There have been persistent murmurs in the art world about the imminent (market) demise of the so-called Zombie Formalism movement, a kind of colorful, undemanding type of abstract painting that’s commanded astronomical prices for the past few years. Dire predictions and a few disappointing auction results aside, the evidence is hardly overwhelming.
And yet, looking ahead to the fall’s most anticipated openings, there appears to be a preponderance of shows that feature gallerywide installations, immersive video art, and site-specific objects, most of which are about as living-room-wall-friendly as a grenade.
“It seems painting is not the medium of choice at the moment, especially abstraction,” says art adviser Eleanor Cayre. “A lot of people are starting to take video more seriously.”