Latin American Art, Artists, Artworks, Art Galleries, Museums, Art Community and Art Resources.

An Interview with Peter Fetterman director of Peter Fetterman Gallery.

Peter Fetterman

Peter Fetterman was buzzing around his booth at the Dallas Art Fair as I was walking around. We made eye contact, got closer and asked each other who we were. Great guy with a thick British accent, I had instant chemistry with him. I wasted no time and asked if I could have an interview and he was ready to collaborate with me. It was the last day of the fair and he had many clients coming back to buy what they had seen over the weekend so my visit lasted for over one hour but the interview was only 11 minutes long. 

Laura Cunningham: How long have you been collecting?

Peter Fetterman: I have been collecting for 30 years.

LC: Have you only collected photographs?

PF: That is correct. I specialized in photography from the beginning.

LC: What got you interested in Latin American photography?

PF: I like the humanism in the images and I think that people from Latin America have a genuine sense of caring and reality, basic human values which maybe a lot of other cultures don’t have. They are very nice, kind, sensitive people – full of life – and sensitive to other people’s problems and a sense of humanity.

LC: Have you always had a gallery to display your photographs?

PF: I started as a private dealer for 3 years and then I opened my first public gallery 17 years ago. Now I am based in Santa Monica, California. I am British by birth and I moved to America 30 years ago. I was a film maker but I got seduced by the power of images – still images – and it changed my life.

LC: Do you only collect Black & White photographs?

PF: I deal primarily with Black & White; it is more powerful for me.

LC: Have you ever lived in any Latin American country?

PF: I have not. I would like to.

LC: Would you tell me more about the Latin American photographers you carry?

PF: Sure, I think Sebastiao Salgado is probably the most important living photographer. He was born in Brazil and lives in Paris. He has a really global view. That’s his ethos. I really think he is the greatest living photographer. I spend a big part of my day on him.

Sebastiao Salgado – Gold Mine 1986

LC: What would you consider to be the main difference between Sebastiao Salgado versus Manuel Alvarez Bravo or Tina Modotti or Graciela Iturbide?

PF: I think because he travels so much he documents the world, and I think that both Bravo or Modotti who I love were very confined only to Mexico, where as Salgado is a Brazilian photographer that has a global vision an he is an economist that has an understanding on how the world works in particular how the third world works and how its relationship with the first world works because of his training as an economist. He is not just a photographer; he is a highly intelligent, analytical person with a great talent, with a great vision and he knows how to tell stories and he knows how to move people and he knows how to show things that he wishes.  

Manuel Álvarez Bravo – El Sueño 1931

LC: Do you collect any other type of art; paintings, sculptures…

PF: Occasionally, I collect some paintings, I like drawings, and sometimes I trade with other art dealers. Over the years you find things you fall in love with.

LC: What moves you?

PF: My daughter “princess Charlotte” and theatre.

LC: What’s your favorite play?

PF: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, It makes me cry every time I see it.

This was a little bit about Peter Fetterman. A gentleman, easy to talk to. I hope to visit his gallery soon and pick his brain a little more so I may share with all of you. If you want to learn more about the photographers he represents, please visit www.PeterFetterman.com.

Until next time,

Laura Cunningham

Director

Art Fairs, Artists, Collections, Dallas Art Fair, Exhibitions, Fine Art, Galleries, General Arthur Miller, Black & White, California, collectors, Dallas Art Fair, Death of a Salesman, gallery, Graciela Iturbide, Latin America, Latin American photography, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, paintings, Peter Fetterman Gallery, photographer, photographs, photography, private dealer, Santa Monica, sculptures, Sebastiao Salgado, still images, theatre, Tina Modotti

