Artbound

Jeffrey Deitch's Los Angeles
The charming, unusual and at times polarizing Jeffrey Deitch left Los Angeles in 2013 after a tumultuous run as the director of MOCA ending in his resignation. He makes his return with a new gallery opening with the first LA exhibit of renowned Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. A behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary art world through the eyes of a legendary art dealer and curator.
TRANSCRIPT
MAN: I'VE ALREADY HAD A
REWARDING CAREER REPRESENTING
ARTISTS WRITING THE FIRST REVIEW
OF BASQUIAT, BEING THE FIRST
PERSON TO BUY HIS WORK, BEING
JEFF KOONS' DEALER DURING THE
NINETIES. I'VE ALREADY DONE VERY
REWARDING THINGS LIKE THIS.
I'M A STEALTH BOMBER.
I CAN WALK THE WALK AND TALK
THE TALK OF MONEY PEOPLE BUT
I'M USING THE STRUCTURE
TO PUT OUT SOME VERY
PROGRESSIVE, RADICAL IDEAS.
FIRST THE CHALLENGE WAS
ECONOMIC SURVIVAL.
NOW IT'S HOW DO I SURVIVE THE
COST STRUCTURE? I HAVE TO
COMPETE WITH GALLERIES THAT
HAVE THESE POWER ROSTERS THAT
GENERATE IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF
MONEY TODAY.
AND...YOU KNOW.
I'M--RUNNING AS FAST AS I CAN.
WOMAN: NOT ALL COLLECTIONS ARE
CREATED EQUAL.
NOT ALL COLLECTORS ARE
PERCEIVED EQUALLY.
MAN: JEFFREY WAS ALWAYS
SOMEONE--A PRESENCE.
HE WAS FILLING A NICHE THAT
NOBODY ELSE IS DOING ANY--AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE
THERE WAS SO MUCH ENERGY GOING
ON.
DIFFERENT MAN: HE'S A UNIQUE
INDIVIDUAL AND FOLLOW HIS OWN
DREAM. IF EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE TO
CATCH UP TO HIM.
HE'S NEVER BEEN COMMERCIAL.
WOMAN: AND I THINK THIS IS WHY
HE PERHAPS FITS SO WELL IN L.A.
YOU KNOW, HE LIKES ARCHITECTURE,
HE LIKES FOOD, HE LIKES FILM,
HE LIKES MUSIC, HE LIKES CARS,
EVEN THOUGH HIS DRIVING IS
QUESTIONABLE.
DIFFERENT WOMAN: WHAT IS IT
ABOUT YOUR CAREER THAT PEOPLE
FIND TO BE THREATENING OR
POLARIZING? AND THAT'S WHAT I
CAN'T FIGURE--AS AN OUTSIDER TO
YOUR WORLD...
DEITCH: I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT,
EITHER. NOBODY WHO KNOWS ME
IS NEGATIVE. IT'S PEOPLE WHO
DON'T KNOW ME WHERE I'M KIND OF
AN ABSTRACTION.
I NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF A
CONTROVERSIAL PERSON AT ALL AND
I NEVER GOT MUCH FEEDBACK LIKE
THAT BUT I...I--
I BECAME PUBLICLY CONTROVERSIAL
ONLY DURING THIS MOCA SITUATION
FOR VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH
MAYBE AT SOME POINT I'LL GET
INTO BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GET
INTO NOW.
IT BECAME AN IMPOSSIBLE
SITUATION FOR ME AND I HAD TO
LEAVE.
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM WAS
MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A
GRANT FROM ANNE RAY FOUNDATION,
A MARGARET A. CARGILL
PHILANTHROPY. THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS THROUGH THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION.
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURAL AFFAIRS. THE CALIFORNIA
HUMANITIES. AND THE CALIFORNIA
ARTS COUNCIL.
MAN: YOU ARE--
DEITCH: SO, NOELLE
WAS AROUND SOMEPLACE.
SO, TO GET HIM AS WELL...
MAN: YEAH.
DEITCH: WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S--
MAN: HEY, CAN YOU COME
AND JOIN US?
WE'RE WALKING AROUND AND JUST
MAKING THE LIST OF THINGS THAT
HAVE TO BE DONE BEFORE WE
FINISH.
DEITCH: WE HAD TALKED ABOUT
PAINTING SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL
[INDISTINCT].
YEAH, BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE
BEFORE ALL THESE GO...
MAN: OH, RIGHT.
DEITCH: I ASSUME THAT
CAMERAS ARE GOING UP HERE.
THEY HAVEN'T GONE UP YET?
MAN: THEY'RE INSIDE.
DEITCH: I REMEMBER THAT
THE PROPOSAL HAD CAMERAS
OUTSIDE.
MAN: I REMEMBER IT, TOO.
DEITCH: YEAH.
BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT SOMEONE
CAN MONKEY WITH HERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE
THINGS ARE.
I ASSUME THE PAINTERS ARE GOING
TO BE OBSERVANT TO CATCH ALL OF
THIS.
HAVE YOU TESTED THE AIR
CONDITIONING YET?
MAN: YEAH, WE'VE PASSED
INSPECTION LAST SATURDAY.
DEITCH: BUT WE NEED THE LIGHT.
THAT'S--THAT'S THE WHOLE
ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT.
THE SHUTTERS SHOULD GO ALL THE
WAY UP.
MAN: OK.
DEITCH: CAN THAT BE BUFFED OUT
OR...
MAN: I'LL ASK THE GLASS GUY.
DEITCH: A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE
THAT WHERE WE HAVE SCUFFS, TOO.
MAN: THE CORNERS.
DEITCH: YES. YES, SO, JUST
THE INTERIOR WALLS, TOO.
DO WE NEED TO PUT THE
REFRIGERATOR IN FOR THE
INSPECTORS?
MAN: NOT INSPECTION.
[INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: OK. ALL RIGHT. OK.
AND...YEAH, IT NEEDS A LITTLE
CLEANING. OK.
HI. IT'S JEFFREY DEITCH.
COULD YOU ASK BRIAN TO PHONE ME
WHEN HE HAS A CHANCE?
IF I WANTED TO MAKE MONEY IN
ART, I WOULD JUST--
JUST BE ME AND
MY CELL PHONE AND WORKING, YOU
KNOW, THE, ALL OF THE WORKS THAT
I PLACE WITH COLLECTORS OVER 40-
PLUS YEARS AND THE PEOPLE I'VE
MET WHO MIGHT WANT TO BUY ONE
OF THEM AND PUTTING THEM
TOGETHER.
HEY, THAT'S A MUCH BETTER WAY TO
MAKE MONEY.
THE ONLY OVERHEAD IS MY PHONE
BILL AND SOME PLANE TICKETS.
OK.
THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE
OPERATION. BASICALLY, I HAVE MY
OWN PRIVATE MUSEUM. THE GOAL IS
REALLY JUST TO COVER THE
EXPENSES SO THAT I CAN DO THE
NEXT SHOW. HOPEFULLY, MAKE A
LITTLE MONEY WITH A SIDE
BUSINESS OF PLACING AN
IMPORTANT WORK OF ART.
GOING FROM ONE COLLECTOR TO
ANOTHER.
THERE WILL BE 4 SHOWS A YEAR.
TWO OF THEM WILL BE THESE
THEMATIC SHOWS AND TWO OF THEM
WILL BE AMBITIOUS EXHIBITIONS
WITH MAJOR ARTISTS.
SOME OF THEM MORE MY GENERATION,
LIKE AI WEIWEI, SOME WITH SOME
YOUNGER ARTISTS WHO ARE JUST
AT THE STAGE WHERE THEY CAN
WORK A BIG SCALE AND TAKE ON
THE SPACE.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO DO IS TO HAVE A
STRUCTURE WHERE I CAN WORK WITH
EVERY GALLERY WHERE THEY'RE
HAPPY TO CONSIGN TO ME,
WHERE WE CAN COLLABORATE.
WE'LL SEE IF THIS STRUCTURE
WORKS.
