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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"CHARLIEWOOD"
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"CHARLIEWOOD"
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
From left to right: Danie Gomez Ortigoza, Susan Barrett, Ladyfag, Kelly Peck, and Todd Thomas at Faena Hotel Miami Beach for the Thursday night performances of "CHARLIEWOOD." Barrett wore a feathered creation by Proenza Schouler and Kelly Peck wore a classic Proenza Schouler metallic skirt.
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
From left to right: Collectors and Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis board members Mary Anne and Andy Srenco; collector and director of art fairs of projects + gallery Dorte Probstein
St. Louis was well represented at last week's Art Basel, an international art fair located in Miami, Florida. Many visited to buy or sell art, experience the fair's general spectacle, or support the many projects of St. Louisan Susan Barrett. The curator and gallerist is the founder of creative consulting company Barrett Barrera Projects and the Central West End commercial art space projects + gallery.
"CHARLIEWOOD"
Last Monday night in New York, Barrett provided a preview of some of her projects she would later exhibit in Miami. Paris-based artist Charlie Le Mindu exhibited his newest performance piece "CHARLIEWOOD," presented by Barrett Barrera Projects and hosted by Debbie Harry and nightlife fixture Ladyfag, along with punk performance artist Christeene. The performance attracted VIPs and celebs and received coverage from Women's Wear Daily, Paper Magazine, and Office Magazine. Celebs in the audience included Parker Posey, Rose McGowan, Mickey Boardman, and The Misshapes.
Barrett then brought "CHARLIEWOOD" to Miami on Thursday night for two performances at Faena Hotel Miami Beach. Le Mindu's transgressive new piece is an erotically charged, high-energy, choreographed mix of drag, burlesque, and ballet. The conceptual artist, who has been known for doing some of Lady Gaga's most theatrical looks, constructed the hair creations worn by the dancers. One dancer wore a fairy dust-sprinkled lurex body suit as she erotically danced on pointe in a cloud of gold glitter. Others wore huge fur wings constructed of hair.
One dancer wore a complete head-to-toe suit of shaggy fur, undulating as he moved and shook. Then there was "The Chicken Lady," who was completely naked and roamed around the audience with nothing but chicken eggs and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. She passed out chicken to audience members and later reclined in a banquette like a full-bodied Odalisque. St. Louisans might remember Le Mindu from his recent show of hair sculptures exhibited last month at projects + gallery. He also presented a version of "CHARLIEWOOD," featuring performer Peaches, at Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
Several St. Louis natives attended the show, including NYC-based architect and interior designer Jackie Greenberg and New York-based fashion designer Todd Thomas. For some of the St. Louis-based attendees, such as Tania Beasley-Jolly, the co-founder of the St. Louis Fashion Fund, it was their first year attending the fair. Others were regulars. Marilu Knode, the former executive director of Laumeier Sculpture Park, and Mary Anne and Andy Srenco, collectors and CAM board members, have attended the fair for years.
The show also attracted some notable celebrities and powerful art players such as musician Courtney Love and members of the Rubell family, some of the most preeminent contemporary art collectors in the world.
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes"
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
Susan Barrett in Rick Owens and Stacy Engman in Lanvin and a Philip Treacy headpiece
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes"
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes"
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Photo by Patrick McMullan Company
"A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes"
"A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes"
Barrett's next coup came on Friday night with "A Queen Within Adorned Archetypes," which St. Louisans may remember from the show of the same name exhibited at the World Chess Hall of Fame four years ago. The Miami show was a smaller version of the St. Louis show, recreated for the Miami space by curator Sofia Hedman and her husband and exhibition designer Serge Martynov. Both spent a month in Miami creating this version of the show.
As in the St. Louis exhibition, there were stunning, couture pieces by Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Comme des Garcons, Hood by Air, and Iris Van Herpen. Le Mindu created the wigs and hair sculptures for the show. The new show also featured two mesmerizing video pieces—one by Rick Owens and a beautiful piece by Hussein Chalayan, where models continually transform themselves with different outfits in a never-ending silent ballet.
The event that night was hosted by NYC-based art consultant and major fashion queen Stacy Engman, who was draped in a shimmering, short beaded Lanvin, and—perhaps in a nod to McQueen—a stunning custom headpiece of flowers by Philip Treacy and her signature sunglasses. The exhibition was beautifully lit, and the trademark roses created vignettes around what almost looked like rose-entwined vitrines. (The show will travel to St. Louis in January.)
Main Fair
The main fair's large convention center was packed. It included so much art and visual stimulation, it was difficult to absorb it in one go. Between the art, the people watching, and the fashion, my head was spinning around like Linda Blair.
St. Louis native and gallerist Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn of Salon 94 had a booth that featured the work of Judy Chicago, Betty Woodman, and Richard Prince, as well as a Marilyn Minter piece I would give my right arm for.
St. Louisan John Van Doren of gallery Van Doren Waxter showed a quartet of classically beautiful Richard Diebenkorns, a small David Hammons drawing, a classic Sam Francis, and more.
Just as I exited his booth, I ran into Victoria and David Beckham in the Lehman Maupin booth. She looked pretty and feminine in a long, flowy pink top, and a pink-and-white striped blouse and heels. He sported the unassuming "don't notice me" look: jeans, trucker hat pulled low, stubble, and sneakers. Other St. Louisans spotted at the fair included gallerist William Shearburn; private dealer and collector Ronnie Greenberg and his wife, Jan; Ulrike Schlafly; Michael and Jiamin Dierberg; and Saint Louis Art Museum curator Simon Kelly.
Wrap-Up
Although Art Basel is all about art, it has expanded into so many different spheres—fashion, music, events, VIP parties, and "the scene." For example, on Saturday night, St. Louis' own Andy Cohen held a reading and signing of his new book Superficial.
It was a whirlwind, and my feet were aching. But with so much to do and see, it was hard to ever stop. St. Louis showed up and presented well this year—and in a most impressive way.
