OnTheCusp.org

NYC (hearts) Artists!

Typically I am on this high for months after last week's Hallmark Holiday, but recently something has saddened me. There will be plenty written in the coming days about the Armory Show and all the satellite fairs that accompany it. I find it hard to believe no one else has criticized the following numbers:

• The Armory Show - $20
• The Art Show - $20
• Scope - $20
  
• Pulse - $15
  
• Diva - $10

Note: This is for general admission and does not represent inflated prices for opening festivities. Also note this is beyond:

• MOMA - $20
• Met - $20
• Whitney - $15

Does anyone else think this is crazy? You can't open an art magazine or read an art blog without hearing how great the market is, yet everyone is supposed to pay out the wa-zoo for the privilege of looking at these dealers art works? And yes I understand that these events supposedly cater to the more affluent collectors, but they get their VIP cards and don't pay anyway.

Let me make a plea to all journalists, collectors, curators and museum professionals who get passes that allow entry for two. Do what I have been doing for the past couple of years, don't rush right into the show. Spend a minute or two and find an artist or other young person out front and take them in with you. Better yet, you can bypass the fairs all together and just hit the galleries for free. They all attempt to put on their best shows this month so just go straight to the source.

Besides, it's FRICKIN' NEW YORK IN FEBRUARY. Hmmmm... do I want to spend my cash in Miami in December or New York in February? New York is my favorite city in the world, it really is, but give me a break.