At 10am, the first part of the controversial symposium “Finding Frida” took off. The owners of the Noyola Collection Carlos Noyola and Leticia Hernandez de Noyola started the presentation talking about how they met sharing their love and dedication to art collecting and to their Art and Antiques store located in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. After telling us how proud they are of their children who followed in their steps, they went on to tell us how Frida Kahlo got between them to never let go and how they share a passion for her works like nobody they know. The Noyola’s are here at the Dallas Art Fair to vindicate themselves by corroborating the authenticity of the works of Frida Kahlo which they have gathered throughout the years. They printed a book called “Finding Frida Kahlo”. They are also trying to reassert us by showing a video of how they have obtained validation from several sources including Arturo Garcia Bustos, Arturo Estrada, Chavela Vargas, Rina Lazo and Diego Maria Alvarado Rivera.  

James Oles

After proudly playing the video, they were immediately questioned by James Oles about the documentation supporting the provenance of the works. James Oles is a professor of art history at Wellesley College, curator of Latin American Art and researcher of the Frida Kahlo archives at the Casa Azul Museum in Mexico City. Trying to be as unbiased as possible, I really wanted for the Noyola’s to prove their point. Who doesn’t want this collection to be authentic? Nobody. But there are very valid issues that overcloud the provenance and authenticity of the collection. Followed by James Oles was Mary Ann Martin. Mary Ann Martin is the owner and director of Mary Ann Martin Fine Art in New York City and she is one of the leading dealers of Latin American Art in the United States. She was asking the Noyola’s about how in the 90’s, they mentioned the source of the provenance of the collection to one newspaper as being from Manuel Marque and later on they told a different newspaper that the source was Abraham Jimenez Lopez. The question confused the Noyola’s; they seemed unorganized and struggled to answer the question as though they did not understand it. Their advisor Jed Paradies came into their rescue only to be shut down by moderator Jason Edward Kaufman pointing out the uncertainty of their rationale of where the artworks ultimately come from. After the symposium, we walked into the salon where 56 pieces from the Noyola collection were exhibited. Within 15 minutes, there were basically two groups; one consisting of the Noyola’s explaining why the collection is authentic and where they got it from and the arguments to prove their claims.

Dr. Salomon Grimberg

The other group gathered first around Dr. Salomon Grimberg who is the co-author of the Frida Kahlo catalog raisonné “Frida Kahlo, Das Gesamtwerk” and one of the leading experts of her work. Later on, another group gathered around James Oles who was absolutely certain that mostly every piece they were showing was a fake. Oles pointed out how the flag that reads “Viva Trosky” was misspelled (Trotsky is the correct spelling) and how the fact that the Noyola’s obtained 1200 works; 40+ original paintings that no Frida Kahlo nor any Latin American Art expert had ever seen or heard about. These details raised most of his claims. Finding Frida part II comes tomorrow. We will be there and I cannot wait to write about it. 

Until tomorrow,

Laura Cunningham

Director

Art Fairs, Artists, Exhibitions, Fine Art, Galleries, General Abraham Jimenez Lopez, Art and Antiques, Arturo Estrada, Arturo Garcia Bustos, Carlos Noyola, Casa Azul Museum, Chavela Vargas, curator of Latin American Art, Dallas Art Fair, Das Gesamtwerk, Diego Maria Alvarado Rivera, Dr. Salomon Grimberg, Finding Frida, Finding Frida Kahlo, Frida Kahlo, James Oles, Jason Edward Kaufman, Latin American Art expert, Laura Cunningham Director of LatinAmericanArt.com, Leticia Hernandez de Noyola, Manuel Marque, Mary Ann Martin, Noyola Collection, researcher of the Frida Kahlo, Rina Lazo, San Miguel de Allende, symposium, Trotsky, Wellesley College

The Dallas Art Fair has been even greater than expected and I have met the nicest people. Many of whom are responsible for shaping the art world; others who are responsible for shaping the Latin American Art world and still others who are art enthusiasts and complete the ensemble. After hours of walking and talking to numerous gallery owners, getting to know them and getting the information I was looking for, I walked into the familiar warmth of a colleague who welcomed me into her booth.

