13 Nov Collecting Carlee Fernandez
As an active collector of contemporary art. I have always been curious(nosy) as to what other people were doing when it came to collecting art. It seems that nowadays there is so much secrecy around who is buying what and why. As part of an on going effort to demystify collecting art in the contemporary art world, I decided that when ever I make a new buy I will let you know about it. Yes, I know there is some risk in doing that, I may look the fool at times, maybe nobody really cares what I’m buying and not everybody will agree with my choices, but I believe in transparency and I hope it would at least generate some discourse, and maybe curiosity about starting your own collection….as always feedback appreciated.
So to kick off this new endeavor I would like to introduce Carlee Fernandez:
Carlee has OC roots as she did her undergrad work at CSU Fullerton. I didn’t take notice of her work until her first solo show at Acuna-Hansen in or around 2001. She caught my eye then as one to watch. Her new series "The Bear Studies" has moved me off the fence. This new body of work, in my opinion, is showing her to be one of the better artists working in LA. The LA Weekly calls her new series "beautifully absurd."
So this week I purchased "The Bear Head Study" (the one in the middle) from the fine folks over at Acuna-Hansen. I should also say that I think that Acuna-Hansen is one of the better LA Galleries.
More info on carlee can be had here and here.
Feedback is always encouraged and Carlee’s current show at Acuna-Hansen runs until 11-20.
Mark
Posted at 00:24h, 15 NovemberWow, congratulations! I’m very jealous! I just saw this show yesterday, and these photographs really are amazing, beautiful, absurd…The Bear Head is the best piece in the show, hands down. And, the folks at Acuna Hansen are ridiculously nice–taking time to ask if I was familar with Peregrine Honig and engaging me in conversation about where I was going to school. It’s great to be able to build a collecting relationship with good people!
eva32
Posted at 23:37h, 24 NovemberI have admired Carlee Fernandez’s work for years. Her use of taxidermied creatures was both moving and haunting; conceptually, the work was tight.
The bear series, however, seems to me reductive and boring. Tits and bear heads are an affront to the sensitive and intelligent work I am used to seeing from this artist. Perhaps she’s trying for camp? In that case it needs to go further. How about a naked couple humping on Carlee-as-bear-rug? Or a scene with the honey pot? Something like that might touch the potential of this work.
Chris
Posted at 02:37h, 25 NovemberThanks for the comment Eva but I have to disagree. I like to think that this is the kind of work Ana Mendieta would be doing if she had a dark sense of humor and wasn’t taking herself too seriously.
Chris
Posted at 02:41h, 25 NovemberP.S. and of course was still alive.