OUR AI WEIWEI EXHIBITION WAS AS
AMBITIOUS AS ANYTHING HE'S DONE
IN AN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
WE SHIPPED 6,000 STOOLS
FROM HIS STORAGE IN BERLIN
AND A NUMBER OF MASSIVE PIECES
FROM CHINA.
OTHER PIECES WERE PRODUCED IN
NEW YORK CITY.
A MASSIVE LOGISTICAL PROJECT.
YOU STILL NEED A BRICK AND
MORTAR INSTITUTION.
ABSOLUTELY.
ART IS MADE TO BE PRESENTED IN
A SPACE, EITHER AN ENCLOSED
BUILDING OR OUTDOOR PLAZA.
ART--ART IS NOT--IS NOT MADE FOR
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION OVER
SOCIAL MEDIA. THE KIND OF ART
THAT I'M MORE INTERESTED IN HAS
A PHYSICAL PRESENCE.
YOU HAVE TO SEE IT IN A SPACE.
AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME BACK
AND SEE IT IN THIS SPACE
IN DIFFERENT LIGHT CONDITIONS,
DIFFERENT CONTEXTS WITH
DIFFERENT ART AROUND IT.
SO, ABSOLUTELY THE BRICK
AND MORTAR SPACE IS AS
ESSENTIAL AS IT EVER WAS.
MAN: ALL RIGHT. DONE GOOD?
DIFFERENT MAN: FEELING GREAT.
LET'S JUST DO [INDISTINCT].
DIFFERENT MAN: READY. 1, 2, 3.
[MEN GRUNTING]
HIGH ENOUGH?
DEITCH: WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ABLE
TO BUILD A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
EVERYTHING I WANTED.
FRANK GEHRY VERY GENEROUSLY
SAYS HE VOLUNTEERED TO DESIGN
THE SPACE FOR ME.
AND THE RESULT IS INCREDIBLE.
[AI SPEAKING CHINESE]
WOMAN: SO, WEIWEI CAME YESTERDAY
MORNING TO INSPECT THE STOOLS
AND HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE
TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.
AND ACTUALLY, IT'S BECAUSE THIS
IS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S
ACTUALLY SEEN THIS WORK
EXHIBITED IN PERSON BECAUSE WHEN
IT WAS EXHIBITED LAST IN 2014,
HE HADN'T HAD HIS PASSPORT BACK.
SO--BECAUSE HE GOT HIS PASSPORT
BACK IN 2015.
SO, HE'S NEVER ABLE TO SEE IT IN
PERSON UNTIL, UNTIL NOW.
THEY SPENT THE NIGHT JUST
TRYING TO SPREAD OUT ALL OF THE
STOOLS AND YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE
STILL SORT OF STRAIGHTENING
EVERYTHING OUT.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS
THEY'RE USING THIS--
SO, THEY'RE USING THIS STRING
HERE TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.
YES. IT JUST HAS TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CENTERED
WITH THIS LINE.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS
WE'RE ADDING A ROW.
BECAUSE WE HAD MISSING
STOOLS WITH THE SHIPMENT.
DEITCH: WELCOME HERE. I HOPE YOU
LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS?
AI: NOW, IT'S
FAR FROM WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK,
BUT GRADUALLY, I'M SURE IT'S
GOING TO BE PERFECT. HOW ARE
YOU?
DEITCH: I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT
ALL THIS.
AI: YEAH, YEAH, I AM VERY
EXCITED. IT'S BEAUTIFUL
[INDISTINCT], IT'S BEAUTIFUL
SHOW AND, YEAH, IT TAKES A LOT
OF PATIENCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT. I
ASKED THEM TO REDO THIS.
[INDISTINCT].
IT'S NOT EASY.
SO, WE HAVE TO MAKE A GRID FROM
MIDDLE RIGHT OUT FROM
THE CORNER.
DEITCH: [INDISTINCT].
AI: FIRST TIME I'VE
SEEN THIS IN PERSON.
DEITCH: YEAH, YEAH. THEY'RE--
YES. BUT SO I JUST--THE--
[INDISTINCT] IS GOING TO--YEAH,
BUT SHE'S SENDING ME AN E-MAIL
SOON WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE BEST CHINESE RESTAURANTS.
AI: NO, NO, NO.
I DON'T NEED THAT. I JUST
NEED WHERE TO HAVE LUNCH?
WE ARE HUNGRY.
DEITCH: OK. ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THERE ARE MANY GOOD PLACES
AROUND HERE.
AI: JUST TELL HER WHAT.
NEED TO KNOW WHAT.
[INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: THERE'S A PLACE--
CALIFORNIA CUISINE--THAT I LIKE.
IT'S CALLED CALI.
AI: IT'S NOT FAR?
WE CAN WALK?
DEITCH: NO, YOU CAN'T WALK.
THERE IS NOTHING TO WALK TO.
I WILL DRIVE YOU.
AI: NO, NO, NO, NO.
DEITCH: YEAH.
I WILL DRIVE YOU THERE.
AI: BUT YOU HAD LUNCH.
DEITCH: YEAH, I DID.
BUT I'LL DRIVE YOU THERE.
AI: HOW FAR? HOW FAR AWAY?
DEITCH: 5 MINUTES.
AI: OK, LET'S GO.
DEITCH: OK.
I JUST--WHERE'S--KATHY?
I'M TAKING WEIWEI TO CALI
FOR LUNCH, OK?
I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT I
WAS GOING TO GET INVOLVED WITH
THE ART WORLD AND GRADUATING
FROM COLLEGE WAS STILL UNCLEAR.
WAS I GOING TO BE A CURATOR?
ART WRITER? MAYBE EVEN AN
ARTIST.
BUT IT WAS THE BUSINESS SIDE
THAT DREW ME.
THE DAY AFTER MY COLLEGE
GRADUATION, I DROVE DOWN TO NEW
YORK CITY, PARKED ON WEST
BROADWAY IN FRONT OF THE WEST
BROADWAY GALLERY BUILDING,
420 WEST BROADWAY. I'M LOOKING
FOR A JOB AND THE DIRECTOR,
NAOMI SPECTER, SAID, "WELL, OUR
SECRETARY JUST QUIT.
I DO NEED SOMEBODY."
I SPENT THE GREATEST YEAR OF MY
LIFE WORKING AS THE ALL-PURPOSE
GALLERY ASSISTANT, SECRETARY,
ART HANDLER, JANITOR, OFFICIAL
GREETER AT THE JOHN WEBER
GALLERY, ONE OF THE MOST RADICAL
GALLERIES IN THE WORLD BUT ALSO
THE CENTER OF THIS
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF
CONCEPTUAL AND MINIMAL ARTISTS.
I LEARNED THE MOST FROM THE
ARTISTS.
MY REAL MENTOR WAS SOL LEWITT.
HE WAS REALLY MY TEACHER.
I REMEMBER ONCE I EXPRESSED MY
ENTHUSIASM TO SOL ABOUT AN
ARTIST WHO WEBER WAS ABOUT TO
TAKE ON AND SOL JUST SAID,
"IS JUST SURFACE.
IT'S NO STRUCTURE." THAT STRUCK
ME SO MUCH AND WAS SUCH AN
EDUCATION, AND TO THIS DAY, I
ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK BEYOND THE
SURFACE, AND WHEN PAINTING IS
JUST SURFACE, NO, IT'S NOT
ENOUGH. IT HAS TO HAVE A FORMAL
OR INTELLECTUAL OR PHILOSOPHICAL
STRUCTURE AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SEE IT FROM A
DISTANCE, IT LOOKS LIKE A
VERSACE DESIGN.
WOMAN: THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.
IS IT HERMES? AND THEN I LOOKED
CLOSE.
DEITCH: AND THEN IT'S VERY
SUBVERSIVE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SEE
IT.
WOMAN: YEAH.
DEITCH: YEAH.
WOMAN: AND WHAT ABOUT THESE?
DEITCH: THIS IS THE TREASURE
BOX. AND THEY PUT THEIR
TREASURES IN IT.
IT'S A CELEBRATION OF THIS
SPECIAL WOODWORKING CRAFT WHICH
IS ALMOST A DYING CRAFT.
ALL CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT ANY
NAILS.
WOMAN: INCREDIBLE.
