There’s a great article posted to Philly.com today, “A Grave Debate about Headstone Art,” bringing to light a rift in the headstone sculptor community between ‘traditionalists’ and those who are catering to increasing demand for ‘personalization’.  And we’re not talking your garden variety of angels here– tombstones are being engraved and sculpted to reflect the deceased’s favorite pastime, his or her strong ethnic identity, and so on.  Tacky or progressive?  I guess it depends on your view of the purpose of the cemetery.

This fun article had me thinking, though, about the unexplored market of ‘true art’ being used as a grave marking.  Gravestone scholar Richard E. Meyer, quoted in the above article, says that headstones were Americans” first form of expressive sculpture, so let’s take that one step further.  We’re not talking about baseball etchings by the guy who works at the engraver, which is questionably ‘art’ given the product’s purpose and the artist’s outlook.  But what about an art lover who wants his or her headstone to reflect his or her love of the arts?  It was common practice for wealthy patrons in early periods to have their caskets (that’s not the right word, but sculptures of themselves sleeping– you know?) pre-made by the finest artists of the day, but how common is that practice today?  And would, say, a Jeff Koons, take a headstone commission from a wealthy patron?  Would an everyday, religiously affiliated cemetery accept a monumental blue diamond or red balloon dog as a marker?

A fantastic July 4th weekend has left me sunburnt, voiceless (as in, I literally lost my voice– probably from singing along to the “Thriller” album…twice) and helplessly behind in my art reading…but this gem caught my eye:

Slate posted a fascinating article by Sam Kean that describes the plight of museum curators in fighting the odorous disintegration of artworks executed decades ago in the medium of plastic, thought then to have a generations-long lifespan.  The essay outlines the creation of new plastic products, too, that are meant to be bio-degradable and are finding their way in contemporary artists’ toolkits.

A Naum Gabo sculpture housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is described as looking like “Tupperware that had gone through the dishwasher too often” and other decomposing pieces are said to range in smells from “burnt hair” to “rasberry jam.”

Clearly, this is a serious issue for institutions seeking to record our cultural history; just a few of the noteworthy artists who have worked or currently work in instrinsically-unstable plastics include Eva Hesse, Duane Hanson (see pictured above), Matthew Barney and Jeff Koons.  I guess it makes sense, then, that much of the money going into research for new curatorial techniques and solutions to this problem comes from insurance companies responsible for museums’ holdings.

I wanted to say “those plastic sculptures are sweating like a whore in church” in this posting, but just couldn’t find the right moment.

Thanks to Meg (who is diligently studying for the Bar exam in Cleveland– emerge soon!) for the tip.

The weather in New York City this past weekend was mostly beautiful- the first such weekend in over a month- and us city dwellers flooded the parks for people-watching, picnics, and to tan our Vitamin D-deficient bodies.  While designer sunglasses and flip-flops were being flaunted a-plenty, their owners shamelessly laid upon stained sheets and amusement park water ride towels of their youth.

If the recession isn’t impacting your beachware budget and you can’t fathom a day without fine art in your life, perhaps this Alex Katz-designed, limited edition beach towel should be your next purchase.  Offered by Other Criteria, a company co-founded by Damien Hirst, this oversized towel is 100% cotton and ships from London.  Other artists who’ve taken the dip include Elizabeth Peyton, Kehinde Wiley and Jeff Koons.  Better act fast though, the Ed Ruscha and Julian Schnabel editions have already sold out.

Tonight, May 12th, is the much-anticipated sale of contemporary art at Sotheby’s in New York.  Usually one of the most hyped auctions of the year, everyone was waiting to see just how the global economic downturn would effect the art market at its most elite levels.  I’m thrilled to report from…a half-filled 2nd floor salesroom, since I’m not credit-worthy enough for a paddle to bid (come on, I’m 26 and don’t have a trust fund) to get me into the 7th floor where the sale took place.  Be that as it may, I’m perfectly happy watching auctioneer Tobias Meyer on a flatscreen threaten “I shall sell it then!” just a few floors away.  My room was under the watchful eyes of three staff members, including one bid caller.

There were just 48 lots (originally 49, but lot 43- an Uklanski gouache- was pulled before the auction started), a substantial decrease from the number of lots offered last year.  8 lots went unsold, including a large Rauschenberg, a small-ish (for him!) Richard Serra, and a Frank Stella with an unbeatable provenance, giving the sale a sell rate of  83%.

The most expensive lot was a Koons sculpture, Baroque Egg with Bow (Turquoise/Magenta), which sold for $4.8 million but well under its $6-8 million estimate.  Two winning lots were a 1934 Alexander Calder sculpture that sold for $3.05 million (estimate of $1-$1.5 million) and a Dan Colen oil on canvas that sold for $320,000 (estimate of $100,000-$150,000).  All selling prices are before buyer’s premium is added.

Sale total: $47,033,500 with buyer’s premium, slightly under the approximately $52 million low-end estimate that does not include buyer’s premium.  Most reporters will certainly call this a disappointing sale, but given the shift in scale of this auction compared to seasons past and the lowered estimates to encourage bidding despite the financial crisis, the major auction houses and galleries must be thankful tonight that still very wealthy people and institutions are still going after many big-name contemporary artists and pieces.

Click here for a review of the auction from The New York Times.  Final sale results from Sotheby’s can be found by clicking here.

The Washington Post reports that Victor Pinchuk, Ukraine’s wealthiest man and an avid art collector, has organized a large retrospective of Damien Hirst‘s work in Kiev.  The opening party brought the likes of Andreas Gursky and Jeff Koons, and over 10,000 people have already attended the exhibition in just its first three days.  The article, linked here, briefly discusses Ukraine’s current “hunger” for contemporary art.

I hear Kiev is the new Prague…

Above is Hirst’s The Kingdom that sold for over $17 million at his single-artist sale at Sotheby’s in the fall of 2008.  You have to wonder if any art handlers in the world are qualified to transport this bad boy.