The sophisticated quality and good taste of TEFAF were a relief after the hot interminable vastness of Frieze. But it was a little like being in a museum where everything is for sale, and felt like swimming through a rarified money ether. It was both exhilarating and stifling, with periodic punctuations of classical antiquities and high modernist design set in rooms painted subtle shades of grey. Late Picasso was everywhere, as was Picabia (probably a result of last year’s MoMA retrospective—though only a few really good ones) and good Kippenbergers abounded. There were also several Soutines (taking advantage of the Jewish Museum show) as well as Morandi paintings. David Zwirner’s booth featured a wall of Morandis set against a series of red Albers’ Homage to the Square, which enlivened the tediousness endemic to both artists when seen en masse. Amy Sillman, one of the youngest (and alivest) artists in the show had a very attractive series of small paintings set off by a less attractive series of Andrew Lord sculptures in the middle of Barbara Gladstone’s booth. The take-away for an artist viewing Frieze and TEFAF might be that large scale outrageousness may attract attention, but refinement attracts the serious high class money when you’re dead. DENNIS KARDON
TEFAF Spring New York continues at the Park Avenue Armory at 66th Street through Tuesday
cover: Sillman/Lord at Gladstone, photo by Dennis Kardon;
Albers/Judd at Zwirner, photo by David Cohen
Albers/Judd at Zwirner, photo by David Cohen
