finding Daniel Buren in NYC...!

My fascination of the mostly on-site installation art of French, conceptual artist Daniel Buren comes as no surprise with my love of all things graphic and bold.  Known as “the Stripe Guy”, Buren uses the hugely popular graphic of French fabric – the stripe – to manipulate and challenge traditional ideas about art and public spaces.  What is so intriguing to me is that he uses the same 8.7 cm wide (that is 3.43 inches wide for us centimeter challenged…I just saved you a Google search) stripe over and over again on various surfaces and landmarks.   He has been doing this for YEARS.  The same stripe.  But it is his application that keeps you wanting more.  He made headlines in the late 60s by applying what would become his trademark signature to a public space making his art that much more accessible to the viewer/participant rather than the traditional up-on-a-wall-in-a-museum standard of those days.  Much like Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s installations, Buren offers a different way to experience and view an environment.

1970's structure 

colored screens installed in NY's High-Line, 2007.  Photo by Bortolami Dayan.

De Haan, Belgium by Thierry Roge

Murs de peintures...1966-1977

Neus Museum Nuremberg, 2009

Neus Museum Nuremberg, 2009

Neus Museum Nuremberg, 2009

Neus Museum Nuremberg, 2009

Les Deux Plateaux (The Two Levels), Paris 1986 Installation

Les Deux Plateaux (The Two Levels), Paris 1986 Installation

I had seen an exhibition of a show called “Hundred Vases” on Elle Décor’s website and quickly in my two seconds online had dragged the photo to the side to remember to revisit later….not catching the name of the gallery holding the show.  I then started looked at more of his works….refreshing my memory on some of his fabulous installations and impressive span of work.  I thought I would blog and share with you all because I just fell in love with his work all over.  Then things took a cool turn….I went to New York for a client installation last week and on the last day was walking down Madison Avenue with my boss…heading to Barney’s to covet shoes (‘natch) when we passed Freidman & Vallois Gallery.  They are known for their beautiful Art Moderne and Deco pieces as well as rare and highly sought after Diego Giacometti pieces.  Having recently purchased items from them we thought you know…Barney’s can wait, lets pop in and be prepared to see something truly exquisite and say hello to everyone there.  We were not disappointed…besides seeing their amazing collection, I was in for a treat.  I saw two cuties packing away what seemed to require some serious packaging and care…being the nosy gal I am I peered over and saw a little sliver of the top of a vase….with 8.7cm stripes running down its white ceramic front…what?!  “Ummm…excuse me…is that a Daniel Buren vase” I asked?  Why, yes, we have an exclusive show of his upstairs in our gallery right now…its called “Hundred Vases”…would you like to see it?

This is when I just LOVE New York…this is how things work there.

We climbed the stairs and the doors were opened to their beautiful, recently refinished gallery and it was FILLED with the colorful ceramic vases by Daniel Buren.  I literally almost cried…I had chills up and down my arms and legs.  I know, I know…so silly…but this is the same girl who got teary eyed with the Sound of Music cast reunion on the Today Show the other day…

Anyhow, the pieces were spectacular…those gorgeous, perfect stripes in a totally new application and in vibrant colors.  They were MUCH bigger than what I thought they would be as well.

gorgeous in gray

vibrant in red

We stayed as long as we could before needing to jump on a plane back to SF….happily giving up an afternoon of shoe shopping at Barney’s and immersed in Buren’s world of stripes.

Soundtrack for this stripey, colorful inspiration equals another talented Frenchie...Miss Edith Piaf, of course!