Bone crushin' hugs n' harmony

 
The biggest lesson to take away from the Affordable Art Fair-- price your work at affordable prices (*like, duh*) and make sure they're really cute. Anything outside of that realm didn't fare too well. So whether it was the discount robots of R. Nick Kuszyk of Brooklyn's McCaig-Welles Gallery, ($30-$300 range) or the previously mutliple mentioned squirrels of Macha Suzuki of L.A.'s Sam Lee Gallery ($600 framed, $500 unframed), the game was anted up to new levels of almost queasingly cute.

Take one Ross Bonfanti, pictured at left, displayed by AWOL Gallery in Toronto. Stripping the stuffed animals of their stuffing, he disembowels them with a vengeance, then fills them with wet concrete, leaving them to harden. Suddenly, they have been HULKED. Yes, that's a word-- HULKED. Highly NOT recommended for the nursery, these "toys" could pack a whollop if used for purposes of evil. I also wouldn't recommend them for the nightmare-challenged. Attack of the Killer Stuffed Animals could certainly be a Troma pictures new release at any moment.

Either way, I love how the pieces of felt are still left behind on the violated bodies, clinging for dear life, as well as the sweet little eyes and noses still intact. It's an interesting take on transformation, as well as a nice look into how what we view as "innocent" or "safe" might really be something quite different underneath its exterior. And at only $500 a pop, these things were flying off their pedestals.

Definitely one to watch.

Sure enough, the squirrels are almost sold out

 
Only a few are left, and they are priced to sell at only $500! The artist is the brilliant Macha Suzuki.

Click here for his website.

http://www.machasuzuki.com/

Some very interesting work.

Suzuki comes courtesy of Sam Lee Gallery of Los Angeles, CA.

http://www.samleegallery.com/

One more day left of Affordable Art Fair.

It's seriously worth going this year.

http://www.aafnyc.com/

Affordable Art Fair worth checking out for wood and squirrels

 
Truth be told, in past years this has usually been a hit or miss fair, but certainly one where serious bargains can be found. This year, though-- there's some great surprises to be had. Soon to come on the Musings, the name of the artist and photos of the best work of the show--HECK, the YEAR-- the pen and ink drawings of the deviant Mexican wrestling mask squirrel. He's a cutie, and ready for a dirty fight. Watch out for wicked claw marks!!

But in the interim, please check out Brooklyn's always fantastic Like the Spice Gallery. Not only is Marisa Sage, the owner, one of the most genuinely cool people in the art world, but she displays some seriously kick-ass artists. Anna Druczc is another of my faves of hers, but to me this event is all about optical illusionist Rachel Beach. If the undulating ribbons of color don't get you, the flower power cutouts will. Sure to be a main draw. Check it out. Tonight from 6-9 is the preview party, then the fair runs till Sunday.

Go to http://www.aafnyc.com/ for more details.