The Ladies Who Lunch: Palm Beach Road Trip
“Eve,” Kiki Smith
If you’re thinking this is an exhibition spotlighting the career of that complaint rock band that rose to prominence in the late 1980’s fronted by the soulful singer, Morrissey, you
would be wrong.
By William Fong
Arts Writer
I received a delightful invitation a few weeks ago to make the often-dreaded trek up to Palm Beach County. Two dear friends, members of the Ladies Who Lunch crowd, suggested a trip up
to the opening cocktail party for Art Palm Beach, preceded by a visit to the Palm Beach ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art).
On the afternoon of January 8th, after a few hours of clothing and jewelry decisions, we finally piled into the requisite champagne-colored Jaguar for our road trip. Lots of
incendiary gossip and trash talk of the past few months (Art Basel, local art world people, fashion) kept our attention for most of the tedious journey. The first stop: the Palm Beach ICA.
During its short history, the ICA (opened in Spring 2000) has continuously provided amazing exhibitions, cutting-edge in nature and content, with cohesive curatorial choices and insightful
essays. The main reason I think I favor the exhibitions at the ICA is that they understand the limitations of their space (much like my favorite museum in the U.S. – the Whitney) and never
bite off more than they can chew.
Currently on view, The Smiths, did not disappoint and further anchored the ICA in their role as an organization that consistently is showcasing innovative exhibitions. If you’re
thinking this is an exhibition spotlighting the career of that complaint rock band that rose to prominence in the late 1980’s fronted by the soulful singer, Morrissey, you would be wrong.
This exhibition (complete title – The Smith: Tony, Kiki, Seton) looks at three distinguished artists who all happen to come from the same family. Tony, the patriarch, and two of
his daughters, Kiki and Seton, represent two generations of artists and three very distinct visions.
Tony Smith made a name for himself in the 1960’s and 70’s for his large-scale abstract sculptures, although he worked in a variety of media – including painting, of which there are a
few notable examples in this show. His early training in architecture, as well as an apprenticeship with Frank Lloyd Wright, can be seen in his magnificent cubic, monolithic sculptures.
Kiki Smith, one of the most avant-garde voices of the past two decades, explores multiple media. I was most familiar, as were my cohorts that afternoon, with her sculptural work from
the 1980’s which focused on the body, mostly anthropomorphic in nature with one of the most famous focusing on a woman’s menstrual cycle. Kiki’s younger sister, Seton (the only surviving
twin) is well known for her large-format Cibachrome photographs of architecture. This loss of a twin sibling perhaps manifests itself in the artist’s choice of often presenting work in a
diptych (two-part) format. If you have read my column in the past, you know of my affinity for photography and Seton’s blurry, soft-edged work, which was new to me, most certainly held my
attention.
The opening festivities for Art Palm Beach were much as one would expect. Some grand dowagers of the twin-set set had taken the furs out of cold storage, as well as octogenarians with
wads of cash to spend and the eager gallerists, all to willing to assist them in their endeavors. Many who attended were already comparing the event to the recent Art Basel/Miami Beach. I
have a hard time entering this discourse, as I believe both serve unique functions and different audiences. Palm Beach, with its old guard and money, is often looking for artwork that
reflects this notion of establishment – Old Masters, Impressionists, etc… Most of the patrons of Art Palm Beach consider Warhol and Lictenstein to be the youngest (even though both are
dead) and most cutting-edge artists they are willing to collect. Art Basel is the contemporary art fair – a place where one could find a fresh voice among a new generation of
artists. All in all, a day in Palm Beach was thoroughly refreshing and well worth the I-95 headache. Stay tuned for my next column when I will give you a sneak peek at the recently
renovated Norton Museum in West Palm Beach.
The Smiths: Tony, Kiki, Seton will be on view until March 23, 2003. PBICA is located at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth, FL. For more information call 561-582-0006 or visit
their website at www.palmbeachica.org
William Fong is an art consultant who assists private collectors and corporate clients in the acquisition of art work. He divides his time between Miami and Los Angeles.
