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LETTERS FROM THE EDITOR, No.11 INTRODUCING ART DROPS EDITIONS by Gordy Grundy, Editor-in-Chief Dear Art Lovers, We are about to debut our new Art Drops Editions. Searching for our first artist was a hand-wringer. Who? What? And then the storm clouds parted and bright sunlight fell upon the perfect artist with an epic, art historical, and timely image. First and foremost, Art Drops is a smart, promotional spotlight on an artist whose work we value highly. Secondly, the program is a fundraiser to keep Art Report Today publishing, our newsroom running and subscriptions to stay free for all. We have to pivot. Galleries are poor and inflation has killed the ad market. The newsworthy Art Drop premise is a bit subversive. Why should certain pleasures in life be exclusive to a very small group of people? Art Drops presents the work of a Blue Chip artist at a very affordable price. The artist has made this exception happen. We want everyone to savor the joys, anticipation and visceral sensations of collecting an artwork. It's a beautiful and very memorable experience. Eureka. Sandow Birk's "Los Angeles County Museum on Fire (after Ed Ruscha)" had to be our first Art Drops. I cannot look at that painting without a smile. The image is savage and wicked. Art, politics, poverty, riches, insignificance and power are laid raw. And of course, the nod to Ed Ruscha is an elegant gentleman's gesture.
A proud Los Angeleno, Sandow Birk is an established artist with a large body of diverse work in a variety of mediums. While he tackles global social and political issues, L.A. is never far away. On the glance, his work is young and friendly. You'd think he had come from the streets, painting on walls. There is a bit of Hollywood in the work. His images are well composed and stimulating. Then, like a smart film director, he takes your eye to an incongruous item, which attracts your curiosity. And a whole new layer of the plot is revealed. As a kid, Birk learned to surf, and that may be the seed of his fearlessness. He has tackled bodies of work that most artists would run from, intellectually, politically and logistically. For his 'American Qur'an' project, he hand-lettered the entire Qur'an, maintaining Islamic traditions, and illustrated the text with scenes from contemporary American life. There are many threads that run throughout his body of works. Paramount in my mind, Birk is funny. He has a wicked sense of humor, like Ed Ruscha. "Los Angeles County Museum on Fire (after Ed Ruscha)" is a postcard to contemporary L.A. And a most excellent gift for the holidays. The Pigment print on Somerset Velvet paper is only available this September 17, 18 and 19; then we close the edition. Click Here to place your order! Many thanks to the artist. And to all of you who have supported Art Report Today. - Gordy Grundy, Editor-in-Chief
PS: Read our fascinating Art and Anarchy interview with Sandow Birk, Click Here.
Birk's Representation: Track 16 Gallery (LA), Koplin Del Rio Gallery (Seattle) and Catharine Clark Gallery (SF)
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