Patricia Ruiz-Healey is owner and director of Ruiz-Healey Fine Art in San Antonio, TX. Patricia Ruiz-Healy holds a Masters Degree in Art History from the University of Texas in San Antonio. She also did Post-Graduate work in London at the Sotheby’s Institute and at the Coartauld Institute of Art. She is a PhD student at UT Austin working towards a Doctorate in Latin American Studies and clearly knows what she is all about. With a finicky attitude, she welcomes clients into her space and with visible pride, shows them what her gallery has to offer. Often taking works from the back to pull their interest and educating them further about the works.

In addition to Carlos Betancourt and Rodolfo Choperena, Ruiz-Healey Fine Art is also showcasing the artworks of Cecilia Paredes, Pedro Friedeberg and Cecilia Biagini among others. Patricia talked to me briefly about the artists she represents and their artwork so I could gather information about them for my articles. It was hard to hold a conversation with so many clients constantly walking in. She then informed me that one of the artists she represents: Carlos Betancourt was at the Fair and tried to locate him for me but he was gone. We then set up an interview for Saturday with Betancourt and also with Rodolfo Choperena which I will share with you once I am done with the transcripts.

Until then,  

Laura Cunningham

Director

Art Fairs, Artists, Exhibitions, Fine Art, Galleries, General art enthusiasts, art world, Atists interviews, Carlos Betancourt, Cecilia Biagini, Cecilia Paredes, Coartauld Institute of Art, Dallas Art Fair, Exhibitions, Fine Art, gallery owners, latin american art, Latin American Studies, Laura Cunningham is owner and Director of LatinAmericanArt.com, Patricia Ruiz-Healey, Pedro Friedeberg, Rodolfo Choperena, Ruiz-Healey Fine Art, San Antonio Galleries, Sotheby’s Institute, University of Texas in San Antonio, UT Austin

Marika Rivera died on Jan 14-2010 at 90 years old. Diego Rivera’s daughter Marika Rivera was living in a nursing home and had advanced dementia. She was a talented dancer and actress of several small movies including “Darling”, “The Girl on a Motorcycle” and “Hotel du Paradis” amongst others. Marika was born to Diego Rivera’s lover – Russian artist Marevna Vorobieff and was known to have a strong and fierce personality. Farewell.

Alberto Giacometti’s “Walking Man I” has reached the highest price ever paid for an artwork at auction. A life size bronze sculpture of a walking man was the subject of nearly ten bidders’ enthusiasm that made them go loony on each other for about 8 minutes at the Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale in London. Giacometti’s “Walking Man I” sold for $104.3 million dollars tonight breaking Picasso’s world record for “Boy With a Pipe” which fetched $104.1 in 2004 at Sotheby’s in New York. Sotheby’s expected the sculpture to be sold for a maximum bidding price of $28.8 million. Giacometti’s prior selling record was $27.4 million set at Christie’s New York in 2008.

The Dallas Art Fair opens on Friday February 5^th at the Dallas Fashion Industry building in Downtown Dallas Arts District. More than 50 art dealers from 15 cities will devote their energy into promoting the artists they represent. Having lived in Dallas for 15 years, it is energizing to see the art world morph from “barely there” to “all over the place”. And not only that the art scene has grown exponentially but the quality is now superb. Dallas is quickly growing into a real cosmopolitan city especially after the renovation and development of what is now Victory Park; a new area near Downtown Dallas and walking distance from Uptown. If you have not been there, it is worth the visit. I will attend the Dallas Art Fair this weekend and will tell you all about it. Exciting!

Laura Cunningham

Director

Art Fairs Alberto Giacometti, art dealers, art scene, Auction, Christie’s, Dallas Arts District, Dallas Fashion Industry, Diego Rivera, Downtown Dallas, Marika Rivera, Picasso, Sotheby’s, The Dallas Art Fair, Victory Park