If I am going to spend several thousands of dollars...scratch that, euros on an art piece, I expect the information for that piece to be listed on a nice label beside it. Not scribbled in pencil on the wall. Or on invisible labels to "promote discussion" with the gallery folk who, when I ask a polite question to begin such a discussion, look at me like I just crawled out of the sewer. (I think my aerosoles sneakers gave away my super n00b collector status.) How hard is it to send some intern down to Office Max to get a pack of print ready labels and to type a little? Those labels should include the following information: artist name, title, dimensions, medium, and if we are lucky, the gallery name. Also, some carpet to cover the very hard, concrete floor would have been nice too. "Perception is everything.", I was once told.
Kudos to the folks handling the lines to get tickets. Although it was freezing outside and it would have been nice to have a tent to protect us from the bitter cold (like those VIP types), these peeps moved us inside in a timely manner so the inside lines didn't get crowded. There were also black--clad young people directing tickets buyers to registers as they opened up. None of them smiled. Not one. But they were quick and efficient.
I spent 7 1/2 hours looking at art at this show. I didn't even finish. I missed 8 galleries becuase by that time, my feet were holding my legs hostage. "Another step and I'll do it!" said my aching instep. Luckily, I didn't get hungry as the food offerings were...sad. If I were hungry and my feet could stand the pain, I could have walked a few blocks to Hell's kitchen were there are some great ethnic restaurants. Those plastic binned, subway-esque sandwiches and bags of MnMs didn't compare. I'll take the Pieter Hugo photo and a large Snickers please...yea, right. All in all, I enjoyed the show and plan to attend future versions. Just remember, Armory is BYOC, bring your own chair.