DEITCH: YEAH.
HE PARTICULARLY VALUES THIS.
WOMAN: [INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: THAT'S RIGHT. WELL,
THERE ARE--YEAH, SEE, THERE ARE
A LOT OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE
ITALIAN AND THE CHINESE.
AND THIS IS AMAZING--THE CRYSTAL
CUBE.
I HAVE TO WARN YOU NOT TO TOUCH
IT BECAUSE THE EDGES ARE VERY
SHARP.
WOMAN: OH. MUST HAVE BEEN NOT
EASY TO...
DEITCH: NOT EASY IS THE WORD.
THE LARGEST GLASS CRYSTAL EVER
MADE.
WOMAN: OH.
DEITCH: IT'S BEEN QUITE AN
ADVENTURE FOR ME TO START IN THE
ART WORLD
WHEN YOU COULDN'T EVEN CALL IT
A MARKET. IT WAS A COMMUNITY.
AT THE JOHN WEBER GALLERY, WE
HAD ONLY ONE MAJOR COLLECTOR--
COUNT PANZA FROM ITALY.
THE ONLY OTHER REGULAR CUSTOMER,
DOROTHY AND HERBERT VOGEL, THE
FAMOUS LIBRARIAN-POSTAL WORKER
COUPLE WHO CAME IN EVERY
SATURDAY WITH A CHECK FOR $50
ON ACCOUNT.
ALTOGETHER, SERIOUS COLLECTORS
OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE
WHOLE WORLD MAYBE NUMBERED 50.
YOU CAN BUY THESE INDIVIDUALLY.
THERE WILL BE 6 SETS OF THESE.
AND HALF THE SETS HAVE TO BE
SOLD TOGETHER AND THEN SO FAR,
THEY WANT TO BREAK UP TWO SETS
THAT I CAN SELL INDIVIDUALLY.
MARCIANO: OH, ONLY TWO.
DEITCH: YEAH.
THESE ARE, YEAH, THESE ARE THE
ONLY ONES THAT ARE FINISHED.
MARCIANO: THE OTHER ONES ARE NOT
FINISHED.
DEITCH: YEAH, WELL, THEY'RE
THE--BUT IT'S THE SAME.
IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME IMAGERY.
THE EXACT SAME ONE.
JUST COMPRESSED.
MARCIANO: OK.
DEITCH: SO, WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO
IS THEY WILL BUY THE ROMAN
ZODIAC SIGN.
MARCIANO: THE WHAT?
DEITCH: WHAT YEAR ARE YOU?
MARCIANO: I KNOW MINE.
I'M THE RAT.
[BOTH LAUGH]
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
HOLD THE DRAGON.
BECAUSE MY BROTHER'S A DRAGON.
DEITCH: OK. THE DRAGON,
THAT'S GOING TO BE
THE FIRST ONE TO GO AND IT'S
GREAT IF IT CAN GO TO YOU.
MARCIANO: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
I'VE SEEN THE DRAGON.
IT'S HERE.
DEITCH: LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S THE BEST ONE.
MARCIANO: YEAH.
DEITCH: AND ALSO SEE IT'S VERY
SPECIAL.
[MARCIANO SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
DEITCH: YEAH. IT'S VERY SPECIAL
BECAUSE IT HAS WEIWEI IN IT.
[MARCIANO SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
DRAGON. DRAGON.
DEITCH: I'M THE DRAGON, TOO.
IS YOUR--IS YOUR BROTHER 1952?
MARCIANO: YEAH. 52.
DEITCH: THAT'S IT.
I'M THE SAME AGE AS YOUR
BROTHER.
[MARCIANO SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
DEITCH: I-I LOVE THIS.
[MARCIANO SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
BYE. BYE.
NOW YOU SEE HOW WE
TRANSACT--HA HA!--INTERNATIONAL.
HA HA HA!
DEITCH: SO, IN THE SEVENTIES,
IT WAS JUST ABOUT ECONOMIC
SURVIVAL BECAUSE THERE JUST
WASN'T THAT MUCH MONEY AROUND.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SAW
A STRETCH LIMOUSINE IN SOHO. I
WAS WALKING BY WITH JOHN WEBER
AND WE JUST BLEW OUR MINDS AND,
WOW, LET'S FIND OUT WHO THIS IS.
WE WENT INTO THE RESTAURANT TO
SEE IF WE COULD FIGURE IT OUT
AND GET THE PERSON TO THE
GALLERY BECAUSE THIS WAS SO
ASTONISHING. NOW, LIKE, YOU READ
ABOUT THE PRIVATE PLANES GOING
TO THE AIRPORT FOR ART BASEL AND
THEY REPORT WE HAD 60 LANDINGS
OF PRIVATE JETS TODAY.
IT'S--IT'S SUCH A DIFFERENT
WORLD.
SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY CYNICAL.
THEY LOOK AT THIS MARKET--"OH,
IT'S AWFUL NOW. IT'S ALL ABOUT
MONEY NOW."
WELL, A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT
MONEY, BUT THE ART BEING
PRODUCED RIGHT NOW IS
FASCINATING.
EMANUEL: [INDISTINCT] SMALL ONE.
I--I WANT--
DEITCH: OK, SO, THE--SO, THERE
ARE 3 SIZES. SO, THIS IS THE
INSTITUTIONAL SIZE.
MAN: THIS IS GOING TO ONE.
DEITCH: CORRECT. OK.
THEN THERE'S THE TWO-METER
SIZE, WHICH IS LIKE THOSE.
THEY ARE $250,000, WHERE WE'LL
HAVE TWO AVAILABLE AND THEN
THERE IS A SMALLER SIZE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S JUST...
EMANUEL: WHAT DO YOU THINK I
SHOULD GET?
DEITCH: AH, I'D--I'D GET--
I'D--I'D GO FOR IT.
EMANUEL: I AGREE WITH YOU.
DEITCH: YEAH.
EMANUEL: HE'S ONE OF THE
GREATEST ARTISTS LIVING.
DEITCH: HE IS. HE'S--HE'S--
HE'S THE WORLD'S FAMOUS--
MOST FAMOUS ARTIST TODAY.
EMANUEL: YEAH. I WANT IT.
DEITCH: AND--AND THESE--THERE--
THERE ARE--THERE ARE ALL GOING
TO GET SNAPPED UP.
EMANUEL: YEAH. I WANT--
I WANT MY OX.
DEITCH: OK, GREAT, GREAT.
WE'LL GET YOU THE OX.
EMANUEL: IS HE HERE? DID HE
COME?
DEITCH: HE'S BEEN COMING IN AND
OUT. HE'S--BECAUSE HE'S--HE
STILL HAS SOME MORE INSTALLATION
TO DO.
EMANUEL: HI.
DEITCH: THIS IS ARI EMANUEL.
EMANUEL: NICE TO MEET YOU.
AI: HI.
EMANUEL: THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
AI: I LIKE IT.
EMANUEL: YEAH.
DEITCH: AND SO, THERE'S MUCH
MORE THERE THAN YOU REALIZE.
SO, OF COURSE, IT LOOKS, IT
LOOKS LIKE A KIND OF VERSACE BUT
THEN YOU SEE--BUT YOU SEE IT'S
MADE WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS,
HANDCUFFS, TWITTER SYMBOL.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK IN, VERY
COMPLEX REFLECTIONS.
EMANUEL: OH, WOW.
DEITCH: YEAH, VERY HIDDEN.
EMANUEL: ARE YOU GOING TO BE IN
BEIJING OR SHANGHAI IN NOVEMBER?
AI: NO.
DEITCH: NO, HE'S, HE'S STAYING
IN THE WEST NOW.
WEIWEI...YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
SO, SO, SO, ARI, I SHOULD SAY,
HE RUNS THE LARGEST TALENT
AGENCY AND, YOU KNOW, MANY OTHER
THINGS OF AN ENTERTAINMENT
COMPANY AND HE'S BEEN PUTTING
TOGETHER A PHENOMENAL ART
COLLECTION.
AND WE JUST--
YEAH, HE--HE DIDN'T KNOW HIS
ZODIAC SIGN, BUT IT'S THE OX.
