Happy New Year blog readers! I am excited to begin the decade by informing you about what to see and do in the arts this month. But I am even more so looking forward to see what this new decade will bring to the art world: new museums, blockbuster exhibitions, the birth of new collectors and the passing of treasures from one home to the next. Without further interruption here is what we can see in January 2010, albeit a short list but still something to do to get away from the cold!
See “Shaping Modernity: Design 1880–1980.” A new reinstallation of the MoMA Architecture and Design Galleries, 3rd Floor, on view through July 2010. Some 300 works of art have been broken down into five categories: The International New Art 1890–1914, New Typography 1927–37, Mind, Body, Machine 1925–40, What Was Good Design? MoMA’s Message 1944–56 (the exhibition which has been on views since fall 2009) and Continuity and Critique 1960–80. “The exhibit houses a selection of visionary objects, graphics, architectural fragments, and textiles from the Museum’s collection that reveal the attempts of successive generations to shape their experience of living in the modern world.” Shows like these are a great way to see the museum’s extensive holding in the area.
Travel to See “Cartier and America”, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, recently opened and on view through April 18. Cartier came to fame as the “King of Jewelers” during the Belle Époque for his beautifully made diamond and platinum jewelry created for the courts of Europe and Americans of the Gilded Age. With an extensive variety of jewelry forms—ranging from traditional white diamond suites to the highly colored exotic creations of the 1920s and 1930s—Cartier made its mark with the ingenuity of its designs and its exquisite craftsmanship. Cartier and America celebrates the imagination and creativity of Cartier in the 20th century. The jewelry and works of art include pieces from the private collection of Cartier.
Fairs The 56th Annual Winter Antiques Show, January 22-21, Park Avenue Armory. Open Daily 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Sunday & Thursday 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. The Winter Antiques Show marks its 56th year as the most prestigious antiques show in America, featuring the “best of the best” from antiquities through the 1960s. Held at the historic Park Avenue Armory in New York City, the Show provides curators, established collectors, dealers, design professionals and first-time buyers with opportunities to view and purchase exceptional pieces showcased by 75 exhibitors. One-third of the Show’s exhibitors are specialists in Americana, with the rest featuring English, European, and Asian fine and decorative arts.
Bid Rago Auction House, Lambertville, NJ, January 16-17, 2010: Modern and Early 20th c. weekend auctions. A great opportunity to score a deal on decorative arts objects spanning the twentieth- century. The house auction has a good team of specialists but because they are not located in New York City, it is often possible to find a good buy.
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