In New York and still unsure about your Friday night plans?  There’s an opening reception (read: free wine, interesting people) tonight at A.A.C.-recommended Like the Spice Gallery.  Better yet, the exhibition is based on a really smart idea for an up-and-coming gallery:

Like the Spice is pleased to present Off the Clock, a group exhibition of works by artists who work or have worked as studio assistants to other artists, featuring works by Rachel Beach who has assisted Roxy Paine, Jason Bryant who assists Kehinde Wiley, Allison Edge who has assisted McDermott & McGough and Jeff Koons, Charlie Ledbetter who also has assisted Jeff Koons, Jenny Morgan and David Mramor who assist Marilyn Minter, Reuben Negrón who assists Papa Colo, and Jeffrey Vreeland who assists Takashi Murakami. The seven artists in this show have each spent a considerable amount of time working in another artist’s studio.  Here we present their personal artwork, giving viewers an introduction to the next generation of artists who may one day have assistants of their own as well as a chance to consider the studio assistant’s place in the art world more generally.

Artists have used assistants at least since the early days of the apprentice system in the middle ages. Since minimalism and Warhol (not to mention the boom in contemporary art prices) it has become increasingly acceptable for artists to have works made for them. Today, a studio assistant’s role can vary from office tasks and documenting work to stretching and preparing canvasses to creating art practically from scratch. Assistants’ roles in artistic production are still almost always under the radar, as having work made to order flies in the face of long held (some would say anachronistic) romantic ideals. We like to believe that artworks are a physical expression of the artist’s soul; that the artist toiled to get it just right. Artists do toil but those who can afford studio assistants have the luxury of delegating a little.

So creative, right!?  6:30-10:00 pm, 224 Roebling Street, Williamsburg, no RSVP required.  Check out more artwork that will be featured in the show here.

And I’ll likely be swinging by– added incentive:)  Happy weekend, all!

On Friday after work, I stopped by the 2009 Affordable Art Fair for a couple hours.  The Fair, located this year at 7 West 34th Street, features 60 or so galleries- surprisingly an international bunch- that keep their prices within the $100-$10,000 range.  It’s open this weekend on Saturday from 12-8pm and on Sunday from 12-5pm.  Oh, and before I forget, be sure to print the $5 off entrance coupon on the AAF website if you decide to go.

It seemed by the line at the wrapping station in the room, which I passed three times, that a good amount of sales were taking place.  And while there was a lot of mediocre art, I discovered two galleries that particularly impressed me on this trip:

Like the Spice Gallery, out of Brooklyn, featured computer-drawn, aerial perspectives of what appears to be community sub-divisions by Ross Racine and a large, dreamy painting of a well-lit home by Allison Edge.  The gallery’s young director, Marisa, was friendly and genuinely excited to talk about the artists’ work.  TAG Fine Arts, based in London, displayed photographs of hauntingly-empty bath houses by Gigi Cifali and unbelievably detailed and charming paper cuts and screenprints by Robert Ryan.