EMANUEL: WHICH IS, WHICH IS
DEFINITELY ME.
DEITCH: YEAH. YEAH. YEAH.
I SPENT BASICALLY THE
YEARS FROM 1979 TO 1988
DEVELOPING AND THEN CO-MANAGING
THE FIRST DEPARTMENT IN A BANK
THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THE ART
MARKET.
ADVISING COLLECTORS, ADVISING
ESTATES, FAMILIES THAT
INHERITED ART, AND THEN
BUILDING A LARGE BUSINESS
LENDING AGAINST ART.
WITH A NICE SALARY, WITH A BIG
EXPENSE ACCOUNT, ABILITY TO
TRAVEL ANYWHERE I WANTED,
ACCESS TO THE BACK ROOMS OF
EVERY MAJOR GALLERY TO INSIDE
WORKINGS AT THE AUCTION HOUSES,
ENTRY TO THE HOMES OF MANY
GREAT COLLECTORS.
I WAS ABLE TO GET A GREAT
EDUCATION IN THE INSIDES OF THE
ART MARKET.
BUT AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS, IT
WAS TIME FOR ME TO OPEN MY OWN
BUSINESS, WHICH I DID IN 1988.
ALMOST ALL THE MAJOR CLIENTS
CAME WITH ME.
NO, NO, NO. THIS--
SO, THIS IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE
AND THIS IS--IT'S 500,000.
580,000.
THE TEA IS 500 AND
THEN THE MARKETRY, THAT'S A
DIFFERENT PRICE. THAT'S A
MILLION DOLLARS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN
EVERY CHINESE PEASANT HOME.
WOMAN: OK.
DEITCH: YOU SEE IT'S A PERFECT
DESIGN FORM WITH THE 3 LEGS.
YOU CANNOT IMPROVE UPON IT.
WOMAN: RIGHT.
DEITCH: HE'S SO ON TOP OF IT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HIM HERE
WITH THE ARRAY OF THIS AND...
WOMAN: ARRANGING.
DEITCH: YEAH. YEAH.
HE'S TOTALLY ON EVERYTHING.
HE'S ON TOP OF, NO, NO, YOU
CAN'T DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO DO
THAT. FOR THIS HE'D BE WORKING
IN A MARBLE QUARRY. FOR THE
PORCELAIN PIECE HE'S WORKING
WITH CERAMIC WORKSHOP.
BISSET: BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THEY--
THEY COULDN'T DO A TEST RUN ON
THIS. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE--YOU
CAN'T MAKE A MISTAKE
[INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: THAT'S CORRECT.
BISSET: THEY'VE GOT TO BE
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
DEITCH: YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
SO, THERE'S TREMENDOUS SKILL
THAT GOES INTO THIS. YEAH.
BISSET: DOES IT GO ALL--GO
UNDERNEATH AS WELL?
DEITCH: IT'S TOTALLY SOLID.
BISSET: TOTALLY SOLID.
DEITCH: 100% SOLID.
WOMAN: YOU WANTED TO SELL IT
OR YOU...?
DEITCH: THIS IS A BUSINESS.
[LAUGHTER]
IT'S--IT'S--IT'S ALL FOR SALE,
AND...YEAH.
I--I LIKE THAT.
I LIKE--THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO
ENGAGE THE PUBLIC. BUT, SEE, THE
IRONY IS WHEN WE WERE WORKING
TOGETHER IN MOCA WHEN CAROLINE
WAS ON THE BOARD, AND--AND SO,
THE IRONY, YOU SEE, IN A MUSEUM
SHOW IS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL
NON-COMMERCIAL.
HOWEVER, LIKE, AN EXAMPLE, WHEN
WE DID THE URS FISCHER SHOW, IT
WASN'T REALLY A COMMERCIAL SHOW.
A LOT BORROWED FROM COLLECTORS.
BUT THEN I CALCULATED JUST ON
THE PIECES THAT WERE AVAILABLE.
I THINK LARRY GAGOSIAN MADE
$10 MILLION.
SO, THAT'S THE CRAZY IRONY,
THAT--THAT MUSEUM SHOWS THAT
THE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR ALL THIS
AND ART DEALERS USE IT AS A
SHOWROOM.
THAT'S THE SYSTEM.
SO, HERE, IT'S JUST VERY DIRECT.
HA HA!
SCOTT: JEFFREY HOSTED ONE OF MY
SHOWS IN NEW YORK AT THE
ORIGINAL DEITCH PROJECTS.
WE DID A SHOW CALLED
SEXHIBITION, WHICH, I DID A
SERIES OF 12 PEEP SHOW BOOTHS,
AND THE THEORY WAS THAT YOU
WOULD GO INTO THE BOOTH AND
THERE WAS A MODEL THAT WAS IN
THE BOOTH IN THIS KIND OF WORLD.
SO, THEN WE DID A BOOK ABOUT
THAT FOLLOWING IT AND HE WAS
ALL--MY GALLERIST.
I WAS ONE OF THE FEW FASHION
DESIGNERS TO PROBABLY EVER HAVE
A GALLERIST.
SIMCHOWITZ: I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A
LONG TIME. I LIVED IN NEW YORK.
I HAPPENED TO LIVE, LIKE, TWO
BLOCKS FROM THE GALLERY AND I
WOULD JUST GO TO THE GALLERY
ALMOST EVERY DAY. I PROBABLY SAW
OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS EVERY
SHOW HE EVER DID. AND, YOU KNOW,
I JUST WAS PART OF THE, PART OF
THAT GALLERY IN NEW YORK DURING
ITS FORMATIVE YEARS AND, YOU
KNOW, LOVED JEFFREY.
SAW THE ENERGY, SAW THE SHOWS,
SAW THE MACHINE CLOSE UP.
DEITCH: I WANTED TO CREATE A
SPACE WHERE EVERYONE WAS
WELCOME, WHERE SOMEBODY COMING
TO NEW YORK CITY FROM LOS
ANGELES, FROM ANY PLACE,
"WHERE SHOULD I GO?"
THE ANSWER WAS, "OH, GO TO
DEITCH PROJECTS."
SO MANY CREATIVE PEOPLE WANTED
TO PARTICIPATE AND DO PROJECTS.
SO MANY PEOPLE WANTED TO BE IN
THIS.
AND THE WORD IS SPREADING
AROUND TO ART SCHOOLS AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
WHAT WE'RE ABOUT IS TRYING TO
PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR NEW
CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN THE
GALLERY.
I HAD NOTICED THAT I VISITED
STUDIOS.
ALMOST EVERY ARTIST SHOWED ME
THE NEW PAINTINGS, THE NEW
SCULPTURE, AND THEN "I WANT TO
SHOW YOU SOMETHING," AND THEY'D
SHOW ME A NOTEBOOK.
THIS IS THE PROJECT I REALLY
WANT TO DO.
I WISH I HAD THE RESOURCES AND
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, I SAW
ARTISTS HAD DREAM PROJECTS
WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO REALIZE
THEM. SO, I SAID, "THIS IS WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE'RE GOING TO START DEITCH
PROJECTS. IT WON'T BE DEITCH
GALLERY."
I WOULD OFFER EACH ARTIST
$25,000 PRODUCTION MONEY
AND WE WOULD PRESENT
THEIR DREAM PROJECT. AND
THE DEAL WAS IF WE SOLD IT, WE
WOULD RECOUP THE $25,000
AND SPLIT THE REST.
AND IF WE DIDN'T SELL IT, I
WOULD KEEP THE WORK FOR MY OWN
COLLECTION.
AND IT TURNED OUT EVEN THOUGH I
THOUGHT I'D END UP KEEPING
ALMOST ALL THE WORK, FROM THE
BEGINNING, BEGAN SELLING THE
PIECES.
MANY OF THE PROJECTS WE PUT ON
WERE TOTALLY UNCOMMERCIAL.
THERE WAS NOTHING AT ALL TO
SELL. BUT I ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT
IF YOU CREATE SOME MOMENTUM AND
CREATE EXCITEMENT, THE KIND OF
ART COLLECTORS WHO I WANT TO
DEAL WITH, THEY'RE GOING TO
SHOW UP.
