Eric Doeringer, Bootleg “Damien Hirst” Paintings With The Real Thing

You can use the search box on my site, or on James’s, to see how often we have written about Eric Doeringer. We are big fans.

On Saturday, Mike Weiss called the police on Eric. James has the story. This is my favorite part:

He packed up his work and confronted Mr. Weiss, who admitted he had called the police. He said that he didn’t like “seeing people walking around with tiny paintings,” while he was paying high rent for his gallery and, “trying to sell $30,000 paintings.”

When Doeringer told him he was certainly going to let everyone he knew in the art world hear about what he had done, Weiss said, “If that’s the way you want to play it, I’ll call the police whenever I see you anywhere.”

I think 24th Street needs more of art like Eric’s not less.

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Update

Eric has posted his account on his website.

Another Update

The New York Times published an article on the Eric’s adventure on Saturday.

Today James and I, along with our friend Dan, visited the Top of the Rock, otherwise know as the top of the RCA (now GE) building. Unfortunately the days of deck chairs are over, but we still had fun.

Swarovski crystal from the planet Krypton in the entry area

Dan and James in front of the very nicely done barriers

Obligatory Empire State Building photo

Initial level viewed from one of the higher ones. There are three different levels.

Der Spiegel has a slideshow of art works from what may be the final exhibit in the Palast der Republik, with commentary on the building.

My previous post on this show and the Palast is here. The above image is mine, not from the slideshow.

While participating in the Affordable Art Fair panel on Saturday (“The Art of Collecting”), I mentioned that art benefits are a good way to start buying works at relatively low prices. I forgot to mention all of the ones I love, so I’m listing them here since I suspect some people at the event will check out bloggy now.

Momenta Art – This one has the most interesting format. You buy a ticket ($175 last year), and you get one work of art. When your number is drawn, you get your choice of the available works that remain. If you’re first, you get your pick of the entire selection — such as a Kiki Smith print.

Dumbo Arts Center – We first discovered a number of artists at their benefits, and the prices are among the lowest of any silent auction benefits. The next one will be Saturday, December 10th, with previews beginning on December 3rd.

White Box – This non-profit never shies away from political and controversial work, and is another good benefit for art at very reasonable prices.

White Columns – This is one of the oldest and best known benefits (and non-profits). The prices have crept up in recent years, so you need a bit more money to participate in this one than you do for the others.

Artists Space – Their “Night of 1,000 Drawings” event, with $5 admission, and prices from $30-50 depending on size, is a great way to take home art at very low prices, and to take a chance on some unknowns.

A number of smaller organizations, such as Groundswell Mural Project also have art benefits, so watch for those too.

I’m sure I’ve left off some others, but this is a start for those looking to get started collecting via benefits. Feel free to add more in the comments.

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Updated

The Kitchen wrote to me to tell me they have a big art benefit coming up on November 16th in their space. It’s not cheap to get in ($150), but the list of works is impressive, including a John Bock collage from 1999.

More updates

The Postcards from the Edge benefit at Visual AIDS is always a good one to attend.

Little Red Schoolhouse has amazing art benefits every year. Go here for information on the one coming up soon in February 2006.

Detail of installation of C-Prints at Oliver Kamm, April 2004

Check out Edward Winkleman’s artist of the week post (done while we were in Berlin) on Joe Ovelman.

For more on Joe, visit his web site, or use the search on this blog and James’s.

[photo by James Wagner]

Don’t forget to come see us tomorrow on the panel at the Affordable Art Fair.

The details I posted earlier are here.

Here is a fun article on wine made from grape vines grown in parks in Berlin.

We only have one computer on the trip, and James is a slow blogger, so I’m not posting much right now. Go read him instead.

View from the roof of the Bundestag / Reichstag of a conference room at the top of the Jakob Kaiser Haus.

The metallic arched dome in the back is the top of Frank Gehry’s DZ Bank building on Pariser Platz.

We spotted this near our apartment two nights ago. He appears to be lifting his… whatever you call that thing. The bottom was torn off, so maybe someone edited it after it was put up. At least they didn’t destroy the whole thing.