SEPHORA

After months of preliminary drawing and designing, weeks of cutting and 5 days of installation, the Andrea Mastrovito + Sephora collaboration is complete and on display in the 5th Avenue and 48th Street store in Manhattan.

To describe the experience? Amazing! See the video and visit our home page for a complete installation view courtesy of Jane Kratochvil's excellent photography.

A Bit of Advice

I recently was asked by Adorama to write about what it means to distinguish yourself from another photographer. How to Narrow your Vision and Find a Voice addresses those issues.

I recent got back from The Silver Eye Center of Photography in Pittsburgh, PA. Ellen Fleurov runs a great program there and I had a great experience teaching a workshop on gallery relationships with artists. Love Pittsburgh.

If you haven't already seen it, checkout the NY1 interview with Henry Leutwyler for his current exhibition: Neverland Lost - A Portrait of Michael Jackson.

This Thursday, the gallery will be hosting a talk with Henry Leutwyler "in conversation" with Hollis King. The program begins at 7 pm with a wine reception and book signing to follow. Seating is limited.

And the winner is....

As many of you are visually well versed in the antics of Thomas Allen and his photography, you may not realize that he has often been asked to do commissions for several publications including the beloved Harper's.

Thanks to the vision of Stacey Clarkson, the pair's creative collaboration has earned them the SPD Award of Excellence.

Stay tuned for further creative outings from this team sometime soon in the New Year.

We have scheduled a show for Thomas Allen to kick off the fall season of 2011. What will he think of next?

Some Like it Hot: Aperture Summer Party Benefit

Aperture hosted a wonderful benefit party. There was even a band, The Willowz. It was a blast.



Tom Allen also donated a limited edition print for the occasion!

Sage Sohier

Sage Sohier
Six-Year Old Boy with His Mother, Facial Nerve Center,
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, 2008
24 x 20 inch Chromogenic Print


Sage Sohier's project About Face is a photographic series on reconstructive surgeries at the Facial Nerve Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. Sohier takes a documentary approach to her photographs of the patients before and after the reconstructive surgeries, while containing an element of intimacy between her and the patients. Six-Year Old Boy with His Mother has been purchased by the Museum of Modern Art.

Andrea Mastrovito at the Museum of Arts & Design

Andrea Mastrovito is just one of the selected artists commissioned to create a site-specific installation that displayed the wide range of art forms paper can take on. Located on the lobby ceiling of the Museum of Arts and Design for their exhibit Slash: Paper Under the Knife, Mastrovito's paper installation depicted Christopher Columbus's ship battling through stormy waters. Among Andrea Mastrovito, and alongside his exhibit Love is a four-letter word at the Foley Gallery, Daniel Alcalá and Tom Gallant have also contributed to MAD's examination of the diverse use of paper as an art medium.

Good Times with Lise Sarfati and Mitch Epstein

Last week, Sasha Wolf and I attended a delightful talk at Christie's with Lise Sarfati and Mitch Epstein moderated by Susan Bright. The panel discussion was great...and there was wine. Two talented photographers, art, and wine. What more could you ask for?

Lydia Panas in February!

Foley Gallery is proud to announce the upcoming exhibition for Lydia Panas' stunning series The Mark of Abel. Her portraits explore the psychological complexities and intricacies that are inherently wound throughout the lives and relationships of people and its affect on later relationships. While some of her subjects assume natural positions, others are wary of the presence of a camera. The interactions between the people and between the camera subconsciously unfold the defining manner in which one wants to be viewed.

The opening reception for Lydia Panas will be on February 4, 2010.

12th Night

Have you seen Twelfth Night in Central Park? It's a little late if you haven't, but the production of The Bacchae is set to start on August 11th. My advice on waiting 7 hours on line is...bring a dog. Natasha was a like a magnet for all good things...including Mimosas from my neighborly friends Sarah & Carrie.


And please...give the guy with the flute a little change. He will mumble little angry words if you don't. I think he's a nice guy.

Breakfast with the Mayor

Yes, I know what you're thinking. A carboard cutout of the Mayor. But, there I am with Mayor Mike Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion back in June. I was invited along with 20 other small business owners from Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen to share breakfast in the early morning hours. It was a surreal event. Pancakes and fruit salad. A little bacon on the side (none for me, thanks). As interesting a personality as he is, the real meet was with Amy Scherber from Amy's Bread. It was perfect timing, as I was just preparing to do my research on opening KOFFIE (more details soon).

Andre Sie

a view from the Light & Sie gallery

I just received the news today that Andrew Sie passed away. I met Andrew several years ago when I was doing the Photo SF fair. He introduced me to his good friend Stanley Light from Dallas and we quickly became friends. Stanley acquired some work of Thomas Allen that day. I could never imagine that several years later they would open a gallery together in Dallas, Light & Sie and that they would extend an invitation to Tom to show at there.

