Transformer auction was a huge success!
James Alefantis goading art revelers to bid ... bid ... BID!I. Adore. This. Man.
Maggie Michael was one of the many DC art stars who donated work to support the auction. You can see her piece in the upper right corner of this picture...and now in our apartment.Oops, I did it again. And again. And again. And again.
I also acquired a piece by Lori Esposito called Fruit Bats. It was the one piece of art I'd seen in advance that I went into the auction intending to "win."* (Sorry Amy Lin!) Also picked up a nice one by Andy Moon Wilson, who makes art that some might call comic pop art, but it's a bit more sophisticated than that. In a moment of pure bidding frenzy, I wrote the final winning bid just as the auction closed. (Sorry four other bidders who were also vying for this piece!) Finally, wax loving Dave outbid several people in a contentious war to "win" Mary Early's beeswax work. Her works are so beautiful and sensuous, you want to touch the glistening surfaces, and you can smell them before you see them. Which is a very good thing!
Last night was one of the most fun I've had in a really long time. I brought my camera thinking I would document this incredible night, but that plan quickly went by the wayside when I realized every fun arty person I know in DC attended the event and lots of new characters too and I just wanted to focus on connecting with each one. More pictures to follow soon as I get them from the official event photographer Darren Santos.
*Why do we say that we "win" at an auction?! We're paying for it! But it does feel like a crazy contest to angle position and topple the competition.
UPDATE:
Note that I will no longer be posting comments from "Anonymous." (See below.)
posted by hoogrrl at
7:37 AM
2 Comments:
Oh that was you who outbid me on the Andy Moon Wilson piece? Oh well, at least I know it went to a good home. (: I'm enjoying my Matt Sesow piece. That was a great event!
10:37 AM
You say you win because you win.
I'm an artist and I dread art auctions, as I think most artists do. The only people that really GIVE to whatever charity the auction is supporting are the artists.
The bidders are leaving the auction with the deluded notion that they have just donated to a charity, when in fact they are leaving with a piece of artwork that they have purchased at a discount. I think it is even a tax write-off for the buyers, bot not for the artists, not sure about that.
Look at that pained smile on Maggie Michael's face. She looks thrilled. But, you have to play the game.
Even worse, once you give work to an art auction you are on the radar, and asked to contribute to even more art auctions.
Transformer might be one that the artists are happy to support, generally it sucks. Every storm, reading program, and war.
3:24 PM
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