Monday, November 11, 2013

Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair 2013

The book fair people rented the Baillie Court this year -- the classy event space Frank Gehry created on the 3rd floor of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Being there reminded John and I how much we love Gehry's renovation of the AGO.
The Fair is international with book sellers from the USA and Great Britain as well as across Canada.
Especially rare books were locked in these displays.
A first edition of Jude the Obscure in its original dust jacket.
Out of our range.
There were some nice illustrated books.
John Baldessari's Throwing Three Balls in the Air to get a Straight Line (Best of Thirty-Six Attempts), Milan, 1973. $4000.
John was pleased to find a treasure -- an out-of-print copy of Big North,  a beautifully-designed Key Porter book about John Hartman one of our favourite painters.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Erin Shirreff at the AGO

 After the Book Fair, Bill and I dropped into the gallery for a look at Erin Shirreff's award-winning Moon and Lake projections.
They're beautifully staged. Link to the official site.

Monday, November 4, 2013

New York Signs

 5th Avenue
 Upper West Side: "Come chill. Sit back and enjoy a movie and massage as we freeze away your stubborn love handles, muffin tops, tummy fat, and other bulges."
"David Barton Gym. Christopher Street"
"The City of New York is selling corporate naming rights to Washington Square Arch. Save Our Village."
"Win for Life Winners. Warning."
"Change the way you look at news. Introducing Al Jazeera America. Get more depth, more perspective, every day."
West Village 
30th September 2013 
1st October 2013 
 2nd October 2013 -- mini heat wave.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Corner Bistro, New York

John and I visited this classic New York pub near our apartment several times. It's famous for its $3 beer and burgers that are reputed to be the best in New York.
The burgers were indeed tasty and the fries were excellent. They had nice Original Sin Cider for me and John liked the draft. It even had a jukebox.
It's definitely popular with the locals. 
 Keep an eye open for the Corner Bistro when you're in the neighbourhood. It's at 331 West 4th Street and Jane Street.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Our Art Toronto 2013

Bill and I had fun at Art Toronto at the Metro Convention Centre again this year. 
 We've had a great time the last few years.
We always find it inspiring. That's Katherine Mulherin's booth in the distance.
We liked this new Carol Wainio, Doré, 2013, at Paul Petro's booth. 
Here's Petro showing off some lovely new Sandy Plotnikoffs.
 At Petro we met collector Herbert Bunt. We talked for a long time about Plotnikoff's work then he introduced us to one of our favourite artists, Sadko Hadzihasanovic.
Bunt had been urging us to get Petro to show us a set of Hadzihasanovic prints from Barcelona and Paul said he had them right there and whipped them out.
Sadko showed us which colours were printed and which were watercolour additions.
As usual the other visitors are as interesting as the artwork on display.
A Japanese artist was using moth specimens as his canvas at the booth of Tokyo gallery, MA2.
Bill loved these beewax works by Aganetha Dyck.
Our friend, Shelley Savor, joined us at this year's event.
Bill and I were very happy to see many of the Versailles photographs by Robert Polidori. That's Déambulatoire de la Chapelle Royale, Versailles, 2005 to the left.
We'd enjoyed seeing a great set of Polidori's Versailles photographs in NYC at Mary Boone in September. 
Here's a new painting in the Urban Landscapes series by Kent Monkman.
We always enjoy John Hartman's work
and Wanda Koop's paintings.
If we'd had an extra $5,000, this Wanda Koop would be hanging in our house tonight.
Greg Curnoe's collage, Sitting Around with Sheila and Brian, 1964, would look good in our collection too.
How about this Gathie Falk, There are 11 ships and a barge in English Bay (1989) from her  Hedge and Cloud series.
Shelley and I discuss Jack Chamber's paintings. She doesn't like them, I love them.
We all three would die to have this gorgeous Rodin watercolour.
I'm not Chagall's biggest fan but I like this lithograph, La Baie des Anges (1961).
So very Nice [city]!
Theme 3 and 5 by Eleonore Pironneau
Theme 5 (detail)
What a delight to run into an acquaintance, Susan Collett. We've met her socially but hadn't seen any of her work before. 
 We were bowled over.
 Love them!
And what a cool cat she is.
This Pierre Alechinsky lithograph, Tous es 7 ans (2008), reminded Bill of a wonderful retrospective of his work at the AGO in the 1970s. Another "must" for our collection.
One last treat. Timepiece, 1954, by Oscar Cahén.
Shelley and Bill -- we're on our way out.