Last night, on the eve of the opening day of the Frieze New York art fair, the likes of designer Adam Lippes, artist Jeremy Kost, blogger Natalie Joos, designer Richard Chai, and hipster stalwart Cory Kennedy congregated at the brand-new bar and lounge The Vine to celebrate with hosts 1stdibs, Interview Magazine and Paul Kasmin Gallery. Because, yes, while Frieze is all about scoping out the latest works from the biggest galleries around (and, of course, people watching along the way), it is also the art world’s preferred time to party.
In keeping with the theme, we asked a few guests how they collect art, what their dream collection would be if a billion dollars landed in their bank account tomorrow, and what they really think of the art fair circuit. The general consensus among guests? The art world is a lot more fun than the fashion crowd. We’ll take their word for it.
Cory Kennedy, model and blogger
Do you buy art?
I buy prints, but not the real prints, the prints on Posters.com. I’m still young!
What would be in your dream collection?
I’d love to buy some Gerhard Richter. And I’d love a Monet. But really I’d love to buy Stanley Kubrick. Minus everything else, I just want him.
What artist would you love to meet?
I’d love to have dinner with Salvador Dalí. You can tell he was a real character.
Fashion or art, which crowd is better?
Right now, the art crowd. There are fads in art, both have become very corporate in a lot of ways, but the art crowd still knows how to continue doing what they do best. They still make you feel like there is something exciting happening. And fashion right now is — yikes.
Keith Pollock (right), Interview Editor-In-Chief
Are you an art collector?
I certainly wouldn’t categorize myself as art collector, I appreciate it, but I don’t have the budget to be a serious collector. I do collect furniture. Lately I’ve been drawn to primitive, but I have everything from Mission to Memphis.
Ann Dexter-Jones, Jewelry Designer and Socialite
How do you decide when you want to buy an art piece?
I buy what I like, when I just have to have it. Right now I’m dreaming of Tim McCarthy. And hopefully I can keep on collecting George Condo. I like to have an eclectic mix.
What’s better, the art crowd, or the fashion crowd?
Well the art crowd is very fashionable, that’s how I look at it. But it does depend on who you are talking to. There are wonderful divas in each crowd and horrible divas in each crowd.
Johannes Huebl, Model
Are you on the art fair circuit?
I am traveling so much that I hardly ever get to go, but I am going to get to go to Frieze this year. Most of the time I just get to see stuff on my friends’ social media feeds, the people that actually get to do cool art stuff. That is the sad truth.
Anything you’re excited to see this year at Frieze?
I’d love to see the Richard Prince stuff. I hear it’s already sold out — like it sold out within an hour or something. I’m always behind!
Adam Lippes (far left), Fashion Designer
What makes you decide to buy a piece of art?
You used to be able to walk around and discover. Now you walk around to discover, and you’ve got to mortgage your house when you find something to buy. So now, if I see something, and I go home and dream about it, I will do what I can to buy it.
If you had a million dollars to spend on art piece tomorrow what would it be?
An Alex Katz dog. I don’t know if a million would do it anymore, but I’m still hoping.
Can you spot the difference between seasoned collectors and newbies at art fairs?
You see the old-timers on the first day, and then they just leave, and it turns into one big party. So yes.
What artist are you dying to meet?
Some of the German expressionists I would love meet in person. I have found a lot of times, though, that when you love a piece, and then you meet the artist, the piece can sometimes become less appealing. I’m sure people think that about clothes too, and I’m a designer.
Hanuk Hanuk, Photographer
Do you buy art?
Like 15 years ago I bought some prints on ACRIA. I have Jeff Koons, Shara Hughes, and Cecily Brown. That’s pretty good, right?
Are you on the art fair circuit?
I went to Basel a few years ago, and I just went to NADA. I might go to Frieze. It’s overwhelming. It’s like going to Century 21. It might be expensive and beautiful, but how it’s laid out at these things? Art is like clothing, it needs to breathe.
Which artists are overrated right now?
I don’t want to get in trouble, but they know who they are.
Natalie Joos (right), Blogger and Casting Director
Do you buy art?
I do collect art, but very sporadically, and nothing collectible. It’s more about what I love, and what speaks to me, and what gets referred to me by friends.
What’s the first piece you ever bought?
The piece I started with was this drawing by this girl Mel Kadel, she’s actually [fashion photographer] Greg Kadel’s sister. She’s an amazing artist, and just so cool. She drew this picture of a girl coming out of a snake. So it’s about renewal and shedding your skin. At the time it was very suited for me. I was going through some transformations in my life and in my career and with my boyfriend, so I was like, ‘That! I want that!”
When you go to art fairs where do you hang out?
Well at Basel this year I didn’t see one piece of art when I was there! I really just went to chill and see friends. You always run into really old friends that you never see anywhere else.
Are art or fashion parties more fun?
Definitely art parties because there are more straight men!
Story by Leah Bourne. Bourne is an NYC-based style and culture reporter.