I ATTRACTED VERY INTERESTING
PEOPLE AND WE DID SOME
FANTASTIC THINGS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
PROMINENT IN LOS ANGELES WHO
GOT VERY ENGAGED WITH WHAT I
WAS DOING AT DEITCH PROJECTS.
THEY WANTED TO BRING THIS TO
LOS ANGELES AND THEY THOUGHT MY
APPROACH WAS THE FRESH,
COMMUNITY-ORIENTED APPROACH
THAT WAS PERFECT FOR MOCA AT
THIS STAGE.
WHEN I WENT TO MOCA, I MADE
A TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE.
I HAD A THRIVING BUSINESS.
MILLIONS EVERY YEAR.
AND I SHUT IT DOWN 100%.
GAVE UP ALL THE ARTIST
RELATIONSHIPS, GAVE UP THE
COLLECTOR ADVISORY
RELATIONSHIPS, STARTED OFF
GREAT WITH THE PAINTING FACTORY
SHOWS LIKE ART IN THE STREETS.
WELCOME, EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY DAY
TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF ART
IN THE STREETS.
THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR
HISTORICAL EXHIBITION
ON THE HISTORY OF GRAFFITI AND
STREET ART EVER PRESENTED
IN AN AMERICAN MUSEUM.
ART IN THE STREETS WAS SO
WIDELY EMBRACED BY A WIDE
PUBLIC BUT WAS SHOCKING TO
CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT.
SAID, "STREET ART BELONGS ON
THE STREETS, NOT IN A MUSEUM."
I REALIZED THERE WERE PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY WHO DIDN'T WANT
ME THERE AND WOULD NOT STOP
UNTIL I WAS EVENTUALLY DRIVEN
OUT.
EVENTUALLY, IT WAS UNTENABLE AND
I NEEDED TO MOVE ON.
I'M ON A NEW CHAPTER NOW.
AND WHEN I OPEN A NEW CHAPTER,
I DON'T WIPE OUT WHAT CAME
BEFORE, I JUST GO TO A NEW
PLACE. IT'S EXCITING FOR ME.
[INAUDIBLE SPEECH]
BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO GO PUBLIC
AS OF NEXT SPRING.
WOMAN: OH, COOL.
DEITCH: YEAH. THE 4 BOOKS
ON HER WORK COMING OUT AND--
WOMAN: YEAH.
DEITCH: YEAH, BUT THAT'S STILL
UNDER EMBARGO, RIGHT?
YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT YET?
NO.
WOMAN: YOU HAVE 4 BOOKS COMING
OUT [INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: HELLO, STEFAN!
SIMCHOWITZ: HOW ARE YOU?
DEITCH: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
SIMCHOWITZ: JULIA, JEFFREY.
DEITCH: YEAH, WE MET LAST NIGHT.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. YEAH.
YEAH. PAIGE. YOU MET PAIGE SOME
YEARS AGO, YEAH, STEFAN, YEAH.
SIMCHOWITZ: [INDISTINCT].
WOMAN: IT'S A NICE PARTY.
DEITCH: YEAH. EVERY DAY, HE
WOULD--HE WOULD GO TO A CAFE
ON--
SIMCHOWITZ: CAFE CAFE.
DEITCH: ON GREEN STREET AND HANG
OUT THERE FOR A WHILE.
THEN HE'D WALK OVER TO MY PLACE
AND JUST ABSORB EVERYTHING.
AND MEET PEOPLE.
SIMCHOWITZ: TWIST IT UP A LITTLE
BIT.
DEITCH: YEAH.
SIMCHOWITZ: THROW IT OUT THE
OTHER SIDE.
DEITCH: YEAH. YEAH. YEAH.
RIGHT, RIGHT.
SIMCHOWITZ: [INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: YEAH. IT'S ALSO
A LITTLE BIT LIKE
VIENNA 1910.
IT'S VERY MODERNIST.
WOMAN: IT'S DIGGING DEEP INTO MY
CLOSET 10 YEARS AGO.
DEITCH: WAS THIS MATERIAL.
YES, IT'S REALLY--YES.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PIECES
PAWEL EVER DID.
WOMAN: IT'S FANTASTIC.
DEITCH: YEAH.
WOMAN: AND YOUR FACE, IT'S
SO PERFECT.
[DEITCH LAUGHS]
AND HE DID THE LIFE CAST IN
THE MIDDLE OF UNION SQUARE
STATION IN NEW YORK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T
SEE ANYTHING.
AND THEN WE TOOK THE MASK OFF.
THERE ARE 250 PEOPLE
STANDING AROUND AND WATCHING.
YEAH. YEAH. YEAH.
I LUCKED OUT. I--I HAD--
I--I HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF
LOS FELIZ.
AND THIS IS ALL GAETANO PESCE.
THE MOUNTAIN SOFA AND THEN THE
MODULAR, THAT'S GAETANO PESCE.
AND THIS IS SASCHA BRAUNIG.
THAT'S JORDAN, WHO IS OUR
NEIGHBOR.
JORDAN BOUGHT A HOUSE 3
HOUSES AWAY.
WOMAN: [INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: AND THEN, FOR THOSE WHO
HAVEN'T BEEN HERE BEFORE, THIS
IS A SPECIAL TABLE THAT URS
FISCHER MADE FOR THE HOUSE WITH
CARY GRANT.
AND THEN IMAGES OF ME FROM
ROBERT LONGO'S "MEN IN THE
CITIES."
THAT IS MAN RAY FROM 1920.
MAN: NO.
DEITCH: IT'S CALLED, IT'S
CALLED "OBSTRUCTION."
IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT PIECES OF
THE HISTORICAL AVANT GARDE AND,
SO, 1920.
SO, FIRST, IT'S, YOU KNOW,
THIS--THIS RELATES TO WHAT
WEIWEI IS DOING.
I--I THINK THIS MAY BE THE FIRST
ACCUMULATION PIECE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS COMES
ARMAND AND SO MUCH WEIWEI.
THEN IT--IT ALSO, IT--IT FUSES
THAT KIND OF SENSE OF POP.
IT'S SO--IT'S--IT'S ONE OF THE
EARLIEST PIECES OF POP ART,
IN A WAY.
AND THIS IS THE BIG MYSTERY.
SO, ONE OF THE GREATEST ARTISTS
OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
THE HOUSEHOLD NAME.
AND THE SECOND CLUE IS THAT
EVERYTHING IS DONE WITH A
MECHANICAL PROCESS.
THE THIRD CLUE IS THAT THE DATE
IS APPROXIMATELY 1954.
SO, IT'S A VERY EARLY ANDY
WARHOL.
WOMAN: OH, MY GOD.
DIFFERENT WOMAN: I WAS GOING TO
SAY RAUSCHENBERG.
DEITCH: AND IT'S--IT'S GOING TO
BE IN THE WHITNEY MUSEUM FOR
THE BIG WARHOL SHOW.
PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, ANDY
WARHOL, HE WAS JUST AN
ILLUSTRATOR IN THE FIFTIES, NO.
HE WAS REALLY WORKING ALREADY
TRYING TO REINVENT HOW TO MAKE A
PAINTING. YEAH.
WHAT I DID AT CITIBANK, I--I
HELPED PEOPLE WITH THE
CONTEMPORARY ART BECAUSE I LOVED
IT. AND FOUND PEOPLE WHO SHARED
MY INTERESTS, BUT IT WAS NOT
ABOUT INVESTMENT.
PEOPLE COLLECTED IT BECAUSE
THEY BELIEVED IN IT.
IT WAS NOT A FINANCIAL ASSET.
WHATEVER WE WERE INTERESTED IN
BUYING, IT WAS AVAILABLE.
THERE--THERE WAS MORE SUPPLY
THAN DEMAND.
NOW IT'S AN EXTREME SITUATION
BECAUSE OF ALL THESE ART BLOGS.
SOME OF THESE BLOGS HAVE A
MILLION READERS.
SO, WITHOUT EXAGGERATION, THERE
ARE A MILLION PEOPLE WHO KNOW
THE TOP 10 EMERGING ARTISTS IN
LOS ANGELES.
