An earlier post on Eric Doeringer and his dustup with a Chelsea dealer declined to mention the dealer's name until someone (me? why should I do it?) called and verified that said gallerist did indeed sic the cops on Doeringer for selling "bootleg paintings" on 24th Street. As far as I know, no blogger ever followed up on this basic journalistic courtesy, but everyone just piled on with Doeringer's version, sliming Mike Weiss as "probably a Republican" and worse.
Today an actual newspaper--the New York Times--did an actual story and even got Weiss's side of it. It's pretty weak. From Randy Kennedy's article:In a recent interview, Mr. Weiss confirmed that, yes, he had called the police. He said he did so for reasons that might be condemned in the art world but that made perfect sense for any businessman like himself who has to pay a huge rent.
"We've seen what happens in SoHo," Mr. Weiss said of street vendors. "Where there's one, then there's two and three and four."
He added: "Let's say I own a Victoria's Secret and then there's someone outside selling fake lingerie and bras. It just detracts from what you're doing."
Of Mr. Doeringer's art itself, he said he did not want to pass judgment but then immediately did. It is not even original in its appropriation, he said, noting that this is an art-world idea that has been explored thoroughly by many artists already. (Only two artists have complained about the "bootlegs," [Doeringer] said, and in those cases he stopped copying their work.)
"Personally," Mr. Weiss said, "I think he's an opportunist and that he just wants his 15 minutes." Chelsea was always about creating a haven for upper middle class collectors, far from the subways, the plebes, and messy hubbub of the city. Weiss is just articulating one of the unspoken assumptions of the neighborhood. My guess is the "top feeders" don't like seeing Doeringer out there any more than Weiss does, but are too smart to come down on the wrong side of the First Amendment issue. Also, it's gauche to mention any class bias. Should Doeringer get kudos for teasing out these assumptions?
O, Lord, save us from the travesty of "fake lingerie ".
I'm wearing some right now. It itches.
And then there's five, and six, and seven, eight more. And by then that's messin with the culture-con-omy. I heard they are even in the galleries makin' copies of anything that comes through the door! (Performa 05)
cool.
so anyway, I stepped outside of my loft to go to a multi-gallery art show at Southside tonight (Dallas), and there were several Doeringer bootlegs right there that Plush Gallery was showing. weird.
are there really other artists who have explored this kind of high-speed-dubbing bootlegging? or was he just thinking of the other artists brought up in the last post -- similar but different concept (I think)?
Yeah, give Doeringer the kudos and appearances on Letterman and Leno. The kid worked smart and hard, and he took a stand. His discount-bin take on post-modernism is late but still fun, if not terribly interesting in the long haul. Maybe he can parlez this into an 80s-era-Kostabi deal of some sort and fatten his revenue for a few years.
Touche. Admittedly, I deserve to be called on that one. Excellent post.
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An earlier post on Eric Doeringer and his dustup with a Chelsea dealer declined to mention the dealer's name until someone (me? why should I do it?) called and verified that said gallerist did indeed sic the cops on Doeringer for selling "bootleg paintings" on 24th Street. As far as I know, no blogger ever followed up on this basic journalistic courtesy, but everyone just piled on with Doeringer's version, sliming Mike Weiss as "probably a Republican" and worse. Today an actual newspaper--the New York Times--did an actual story and even got Weiss's side of it. It's pretty weak. From Randy Kennedy's article:Chelsea was always about creating a haven for upper middle class collectors, far from the subways, the plebes, and messy hubbub of the city. Weiss is just articulating one of the unspoken assumptions of the neighborhood. My guess is the "top feeders" don't like seeing Doeringer out there any more than Weiss does, but are too smart to come down on the wrong side of the First Amendment issue. Also, it's gauche to mention any class bias. Should Doeringer get kudos for teasing out these assumptions?
- tom moody 11-12-2005 8:34 pm
O, Lord, save us from the travesty of "fake lingerie ".
- mark 11-12-2005 8:52 pm
I'm wearing some right now. It itches.
- sally mckay 11-12-2005 10:08 pm
And then there's five, and six, and seven, eight more. And by then that's messin with the culture-con-omy. I heard they are even in the galleries makin' copies of anything that comes through the door! (Performa 05)
- anonymous (guest) 11-13-2005 7:18 am
cool.
so anyway, I stepped outside of my loft to go to a multi-gallery art show at Southside tonight (Dallas), and there were several Doeringer bootlegs right there that Plush Gallery was showing. weird.
are there really other artists who have explored this kind of high-speed-dubbing bootlegging? or was he just thinking of the other artists brought up in the last post -- similar but different concept (I think)?
- paul (guest) 11-13-2005 10:06 am
Yeah, give Doeringer the kudos and appearances on Letterman and Leno. The kid worked smart and hard, and he took a stand. His discount-bin take on post-modernism is late but still fun, if not terribly interesting in the long haul. Maybe he can parlez this into an 80s-era-Kostabi deal of some sort and fatten his revenue for a few years.
- Bill Gusky (guest) 11-13-2005 4:10 pm
Touche. Admittedly, I deserve to be called on that one. Excellent post.
- Art Fag City (guest) 11-14-2005 12:47 am