An Inside Look at the NY Artworld

I Bought Andy Warhol by Richard Polsky is a great read. It is the documentation of Polsky's multi-year quest to purchase and own a key work by Warhol.

Polsky has had a gallery, been an independent dealer, and now writes the terrific Hold/Buy/Sell (or something like that) column in the Artnet.com magazine.

The book is terrific for its insider's gossip, although I am certain several of Polsky's real-life characters are no longer speaking to him. (Yep, there's dirt here.)

Pay special attention to:

• The "right" type of shoes to wear in the art biz. (I swear.)
• The carefully cultivated image of Mary Boone.
• The glimmering opening of Pace Gallery in L.A.

Polsky admits: "Each year, thousands of (freshly minted) artists graduate from art school, ready to colonize new territories. The harsh reality is that as soon as you leave the security of art school, you're on your own. To succeed as an artist, you have to use almost as much creativity to figure out a career strategy as you do to make the art itself." (page 133)

I Bought Andy Warhol is a must-read for any artist considering the New York gallery scene or top-tier galleries in other parts of the country.

Comments

[Richard Polsky]

Hi Alyson,

Thanks for your nice write-up. Give me a call some time: 415-793-7764

Best,
Richard Polsky