IT'S HARD TO KNOW--HOW DO WE
DEAL WITH THIS?
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW.
RASHITA WOULD LIKE TO ACQUIRE A
WORK OF YOURS.
AND WE TALKED AND "WELL, LET'S
CALL UP ALEX ON THE PHONE."
RASHITA: I'M A BIG FAN OF YOUR
WORK. [LAUGHS]
ISRAEL: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
RASHITA: YOU'RE WELCOME.
ISRAEL: WE HAD A PARTY FRIDAY
NIGHT.
RASHITA: OH, I MISSED THE BEST
PARTY.
ISRAEL: IT WAS REALLY FUN.
DEITCH: BUT THERE WERE, WHAT--
500 PEOPLE HERE?
ISRAEL: NO, JEFFREY, NO, NO.
DEITCH: LET'S START WITH A TOUR.
ISRAEL: OK.
DEITCH: AND SO, THE AGENDA IS,
WELL, FIRST, RASHITA AND THE
FAMILY SHE WORKS WITH, THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN BUYING ANOTHER
VERSION...
ISRAEL: OH, GREAT.
DEITCH: OF ONE OF THE FLATS.
ISRAEL: AMAZING.
DEITCH: SO, WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT
IN NEW YORK NEXT WEEK.
ISRAEL: SO, THIS IS A WORK FROM
A SERIES THAT I DID WITH BRET
EASTON ELLIS.
DEITCH: THIS ONE'S PARTICULARLY
GREAT.
ISRAEL: I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
FROZEN YOGURT WOULD HAVE BEEN,
LIKE, A PROP FROM A MOVIE ABOUT
MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, IF
THERE EVER WAS ONE.
IT ACTUALLY BEGAN AS A PROJECT
RELATED TO SUNGLASSES.
WE WANTED TO CREATE A KIND OF
GARDEN ATMOSPHERE BASED ON THE
FABRIC.
SPF 18.
DEITCH: FANTASTIC COVER.
ISRAEL: IT'S DESIGNED LIKE A
HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK FOR A
FICTITIOUS HIGH SCHOOL CALLED
PACIFIC COAST HIGH.
FOR A LONG TIME, WE MADE ALL MY
PAINTINGS AT WARNER BROTHERS.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE
SELF-PORTRAITS?
I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT
INSTAGRAM BECAME THIS TOOL.
EVERYBODY SORT OF HAD THE TOOLS
TO BECOME THEIR OWN BRAND AND I
STARTED TO USE THIS LOGO AND
THIS IMAGE IN ASSOCIATION WITH
ALL OF MY WORK AND ALL OF MY
PROJECTS.
IT WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSING, I
HAVE TO ADMIT, BECAUSE PUTTING
YOUR FACE OUT THERE IN THIS WAY
IS, IS, UM...
[TRUCK BEEPING]
OH, SHOULD WE WAIT?
[BEEPING CONTINUES]
DEITCH: WELL, I REMEMBER I HAD
DONE A STUDIO VISIT, THE MFA
STUDENT STUDIOS, AND I NOTICED
THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS
FOLLOWING US AROUND.
ISRAEL: I DON'T REMEMBER THIS.
DEITCH: AND--AND I SAID--
AND THAT WAS ALEX.
I THINK--WERE YOU ONLY A
FRESHMAN AT THAT TIME?
ISRAEL: OH, YEAH. IT'S BEEN
HALF MY LIFE, JEFFREY.
THAT'S HALF MY LIFE, YEAH.
DEITCH: E-EVEN AT MY AGE,
I'M 66 YEARS OLD,
I'M ACTUALLY STILL ABLE TO LOOK
AT THE CURRENT SCENE AND FIGURE
OUT WHAT SOME OF THE MOST
INTERESTING TRENDS ARE AND PUT
IT TOGETHER WITH AN AESTHETIC
AND INTELLECTUAL FRAMEWORK
AROUND IT.
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE PEOPLE EXHIBITION.
IT'S LARGELY INSPIRED BY ONE OF
THE MOST REMARKABLE EXHIBITIONS
IN BOOKS IN RECENT ART HISTORY.
MIKE KELLEY'S "THE UNCANNY."
IT WAS AN EXHIBITION AND A BOOK
PROJECT THAT EXPLORED THE
COUNTERHISTORY OF SCULPTURE.
SCULPTURE COMING FROM
MANNEQUINS, WAX MUSEUMS, A VERY
DIFFERENT HISTORY THAN THE
HISTORY OF SCULPTURE COMING
FROM RODIN, GIACOMETTI, THE
MORE CONVENTIONAL NOTIONS OF
SCULPTURE.
AND YOU SEE IT'S THIS COUNTER-
HISTORY THAT HAS INSPIRED SO
MANY OF THE INTERESTING ARTISTS
TODAY.
ACTUALLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE
PIECE IN THE SHOW THAT IS MORE
TRADITIONALLY MADE.
THAT'S THOMAS HOUSEAGO'S.
THE OTHER VERY INTERESTING
ASPECT OF THIS AND THE ESSENCE
OF "THE UNCANNY" IS THIS
CONFUSION, DELIBERATE
CONFUSION, BETWEEN WHO IS ALIVE
AND WHAT IS AN OBJECT.
SO, THIS WORK BY NARCISSISTER
IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE IN THE
FOREFRONT.
THEN WE ADDED SOMETHING VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THE SHOW, THIS
LIVE MODEL FROM VANESSA
BEECROFT, BECAUSE THE WHOLE
INSTALLATION IS INSPIRED BY A
VANESSA BEECROFT PERFORMANCE
WHERE ALL THE MODELS ARE LINED
UP IN A KIND OF FORMATION LIKE
THIS FACING THE FRONT.
SO, THOSE ARE THE TWO IMPORTANT
REFERENCES.
MIKE KELLEY'S "UNCANNY"
AND VANESSA BEECROFT.
I ALWAYS WORK
FOR A LONG TERM OVER
DEVELOPING IDEAS AND THIS SET
OF IDEAS ABOUT CONTEMPORARY
APPROACHES TO FIGURATION,
WHETHER IT'S IN A PERFORMANCE
MODE, SCULPTURE,
PAINTING--THAT'S ONE OF THE
NEXT SHOWS COMING ON REALISM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTEMPORARY
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FIGURE.
HEY, BILL, HEY.
BILL BELL: CONGRATULATIONS.
MARIA BELL: IT'S SO GREAT.
I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!
DEITCH: YEAH, THIS IS MY SPIRIT.
YEAH.
MARIA BELL: IT'S FANTASTIC.
DEITCH: THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD,
DOESN'T IT?
MARIA BELL: IT DOES.
BILL BELL: I'M RECOGNIZING SO
MANY OLD FRIENDS AND SOME NEW,
YOU KNOW.
DEITCH: WELL, A FEW THINGS.
SO, THE KIKI SMITH IS ALSO MINE.
THAT'S THE ANDY MONUMENT.
YEAH. SO, SO,
THIS IS--THIS SORT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD OF JEFF, ROB,
ASHLEY BICKERTON.
DID YOU SEE THE KARON DAVIS?
I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE KARON
DAVIS, BECAUSE SHE'S A GREAT
ARTIST.
SEE, YOU LOOK, LOOK AT THIS
AND YOU SEE SHE HAS SO MUCH
HUMANITY HERSELF AND SHE'S ABLE
TO TRANSFER THAT HUMANITY INTO
AN INANIMATE OBJECT.
MARIA BELL: SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE
PERSON.
DEITCH: SO, SO, SO...
ONE OF THE OUTSTAND--ONE OF THE
REALLY OUTSTANDING ARTISTS.
BEECROFT: WELL, I'VE, I--SINCE I
KNEW JEFFREY, I ALWAYS THOUGHT
HE WAS A CLASSIC.
SO, HE'S NEVER GONNA DISAPPEAR.
HE'S NEVER GONNA LEAVE.
SO, DESPITE HIS MOVEMENTS--
NEW YORK, L.A., MUSEUM, GALLERY.
I--CURATOR.
I THOUGHT JEFFREY IS JEFFREY.
JEFFREY IS FOREVER.
