Symposium, Fri Nite. OT

[Vtsnow]

Hi all. I know it’s Off Topic, but I’m planning for the informal gathering of the Moderns Fri night (9 pm) at the Society Symposium. We have the Suite – which I hear is a top floor and gorgeous views. Most will probably have eaten by 9, so I won’t have much food. If things get hot, we’ll order Pizza later on. But what do you all drink? I’ll do a shop for usual beer/wine…..but I think Mike and Ken like Single Malt too? Anyone Bourbon? Some of younger might wish Tequilla? Do I need any mixer, or do ya’ll like it “neat”? Trying to make this a fun night, and I’m hoping for some known “names” to chat a few minutes on what we can do to get the word on your dags to more contemporary collectors…..of the big city ($$) variety! Digital just can’t compare.

Hope to see ya’ soon.

Jeff Green

[greg7mdp]

Hi Jeff,

That’s a great idea! I’ll be happy to join the party and chat with the other moderns and their top supporter on friday night. It should be a lot of fun.

Gregory Popovitch

[Vtsnow]

Hello, Greg. With this informal gathering in the “luxo” suite, what I am hoping is to have a heavyweight (certainly not me!) or two chime in to you all on what can be done to get some visibilty to contemporary photo collectors, who don’t venture into images before 1920 or so. Dags aren’t on their “radar screen”. They should be. I don’t know if Grant Romer or Keith Davis are attending, but if they are, I’ll ask them if they could join and say a few things? I am very excited that Chris Mahoney of Sotheby’s is coming to the Symposium to speak on Saturday. But I do not know his travel schedule or arrival. i’d like to ask him (if arrived) if he has any thoughts on the contemporary photo scene. Needless to say, he has the pulse on the market and what the collectors he deals with look for. I just don’t know yet who will be there, but we’ll try. Either way a fun time will be had.

[greg7mdp]

Jeff, that would be a great opportunity to have some input from the collector’s side. I have to admit I don’t really understand the auction market, especially stuff like a color print of Richard Prince plagiarism of a Malboro cowboy ad selling for over a million dollars (see http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/arts/design/06prin.html). Clearly the guy is a genius! I’m even willing to make my own pictures for a fraction of this price. Maybe we do need better representation or marketing?

In any case, that should be an enjoyable evening… really looking forward to it.

greg

PS: about the photo scene, I read an amusing anecdote from AIPAD this year, which seems to indicate that not all dealers are ethical:

“There were also some amusing “sidebars,” for want of a better name. At the Michael Shapiro Gallery, there was a Robert Frank print, “City of London,” 1951, with a letter to Robert Frank from the gallery owner to the photographer, asking him to certify the authenticity of the print he had acquired from someone named Lunn, since, as the letter explained, it was printed on Agfa paper with a cream sepia tone, signed and dated, 1973. Below this letter was Frank’s response:

“ I will not comment on the print you acquired from Lunn, but I will tell you that Lunn is a cheap, cunning, lying bastard. He has no right to put any stamp on my photographs to make it look as this stamp has been put on by me.” “

[TheDagLab]

Sounds like some heavy boozing… I’d be happy to make a beer run.

Can’t wait for this!! Thx for arranging Jeff.

[Vtsnow]

Hi Eric,

Didn’t mean for it to sound that boozy : ) !!

It’s just kind of hard to guess how many people will come to the thing. I’d like all to have fun. I’m renting a car this year, so making the “run” should be easier…..and going to need a lot of ice for beer/wine….have to use the bathtub.

Did you all see the images that made world news lately? period shots of actors Nicholas Cage and John Travolta? Both billed as “vampires” and “time travelers”?? And at $1 million and $50,000??? Well, go to eBay and I just put up a dead on look-a-like of Robin Williams, as an old man. 10 day auction. 99 cents start. No reserve. All proceeds to Dag Society. I mention this to you, Eric, because you are in SF…and I belive Robin Williams lives in SF…..and I am trying to get thru to his Agent and Publicist. And if so, can they get it forwarded to Robin. And if Robin runs with the “vampire time traveler” (he is comic genius)….it could be fun….and who knows..maybe I can cajole Robin in for a sitting. I’ve wanted somehow to get some famous folks for sittings. It would be a great fundraiser.

See you all in a few weeks. Hopefully li Junyio is sending a couple more over for me to show around.

Jeff

[Mercury]

Eric,

Jeff and I, and many other “old-timers” (sorry guys and gals, but you know who you are) can fill you in on the heady days of the Society Symposia, when the so-called, unofficial (because there wasn’t an official one) “Hospitality Suite” was whichever room was occupied by Brad Townsend and Don Beardslee. They would arrive in the host city, purchase between $500 and $1000 of really great liquor and other drinkables, and proceed to hold court in what we fondly called “Brad and Beardslee’s Bar.” My goodness I learned a lot in those sessions. And the scary thing is, I Remember so much of it! Volumetrically speaking, I had no earthly reason to remember much of anything.

What was the “Hospitality Suite” by night turned in to more of a “Hospital” when the sun rose, but that’s another story.

We’re all older and wiser (?) now (or is it just the loss of those Party-Hardy brain cells), and miss Brad and Don dearly, but those were very different days!

Jeff, we’re looking forward to a most congenial gathering! Thanks for facilitating the lubrication.

K.

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