Much of the art world revolves around questions of value, not just in terms of appraisals and price tags, but also: what is worth your time in These Times, and your energy? , your attention and, yes, your hard-earned money?
What calculations do you make to determine the meaning and value of something? What moves you? What enriches your life? In this new series, we ask individuals from the art world and beyond about the assessments they make on a personal level.
Philip Bogart Duncan bets on the future of printing and photography in a concrete way. When Duncan, former associate artistic director at vogue, and fellow fashion industry veteran Charles Daigrepont Desselle took a break from their busy career during the pandemic, inspiration struck. Longtime colleagues imagined daisy chain magazine – a provocative, photo-focused new bi-annual publication highlighting the medium in all its glorious and motley guises. Now, the inaugural “Space” issue has arrived, featuring a playful mix of talent including Vince Aletti and Emma Summerton, as well as Thibaut Grevet, Shaniqwa Jarvis, Kuba Ryniewicz and Zeng Wu. Images from these contemporary artists bring a new context for a selection of well-known works by Irving Penn, Viviane Sassen and others. Each upcoming issue of the richly illustrated and decidedly fun magazine will be organized around a new theme and will bring together seasoned talent, young emerging photographers and a few art historical images for good measure.
Phillip Bogart Duncan at Lilejstrand House, Honolulu.
For Duncan, working on daisy chain everyday is the real dream. But he balances work with the right measure of fun – and he certainly knows how to live well. In his spare time, Duncan love flying to Hydra and swimming in the Aegean Sea. Why is he saving? A beach house on top of a cliff. Sign us up! Recently, we caught up with Duncan and discussed what he values in art and life, and why. Keep your eyes peeled for the second issue of daisy chainmeanwhile, in the fall of this year.
What’s the last thing you splurged on?
A new iPhone, organic pancake mix.
What are you saving for?
A beach house on a high cliff.
A new friend in Hydra, Greece.
What would you buy if you found $100?
Used books and old magazines. I look for used bookstores everywhere I go, which can be a heavy load, but I like the randomness, the things you can’t find elsewhere.
I recently bought a stack of French photo magazines from the 70s and 80s for a robbery, and a American camera magazine from 1967. Recent books are by Bill Brandt nudes ($15) and Fassbender’s movie stills (new).
What makes you feel like a million bucks?
Swimming in the Aegean Sea. I grew up camping on the Northern California beach, I love the California coast the most, nowhere is more beautiful, I also learned to appreciate the warm, still waters.
Phillip and Charles, co-founders of daisy chainIn Milan.
What do you think is your greatest asset?
daisy chainCharles’ co-founder, he is brilliant, always focused on the vision and charting the way forward. Thank goodness for Charles.
What do you appreciate most in a work of art?
“There is only one thing of value in art, the thing you cannot explain.” – Georges Braque
In press for daisy chain problem 1.
Who is an emerging artist worthy of everyone’s attention?
For me, the most interesting thing that emerges is all the work of people who were not included in the canon and are now celebrated.
Work on daisy chain allowed me to know and collaborate with people with whom I had no reason to work before. Two notable contributors are Kuba Ryniewicz and Zeng Wu. Kuba is Polish and lives in the UK, he is queer and has a big heart which shines through in his photographs. He shot a beautiful portfolio in his hometown of Puszczykowo, Poland, from his observations, friends, family, and a few curious men.
Zeng Wu is based in Shanghai. It is very established in China but less known in the West. I love its mix of technology and romance. He took a crew to Zhangjiajie (which is worth googling) to shoot in an epic cave. We wanted a strong, original Sci-Fi shoot, and Zeng Wu delivered.
daisy chainissue 1, spring 2023.
Who is an unknown artist who has not yet received his due?
In daisy chain, it is important for us to seek out lesser known works. We want to present the art of a variety of people; different eras, styles, the forgotten, the forgotten and the omitted. In issue 1, we were honored to include a beautiful photograph of Melvin Sokolski died last August. He is someone who is famous but who may not have had his due, he took risks and had a great sense of humor in his work.
What is your most valuable asset?
My health! I also have a great photo by Lee Friedlander of a Corvette behind a chain link fence which I love, and a photo Hans Feurer gave me of his very first shot with the telephoto lens for VogueParis in 1970.
What was your best investment?
Travel the world. I started working pretty hard right after college. I spent all my money in faraway places, so worth it.
What is something small that means the world to you?
My eyes. I’m so glad they still work for the most part.
Phillip Bogart Duncan and Ann Young Lee in Jordan.
What do you think is a good cause?
My dear friend, Ann Young Lee, runs HEARTa global crisis response organization, doing amazing and backbreaking work in underserved communities around the world, including Ukraine, Turkey, Haiti, and even the United States. Huge respect for all the people who do this work, they work hard and have a huge impact.
What do you aspire to?
Keep building and improving daisy chain and swim in the ocean every day.
Follow Artnet News on Facebook:
Want to stay one step ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive breaking news, revealing interviews and incisive reviews that move the conversation forward.
