Every week, Artnet News brings you Wet Paint, a gossip column from original scoops. If you have any advice, email Annie Armstrong at [email protected].

ACCOUNTANTS OF THE ART WORLD, GET TOGETHER!

We know all too well who the stars of art are. Gallery owners, artists and curators? Employees of the art industry revere them, mythologize them and flatter them. Hell, I even landed a salaried job to keep tabs on their various escapades. But as we all know, flashy names don’t tell the whole story of the freewheeling art market.

Therefore, the art management company Workshop 4the founder Jonathan Schwartz hosted Registrar of the Year Price in 2019, which comes with a top prize of $5,000. After a hiatus during the pandemic, the awards are back for 2023 and Schwartz is currently accepting nominations.

“Registrars are so important, but they’re pretty low in the pecking order,” said Schwartz, who has liaised with a number of registrars through his company. Fresh paint. “A good registrar is an incredible asset. They are the first and last line of defense! Other good qualities? “They are the paragon of the organization,” he said.

In 2019, the prize was awarded to Sherry Summersan intrepid registrar who has worked with MoMATHE Guggenheimand more recently, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. A full awards ceremony was held at Artists’ space at Chelsea, with the critic Paddy Johnson serving as a juror. This year the awards will take place at Charlotte, North Carolinawhere Schwartz currently resides, and Dr. William U. Eilandwho is director emeritus of the Georgia Art Museum, will serve as judge. Oh, also: a Janis Joplin cover band a already booked to perform at the ceremony, so buy your plane tickets now!

Although the award itself might seem a bit silly, I honestly can’t imagine a position more deserving of recognition. Personally, I can barely keep my social calendar organized, so I have no idea how these guys can keep an entire gallery’s inventory in top shape. Plus, it seems like a somewhat thankless job – the first employee most of my gallery friends will complain about is their registrar.

Schwartz is a source of sympathy for the difficulties of their craft. An arts organization is “a fish that rots from the head down,” he explained. “You have these gallery owners who become museum directors like jeffrey deich. They introduce insane elements into their curation, and registrars have to say, “No, you can’t do that.” It starts with the curator and then the registrar, and we are the last to deal with the exhibition.

Currently, there are only seven nominations listed on the site, with the nomination window closing on Tuesday. Lets go show them some loveWhat do you say?

THE RETURN OF THE ROTH

The newly installed Roth Bar. Courtesy of a tipster.

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ve probably heard me meow about there’s no good place to have a drink. chelsea. i could put Pablo Neruda to shame writing a dirge on the loss of our dear, sweet rusty knot. I reportedwith great sadness, that youhe Hawthorne—one of the last passable dive bars in the area – closed this spring. I refuse to spend $18 on a martini of Food– what is it, the Three Kings? Fuhgeddabout this.

But wait, is it a mirage? An azure spring in an otherwise dry desert? No, I think it’s real!

Good news to all: Hauser & Wirthis loved Roth bar returns to Chelsea this fall, Fresh paint can exclusively confirm. After Labor Day, the bar (which is actually a working art installation made by Dieter Rothhence the name), will begin serving drinks to gallery-weary visitors at openings and events at 443 West 18e Street, the new gallery site which will also house their Publishers Hauser & Wirth library.

To give some context, the Roth Bar has moved a few times since it was designed by Bjorn And Oddur-Roth, Dieter’s sons, in 2015. Their father was known for building a bar in every place he worked, including exhibition facilities. In the early 1980s, he designed the maximal and eventful bar using found materials, often incorporating beer bottles emptied by visiting revelers.

Thus, the Roth Bar became closely associated with the gallery, representing an intergenerational project of the Roth family. It was previously moved to the old Day building on 22nd Street, and temporarily closed when the new complex opens down the street.

Art historical relevance aside, I’m glad I have somewhere I can go for a decent drink while touring the galleries. I’m sure I’ll see you there.

WE HEAR

Cardi Bthe taste of paint was not favored by art world insiders on Twitter… The winner of the Bernard Pres paper work that sold for $127 without guarantee to Phillips In London was a fellow art reporter for the ClothI just love to hear… Peter Brant And Stephanie Seymourtownhouse on 93rd street apparently “hadn’t been touched for 30 years” before being registered for $23 million (what is this housing crisis in New York, Mayor Adams?)… Journalist “Empire of Pain” Patrick Radden Keefe is apparently writing a profile of Larry Gagosian For THE New Yorker… Chelsea Clinton is a closet Jeanette Hayes fan…

Someone told me tonight that Chelsea Clinton is watching my ig stories from her finsta idk what to do with that information

— Jeanette Hayes (@jeanettehayes) July 11, 2023

spotted

Caroline Polachek posing with her Chloe Sage portrait at Marianne Boesky Gallery *** Nope goldin wait for a taxi outside Pitti Bar a rainy Sunday evening *** The ladies of the Lesbian Backgammon League are getting back up and running a game last night at 52 walkerwith Nicole Ripca walk away with the $780 prize after competing with Stefania Bortolami, Ellen Swieskowski, Rachel Rossinand new art world couple Nicole Eisenman And Ambera Wellmanamong many others *** Anthony Haden-Guest was one of the unlucky guests of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.It is flatulent press dinner *** Jessie Landon rent a party bus with Alexander Wang And Mandie Erickson on it for his guerrilla art project outside of Gagosian In chelsea Wednesday night ***

CASTING CALL

Last week I asked you all who you would choose as (1) a unpretentious art student(2) Maurizio Cattelanand (3) a rabid Emmanuel Perrotin in a film about the legendary banana, which continues to be eaten by art students. The winner goes to the artist Hernán Baswho proposed Owen Teague playing student, Crispin Glover play Maurizio, and insisted that Emmanuel really had to play himself, which I love. Thanks Hernan!

I’m going to take a break this week to catch up on sending these hats. See you next time.

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.