David’s Art Sale

David’s Art Sale began in Darlinghurst, Sydney, as a pop-up art installation about the idea of selling art, a theme I’ve played with for 30 years. A hybrid shop-gallery that also served as my homage to Sydney stores I’ve loved and lost*.

I do love retail. Big brash discount signs full of exclamation points and “erroneously-placed” quotation marks!!! The eternal CLOSING SALE in every rug shop. Stores that are brightly lit to make them feel affordable, and shops lit by candles to make them feel expensive. I love every trick and trope.

Art galleries are shops too but we rarely see them that way because the prices are hidden and the people are posh and there’s lots of room between the works to make them feel fancy. David’s Art Sale was and remains my chance to play with these ideas, and to throw in some discount art for good measure.

* Stores I’ve loved and lost: In Sydney: Gowings, Skin Deep, Weirdo’s, Middle Class Fantasies, every Aussie milk bar. And Little Ricky in NYC.