Awe-inspiring Michelle Hellman is the founder and curator of Artist Plate Project, a profound endeavor in which limited-edition plates have been embellished by the compelling imaginations of more than 100 globally esteemed creatives. The impactful program supports the nonprofit organization The Coalition for the Homeless, and contributing artists have included Derrick Adams, Ed Clark, Ed Ruscha, Eddie Martinez, Frank Bowling, Genieve Figgis, and more. Whitewall sat down with Hellman to discuss art month’s rebirth of energy, the most elegant show, and where to find the best cocktails in town.
Photo by BFA, courtesy of Michelle Hellman.
WHITEWALL: What are you looking forward to in New York in May—during the fairs? (Frieze, TFAF, Independent, 1-54, etc.)
MICHELLE HELLMAN: Running full steam off an action packed Frieze Week (congrats Christine Messineo!), you would think the burnout would be real but somehow I feel more energized than ever. Maybe it’s the change of weather or the amazing gallery shows up right now but I actually feel like this every May thanks to art month madness. It’s a rebirth of energy. And boy does everyone need that right now.
“It’s a rebirth of energy. And boy does everyone need that right now.” — Michelle Hellman
WW: What do you have your eye on at the fairs? (Any particular booths/works other than your gallery’s?)
MH: I am particularly looking forward to getting my portrait done by my dear friend Joel Mesler at Independent this week. Joel will be painting portraits for a bargain price of $250/portrait to benefit legendary Matthew Higgs wonderful non profit art space, White Columns. If there is one deal to be had in NY this week, this is it. My portrait could end up looking like Pamela Anderson or Cruella de Vil but it’s a risk I am willing to take.
I also love attending TEFAF which is the most elegant of art fairs. Thanks to Marlies Verhoeven’s The Cultivist, I have VIP access to arrive the moment it opens. Uptown, oysters, champagne & facelifts galore. I always leave the fair feeling broke and insecure but I like to fake it whilst I am there and imagine the what if’s. My “what if” mindset is most excited to see Lee Krasner’s Culminating Point from 1979 at KASMIN and dream of it in my living room.
WW: What are the exhibitions on your must-see list? (At galleries in the city)
MH: Yves Klein at Lévy Gorvy Dayan absolutely blew my mind. It might be the most elegant show I have seen in years. And yes I too was tempted to stamp my foot into the blue.
Maurizio Cattelan, curated by Francesco Bonami, at Gagosian on 21st Street is BAM POW! It is Maurizio’s first solo gallery exhibition in more than two decades and it was worth the wait. A 17-foot-tall wall of 24-karat gold panels that stretches 68 feet wide is deconstructed with bullet holes evoking our country’s ridiculous relationship to the accessibility of weapons.
And I would be a real schmuck if I didn’t mention our own show of Felix Beaudry at A Hug from the Art World (the cute little townhouse on 19th Street with a giant neon that everyone walks by but does not enter). Be warned the grotesque oversized knitted figures hanging from the ceiling have given my children (& myself) nightmares for days so use your judgment wisely. Come for hugs, leave with nightmares.
Best Spots for Spring Bites and Cocktails
WW: Where are your go-to places to grab a bite or drink after the fairs/opening?
MH: Juban in Chelsea is my go to spot for a quick bite at the bar. Mikio serves the best cocktails and owner Ashwin is a style icon who (hot tip) also collects art. Cucina Alba outside on a beautiful day also wins.
WW: Anything else you’re looking forward to experiencing during NY Art Week(s)?
MH: A detox and sleep.
The Best of New York Art Month, According to Michelle Hellman:
1. Independent Returns to Tribeca for a Triumphant 15th Edition
Portrait of Adam Cohen by Joel Mesler, courtesy of the artist.
Since its inception in 2010, Independent has intentionally set itself apart from other art fairs. The invite-only affair opts for open floor plans in lieu of traditional aisles and booths, yielding a sprawling, egalitarian showcase that founder Elizabeth Dee has explained is a strategic move intended to give the feel of a biennale.
2. The 10th Edition of TEFAF New York Returns to the Park Avenue Armory
TEFAF New York 2023; photo by Jitske Nap, courtesy of TEFAF New York.
During this momentous iteration, over 90 international exhibitors will spark captivating dialogues on the global art scene, offering new insights, revelations, and points of entry for all. Running concurrently to the show will be an experiential presentation of jubilant programming, where cultural figureheads will lend their engrossing commentary on-site as well as at TEFAF Online.
3. “Yves Klein and the Tangible World” at Lévy Gorvy Dayan
Yves Klein at Domaine des Etangs; photo by Arthur Pequin.
On April 11, 2024, Lévy Gorvy Dayan will open Yves Klein and the Tangible World, an exhibition devoted to the engagement of the body in the visionary French artist’s oeuvre. Curated in collaboration with the Yves Klein Foundation, the presentation brings together nearly 30 examples of Yves Klein’s Anthropométries(1960–62) and Peintures de feu (Fire Paintings, 1961–62), as well as Sculpture tactile (Tactile Sculpture, conceived c. 1957) in the first focused juxtaposition of these works. — Source
4. Felix Beaudry: “Tender Spawn” at A Hug From The Art World
Felix Beaudry: “Tender Spawn,” published by A Hug From The Art World.
The exhibition opens on Thursday, May 2nd, with a reception from 6-8 pm, and runs through June 8th. Tender Spawnis Beaudry’s first exhibition at A Hug From The Art World. Felix Beaudry and his Stoll M1 knitting machine work in tandem. Beginning with the machine’s modeling software, Beaudry creates a flat, structural pattern within the fabric. Only once those forms have been knit by the machine, the fabric sewed together by hand and subsequently stuffed, can he finally see its three-dimensional form. Edits are drawn onto the structural pattern and Beaudry begins again. Thus, he sees the work as “something that emerges from me, the program, and the machine.” — Source
5. Visit Juban in Chelsea’s Gallery District
Published by Juban, New York.
Juban is an inventive Izakaya dedicated to bringing wonder to the experience of Japanese cuisine in a local setting. With every meal designed for discovery, its creative spirit unfolds through community. Artful sushi, masterful seafood, elevated skewers, and neighborhood favorites are served family-style to celebrate sharing and connecting. At once serendipitous and soulful, its unique approach always serves the moment. Set in the heart of Chelsea’s gallery district, Juban’s rich culture offers a convivial and inspired experience of authentic fare. Here, seasonal menus and artful murals converge—serving tradition with the wink of innovation. — Source