SO, I'M HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS MY
FIRST DAY IN THIS GALLERY SINCE
THE OPEN AND AGAIN I RECOGNIZE
CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT WERE THE
SAME AS NEW YORK, AND IN THE
EXHIBITION, I SEE HIS IDENTITY.
THAT IS THE ONE OF COLLECTING
GROUPS OF WORKS THAT HAVE A
COMMON DENOMINATOR AND TITLING
THEM WITH SOME VERY CLEVER
CONCEPT.
TO BE HONEST, I DO NOT FOLLOW
THE ART WORLD.
FOR SUPERSTITION, I ALWAYS BEEN
AWAY FROM THE SCENE.
SO, I DON'T EVEN THINK LOCALLY.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT WHEREVER
CONTEMPORARY ART IS, JEFFREY
SHOULD BE AND IS.
DEITCH: OH, GREAT. WELL, SEE,
SEE, BECAUSE, SEE, PEOPLE CAN
RELATE TO PEOPLE.
BEECROFT: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY
SAY. THEY SAY, "WHICH ONE IS
REAL? I DON'T KNOW WHICH
ONE IS." THAT'S WHAT THE
CONCEPT IS.
DEITCH: YOUR--SHE'S PERFECT.
WOW.
SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHAT TO DO.
BEECROFT: I TOLD HER, I SAID,
"YOU'RE A REGAL PERSON."
DEITCH: YEAH.
YEAH.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL--
ALL YOU NEED IS THAT
INSTRUCTION.
YEAH. YEAH.
YEAH.
MAN: THIS IS AMAZING.
IT'S [BLEEP] AMAZING.
DEITCH: YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE
DO. WE DO AMAZING. YEAH.
WAIT JUST A SECOND, ARE WE GOOD?
ARE--ARE WE READY TO LIGHT?
THERE ARE TWO TASKS FOR YOU.
OK? ONE IS JUST TO MONITOR THIS.
MAN: YEAH.
DEITCH: AND THE OTHER IS IN THE
UNLIKELY EVENT THAT SOMEONE,
LIKE, PICKS UP A FRENCH FRY OR
SOMETHING, JUST MONITOR THE
JOSH KLINE. OK? THANKS.
YEAH. SO, YOU CAN STAY IN THIS
AREA.
WOMAN: YOU AND I NEED TO GET
TOGETHER. I GOT SOME AMAZING
[BLEEP] THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
DEITCH: OK.
I WANT TO COME.
WOMAN: ESPECIALLY THE STUFF WE
DID IN BRAZIL.
I'LL TELL YOU, RED LIGHT
DISTRICT, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
DEITCH: OK. OK.
I JUST--I JUST WANT TO--YEAH,
I WANT TO--OK. OK. OK.
OK, SO,
SO, WE DON'T--YOU KNOW, WE'D
LIKE--DON'T--DON'T GET TOO
CLOSE. OK? SO, WE WANT TO KEEP
SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THIS.
BECAUSE IT'S DANGER--IT'S
DANGEROUS.
THIS IS--THIS IS AN AMAZING
THING.
MAN: IT'S AMAZING. IT'S CRAZY.
DEITCH: YEAH.
MAN: WILD, NO?
WHO IS THIS ARTIST?
DEITCH: THIS IS NARCISSISTER.
MAN: WHO?
DEITCH: NARCISSISTER.
NARCISSISTER IS ONE OF THE
ARTISTS I STARTED OFF.
MAN: WHAT? NARCISSIST COLLECTOR?
DEITCH: NARCISSISTER.
MAN: NARCISSISTER.
DEITCH: THAT'S THE ARTIST.
MAN: CRAZY.
FLORES: IT DOES NOT GET ANY
BETTER THAN THAT.
DEITCH: YEAH.
SO, WHAT--BECAUSE IT'S NOT
TOTALLY STABLE, WHAT WE DID IS
WE PUT SOME LITTLE SHIMS
UNDERNEATH.
FLORES: JEFFREY--WHO DOESN'T
KNOW? IF YOU'RE IN THE ART
WORLD, YOU KNOW WHO JEFFREY
DEITCH IS. I HAD SOME WORK AT
PIO PICO, WHICH IS A GALLERY
HERE IN L.A., IN ONE OF THE BACK
ROOMS, AND APPARENTLY, JEFFREY
WAS WALKING THROUGH THE SPACE,
HE WAS MEETING WITH ANOTHER
ARTIST, AND WHEN HE WALKED INTO
THE SPACE, THIS BACK SPACE, HE
SAW MY WORK AND WAS STRUCK BY IT
AND WANTED TO INCLUDE MY WORK.
IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW HE--
HE GOES FROM ONE POSITION TO
ANOTHER AND HOW HE'S ABLE TO
SORT OF MANEUVER AND MAKE
THINGS WORK IN THE WAY THAT HE
WANTS THEM TO WORK.
YEAH. IT'S JUST, LIKE, SUPER,
SUPER INTERESTING TO SEE HIM
COME BACK AND OPEN THIS AMAZING,
HUGE SPACE, AND, YEAH, IT'S
JUST, IT'S CRAZY.
DEITCH: FIRST, THE GALLERY IN
LOS ANGELES IS MORE GROWN UP
THAN WHAT I DID IN NEW YORK
CITY. I STARTED THE NEW YORK
GALLERY WHEN I WAS IN MY LATE
THIRTIES. I'M 66 YEARS OLD NOW.
DIFFERENT STAGE OF LIFE. SO,
IT'S LESS ABOUT THE BIG SOCIAL
PLATFORM OF ITS...I'VE...
I THINK I'VE HAD MY FILL OF
GIGANTIC PARTIES THAT--WHERE THE
PLACE IS TRASHED AFTERWARDS AND
WE HAVE TO SPEND 3 DAYS
CLEANING UP.
I DON'T NEED TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
SATURDAY IS AN ACTIVE DAY AT
THE GALLERY. SO, A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME, "SORRY I
COULDN'T MAKE IT LAST WEEK
DURING YOUR OPENING WEEKEND
BUT WE'RE COMING TODAY." SO, I
AM EXPECTING SOME GOOD VISITORS.
AND ALSO, SATURDAY IS THE
TRADITIONAL DAY TO VISIT A
GALLERY TO
SERIOUS COLLECTORS, MUSEUMS,
PEOPLE WITH WHOM I'VE ALREADY
DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP.
THE MISSION WITH THE GALLERY
HERE IS TO DEVELOP SOME NEW
RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOS ANGELES
COLLECTORS AND OVER TIME BUILD
CONFIDENCE.
GOOD MORNING.
INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE VISION
THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
ARTICULATE. AND I'M CONFIDENT
THAT WE WILL INSPIRE PEOPLE AND
MAKE SOME SALES.
I AM SO FORTUNATE THAT FRANK
GEHRY, AS HE PUT IT, VOLUNTEERED
TO HANDLE THE DESIGN.
ISN'T THIS JUST GREAT?
THIS IS LOS ANGELES.
YEAH, THAT--THAT'S FROM MY
COLLECTION. SO, THIS IS WHAT
THIS WHOLE--WHOLE PROJECT'S
ABOUT. THE ABILITY TO DO SOME
MUSEUM-LEVEL SHOWS HERE.
SO I CAN HAVE FUN. YES.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN SELL
ENOUGH SO THAT I CAN KEEP GOING
BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO DO A
SHOW LIKE THIS.
BLOCK: I WANTED TO GET THAT AT
BASEL.
DEITCH: OH, JOSH KLINE.
HE'S THE BEST.
SO, I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE FOR MY
OWN COLLECTION.
SO, WE HAVE FOUNDATIONAL ARTISTS
LIKE KOONS, KIKI SMITH, DUANE
HANSON.
THEN THE NEXT GENERATION LIKE
FRANK BENSON, THE YOUNGER
GENERATION.
BLOCK: YEAH.
DEITCH: AND YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
IS ABOUT. SO, HE, HE'S VERY
INTERESTED AND, YOU KNOW,
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR ECONOMY
AND FOCUSING ON A KIND OF YOUNG
MAN WHO'S, WHO'S A--WHO'S A
WAITER AT THE TEXAS ROADHOUSE.
