main building and opened the new media satellite the Orange Lounge in South Coast plaza and have a great line up of shows planned. National/International recognition is not far behind.
2. Francis Bacon in Room 24 @ the Tate Britain– This is just one of those rooms in a Museum I can sit in for hours.
3. The Armory Show 2004– Art & capitalism at it’s finest.
4. Lee Bontecou @ The Hammer – Sure it’s a great story….but did you see the work?
5. Dieter Roth @ MOMA- Diary of a madman.
6. The Oscene @ The Laguna Art Museum– For obvious reasons.
7. Whitney Bedford @ Art:Concept, Paris– Weird that I discovered this LA based artist in Paris. Her first LA solo show will be at Cherrydelosreyes next year. Remember, you heard it here first.
8. Saatchi Gallery, London– Say what you will, but this guy can move markets on just a rumor, and he is the guy that started all these super collectors opening their own spaces.
9. Laura Owens , Untitled 2000 @ the S.M.A.K. Ghent, Belgium- Owens is the painter they love to hate here in LA but there is a painting of her’s in the S.M.A.K. that moved me solidly in the positive camp. Just stood there for quite some time…..I love it when art does that to me.
10. Inka Essenhigh– I covet her new work. Some day…
Honorable Mentions: The Sally Mann & Jenny Holzer shows I caught in Paris were outstanding.
11. Top OC Shows– Because there is some bias here I made it number eleven.
a. Sherie’ Franssen @ The Office
b. Tyler Stallings @ Peter Blake
c. Deborah Aschheim @ The Laguna Art Museum
d. Chie Yamayoshi @ The Office