When Andrew came into town, I always dined well. He did his restaurant research from his computer in Dallas and then he would take me to the newest restaurant here in New York, always a hot spot. Not from being trendy, but by serving fantastic food. He was a great friend and inspired me here to raise the bar with my own gallery. I will greatly miss him. It is a loss to the community. He was a creative mind and had a keen awareness for talent. A gentle soul and a spirited friend.

Openings

I am a little late with this post. Tonight, we are headed to Daniel Cooney and a quick stop at ATM. From last go around, we had a nice adventure. We started on Wednesday at the Museum of the City of New York for the opening of the Dutch Photography show. Honestly, I got as far as the patio. It was such a RARE beautiful night in our rainy nyc spring and the exhibition hall just too attended. There was plenty of room to meet most of the photo world, all seeming to be in attendence. I was met with the "Dutch Ambassador," Rifko from the Witzenhausen gallery. After, a nice talk with Amy Arbus, I exited stage left and headed to see Mary Stuart. If you haven't already, go see it.



The next day it was quite a scene on our floor. The new addition to the 5th floor, Sputnik gallery from Russia, were having their grand opening. Specializing in Russian photography, they are a welcome addition. A few doors down, Witzenhausen opened with the star from the Museum's Dutch photography show. Amazing work and everyone was very intent on getting as CLOSE as they could. Perhaps this is a little too close!


I then traveled to Daniel Cooney (who has another opening tonight). Dan and fellow artist (and my evening's dinner companion) Carrie Levy were right in the thick of things to begin. Tonight should be a special night there with many of my favorite local photographers on the wall or at least leaning against the wall with glass in hand.


Dolly's well worn boot was dealt a lager wash. But really, who would notice...? Well, she did and I did and the camera quickly reappeared before the suds got all soaked up...in the leather and to the sock.


On the street, a new site and not a mirage (although I was a little wobbly at that point) was the food cart from Le Gamin. Also seen, Naomi Harris and Darren Ching form Klompching Gallery. Alway a good sight and the light was particularly kind that night.



The opening spree ended nicely with guest bartender Lori Nix at ClampArt. Packed as usual, but always worth the squeeze.

Some Like It Hot!

Tom Allen has been in town the last few days to help celebrate the Aperture Foundation's first Some Like it Hot! Party. What a Night. Allen was seen throughout the evening with his brand new flip phone...hoping to post the movie sometime soon!


Foley & Allen on our first cocktail of the evening, but not our last.


Christina Caputo and Thomas Allen





Many attendees including John Cowey, Brian Clamp, Denise Wolff and Gerald Slota.

Wilson & Katz Opening

It has been a few weeks, but thought these photos still have shelf life from our opening for Sarah Wilson and Colby Katz. The exhibition runs until the end of July.


Sarah with Darren Ching.


A visit from fellow NYU alum Hank Willis Thomas joins Colby at the opening.


Sam showing off her freshly minted and originally designed tattoo with fellow dealer Sondra Kitchen.


The two stars for the evening say 'night.

Thomas Allen

Tom Allen is enjoying a lot of attention at Ogilvy right now. Curator Jun Lee has chosen 10 significant photographs to exhibit at Ogilvy headquarters on 49th Street. Art Director Dustin Copleand blew everyone away with his hand cut book sculpture that projected Thomas Allen's name in shadow form. This workt is used on the poster to announce the show. Unbelievable.

The Village Pet Store

Much discussed and well traveled at this point, but you have until Midnight Friday October 31st to stop by at this Banksy created installation on 7th Avenue and Bleecker. Not to be missed. The pictures here will not really give things away, the special treats await you inside. Pure genius.

At Work

Cal Lane has been working all summer long on her now opened installation at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park . Her steel sculptures of manipulated oil drums reach epic heights on the terrace just off the museum's second floor. Although not permanent, the installation is slated to be in place for at least two years. The DeCordava is a beautiful museum, nestled in a hillside in Lincoln, MA. Well worth the drive, especially at this time of year.

Standing Room Only

A group of over 75 art enthusiasts streamed into the gallery on Saturday to hear Casey Ruble speak about the work in her current exhibition. It was a pleasure to once again host a group on one of Raphael's art tours. I know how selective he can be.
You can read a wonderful interview with Casey Ruble on Art Slant and also find her work posted on Cool Hunting this week. The exhibition closes on November 15.

Pittsburgh, PA

I received the call this week that confirmed the Martin Klimas exhibition at The Andy Warhol Museum. The exhibition opens March 22nd and will feature between six and eight photographs...hopefully including the one pictured as framed expertly at Color Services in Needham, MA.