BLOCK: RIGHT.
DEITCH: SO, THIS IS AN ACTUAL
PERSON. HE HAD A CASTING AGENT
GO TO BALTIMORE.
THIS GUY WAS CAST AND
THEN BODY SCANNED.
BLOCK: OH, HOW--HOW TERRIFIC.
DEITCH: AND THEN ALL THE
ELEMENTS ARE 3-D PRINTED.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT WORK.
AND THIS IS WHAT I BOUGHT FOR
MYSELF.
YOU CAN BUY THE WHOLE THING.
BLOCK: YEP.
DEITCH: WHICH I WOULD RECOMMEND.
THIS--THESE TWO, THEY'RE 50,000
EACH. THIS ONE IS 60,000.
IF YOU BOUGHT ALL 3,
WE TRY TO MAKE SOME,
MAKE SOME DEAL.
BLOCK: WHAT'S THAT?
IS THAT [INDISTINCT]?
DEITCH: NO, BECAUSE THIS IS AN
ODD PIECE.
THESE--YEAH, THESE ARE ODD.
THESE--THESE ARE NOT
THAT SALEABLE.
BLOCK: REALLY?
DEITCH: YOU WANT TO SEE A GREAT
HARING L.A. II?
I COULD SHOW YOU SOMETHING IN
THE BACK.
BLOCK: YEAH.
DEITCH: OK. WE'LL DO THAT.
WHICH--WHICH IS REASONABLY
PRICED AT A MILLION AND A HALF,
AND SO, YOU CAN MAKE A JUDGMENT
OF WHAT THIS SHOULD BE.
BLOCK: YES, AND I THINK THAT
BARBARA HAD THAT AND THAT
SOMEWHERE OVER THAT.
YOU KNOW, WHERE SHE IS.
DEITCH: WELL, ALSO, THESE ARE
ESTATE PRICES, SO.
YOU WANT TO SEE THE--LOOK THE
SHOW FIRST OR GO IN BACK?
I'LL--I'LL--I'LL HAVE KUGER.
LET'S GO BACK AND HE'LL
GET THE HARING.
KUGER, BILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THE KEITH HARING L.A. II.
SO, I'M GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT
THIS AND WE CAN BRING THE OTHER
ONE OUT.
OK. ISN'T THIS INCREDIBLE?
BUT LOOK AT THE BACK, TOO,
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE.
THIS IS--THIS IS THE KEITH
HARING L.A. II.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT--
REALLY, THE GREAT WORK. IT'S ON
FOUND WOOD LIKE THIS AND I LOVE
THE STREET QUALITY.
BLOCK: YEAH.
DEITCH: OK, SO, WE'RE GOING TO
PUT IT UP FOR YOU.
SO, THE OTHER THING THAT I'M
DOING HERE IS I WANT TO HAVE A
SERIOUS BACK ROOM.
BLOCK: YEAH.
DEITCH: WHICH NOT TOO MANY
PEOPLE ARE DOING IN LOS ANGELES.
YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE THINGS
LIKE THIS HERE.
THIS ACTUALLY NEEDS A REALLY
LONG VIEW. LIKE, IF YOU
SERIOUSLY WANTED TO SEE IT, WE
WOULD SET IT UP SO YOU CAN SEE
IT FROM 30 FEET AWAY.
SO, THIS HAS A REAL STREET
IMMEDIA QUALITY.
SO, THE ORIGIN OF THIS PIECE
IS--DO YOU REMEMBER THE
FIORUCCI STORE?
BLOCK: SURE.
DEITCH: IN MIDTOWN NEAR
BLOOMINGDALE'S?
BLOCK: ...FIORUCCI.
DEITCH: YES. OK.
SO, THE ARTISTS LOVED TO HANG
OUT THERE AND--AND--
BLOCK: WHAT A GREAT BRAND. WHAT
HAPPENED TO IT? [INDISTINCT].
DEITCH: A-AS RUDI GERNREICH
SAID, "FASHION GOES OUT OF
FASHION."
BLOCK: FASHION.
FASHION GOES OUT OF FASHION.
DEITCH: OK? ART DOESN'T IF IT'S
GOOD. AND SO...
BLOCK: WE MUST HAVE MISSED EACH
OTHER AT STUDIO 54.
DEITCH: SO, KEITH WAS
COMMISSIONED. YEAH, YOU CAN SEE
THERE ARE MANY FIGURES HERE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF
KEITH'S WORK OF BRINGING L.A.
II INTO IT AND YOU SEE
ALL THE L.A. II TAGS.
RIGHT. RIGHT.
SOMETHING THAT WHERE KEITH HAD
THIS GENIUS. IT'S--
BLOCK: SO, IT'S
[INDISTINCT] VERSION?
DEITCH: WELL, IT'S
LISTED AS KEITH HARING L.A. II.
THIS IS--THIS IS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE THIS IS KEITH'S CONCEPT
TO BRING IN L.A. II
TO WORK ON THE PAINTING IN--
WHICH HE DIRECTS AND IT'S LESS--
IT'S NOT AN EVEN COLLABORATION
LIKE WARHOL BASQUIAT.
AND ALSO, SEE, I LOVE THIS
HOVERING BETWEEN ABSTRACTION,
FIGURATION, AND THE TAGGING.
HE'S GOT 3 ELEMENTS HERE.
BLOCK: HOW MUCH IS IT?
DEITCH: THIS IS A MILLION AND A
HALF DOLLARS.
BLOCK: AND IT'S WORTH IT.
YEAH.
THAT'S A--THAT'S--THAT'S...
YOU'RE KILLING ME HERE TODAY.
THIS IS GREAT STUFF. [LAUGHS]
IT'S--
DEITCH: WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE
DO.
BLOCK: YES.
MAY I TAKE A SHOT?
DEITCH: OF COURSE.
BLOCK: THANK YOU.
DEITCH: HE HASN'T BEEN HERE YET.
BLOCK: HE HASN'T BEEN HERE?
HE'S GOT--JESUS CHRIST. OK.
"UNCANNY."
DEITCH: YES, THIS IS "UNCANNY."
A LOT OF--A LOT OF INTERESTING
THINGS GO ON HERE.
BLOCK: YES, INDEED.
OK. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
A PHOTO OVER HERE.
UH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL HERE.
DEITCH: JUST BY MY LONGEVITY,
I GUESS, I AM PART OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT
WHERE I SEE MYSELF AT ALL.
IT WOULD BE TRAGIC IF THE ART
WORLD, ART MARKET STRUCTURES
ITSELF JUST TO CATER TO PEOPLE
WHO GIVE BIG MONEY TO MUSEUMS,
WHO BUY MEGA ART, WHO HAVE
PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS.
I AM ALL FOR CONNECTING WITH
PEOPLE WHO LOVE ART AND WANT TO
DO SOMETHING BIG AND EARN A
POSITION TO DO SOMETHING BIG
TO SUPPORT IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
ONE WHO BELIEVES ART IS FOR THE
PEOPLE.
I'M VERY INSPIRED BY THIS
STATEMENT THAT GILBERT AND
GEORGE, GREAT LONDON ARTISTS,
USED--"ART FOR ALL."
EVERY DAY, THERE WERE DOZENS OF
PEOPLE COMING IN, SAYING, "OH,
HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE TO PAY?"
THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT
COMMERCIAL GALLERIES ARE FREE.
THE ONLY THING I CAN DO AT
THIS STAGE, I JUST--I'M JUST
MYSELF AND I DO WHAT I DO.
A THING THAT I CAN OFFER IS ALL
THIS EXPERIENCE AND A
CURATORIAL VISION, AND LUCKILY,
ENOUGH ARTISTS WANT TO BE PART
OF THAT.
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[DIFFERENT MAN SPEAKING
INDISTINCTLY]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MAN: GO THAT WAY. A LITTLE BIT.
COME UP.
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM WAS
MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY
A GRANT FROM ANNE RAY
FOUNDATION, A MARGARET A.
CARGILL PHILANTHROPY. THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS THROUGH THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION.
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURAL AFFAIRS. THE
CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES. AND THE
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL.