Ian Robertson Duncan

I am participating in an exhibition and performance in Taipei, at the Taiwan Folk Arts Museum.  The title of the exhibition is translated as Painting With Silk String and its topic is the relationship between painting and the qin.  I wrote an essay for the exhibition and have posted it here: Art and Qin.

The opening reception is November 5th (2-5pm), and the performance is on November 14th (2-5pm) - drop by if you’re in the neighborhood!

Here is a scan of the poster (click on the image to see it bigger):

Thanks for your interest!

Ian

I am initiating a project called the Gift Network in order to develop further the ideas of value and exchange in the context of making and owning (or experiencing) art that I was exploring with the Auction last fall. The structure of the project will be as follows. Paintings will be given to interested and willing participants, who in turn will agree to give the paintings again within a year of receiving the Gift. The paintings will thus remain community property, but will be hosted by a series of individuals - like you! If you are interested in participating in this project please email me at ian@wingedway.com. Clearly there are many details to work out, and paintings to be painted, but I will keep you posted.

I am indebted to Charlie Ledley, whose generous commission of a large painting this year will go a long way toward supporting the initial paintings in the Gift Network.

If you are interested in supporting this project by way of commission or donation, drop me a line.

Winged Way is not yet a 501c3 organization, so donations are not tax-deductible.

Saturdays in March and April at 10:30am at Winged Way I will teach a simple, powerful series of forms that I learned from my teacher, Master Zhongxian Wu. This Saturday, 3/14 will be the first class. In each class we will practice the same series of forms.

There are four parts to what I will teach: Tu Gu Na Xing (Take in the new, release the old), Shaking (Inner Dancing and Drumming), Three Treasures, and Closing. They are strong, fundamental forms that are part of my daily practice. Also, for those who have not felt qi before, this series is effective at introducing you to this sensation. If you are an old hand with other forms, I am sure you appreciate the power of these forms. The class is for all levels.

These forms are part of the Classical Shamanic Tradition from Mt Emei. (My teacher is the lineage holder, and I will teach the form precisely as I was taught.) It will take about an hour and a half.

Click here for an explanation of Qi and Qigong on this website.

Space is limited - Please RSVP to save your spot.

Schedule:

3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25

10:30am

Please be on time or a little early - once we start we wont answer the door…thanks!

Hope to see you!

Address and phone:

273 Grand St, 4E
NY NY 10002
(646) 221-0591

Thanks everybody! The auction was great fun and a great success!

Many thanks to all who participated in all your many ways.

I create the paintings as an offering to my community. You are my community, and the exhibition and auction constitute the performative ritual to gift that offering to you. In exchange, I ask that you offer the appropriate sacrifice. In the auction format, the person willing to make the greatest sacrifice receives the offering. In this case the currency of exchange is the good old greenback. Ideally, the sacrifice could be measured with respect to resources -i.e. the wealthy pay more and the less wealthy pay less. Some of my most meaningful sales have come from fellow artists who have had to pay monthly installments over a long period of time. That’s sacrifice! I havent found a way to accommodate this difference in resources yet, but my interest in making the art available to anyone is significant in my decision to handle my exhibition and sales independent of a third party gallery or art dealer.

As it is my intention to re-describe the transfer of value (sale of art) in these terms, it is also important to me to energize the moment of value transfer via the incantation of the auctioneer. Auction chant is beautiful. Beauty conducts value like gold conducts electricity. Here is a beautiful example of Cecil Ward’s chant at a livestock auction in 1964. And here is Stenson Clontz in 1985. Amazing!

For the Legs Icon Auction on November 23rd, 2008, the bidding will be guided by the chant of auctioneer Michael Powers. Michael cut his auctioneering teeth at large vintage car sales in Puerto Rico. We are in for a ride and a treat - but dont worry! - he will only chant as fast as you can hear him!

First, the data:

What: All the paintings in the exhibition, Legs Icon, will be sold via live auction.

How: They will be sold absolute, with no reserve – that is to say, no minimum price.

Where and When:

If you would like to place bids over the phone, via a representative, during the live auction, please contact me.

Deals and Details:

• Admission is FREE. Registration is REQUIRED. (If you place a bid we need to know who you are and that you agree that you are responsible for your bid.) You can register in two ways: create an account on the Winged Way Auctions site, or in person at the Housing Works on the 23rd.

I would like to encourage you to get involved in the Winged Way Auctions website, and so I am offering you these incentives:

• Free copy of Legs Icon: Exhibition and Auction Catalogue if you register for the auction by creating a Winged Way Auctions account. (It will otherwise cost $10.)
• $100 discount if you place a winning bid online. (So, bid as high as you can on a piece online, and if no one is will to pay more, then you saved $100.)

I would also like to encourage you to become patrons while my work is still modestly priced, and to remain patrons as the value of my work grows. So, for this auction, and for all future purchases of paintings directly from me, I offer you this:

• 10% discount to patrons (i.e. you currently own a painting by me, Ian Robertson Duncan). If you are a first time buyer, and you buy more than one piece at this sale, this discount will apply to all but the most expensive piece you buy.

Wherefore: Sounds like fun to me!

See also “The Auction: Statement of Intent.”

The exhibition and auction catalogue is now available. Click here to download the PDF. It is a large file - it might take a minute. The catalogue includes images and lot numbers of all the paintings in the current exhibition and in the upcoming auction on November 23rd at Housing Works. It also includes the essay on the exhibition by Natasha Becker: “When Likeness Breaks With Likeness.” The physical catalogue will be available for $10 at the gallery (beginning Saturday, November 15th), at the auction, and can be ordered online here.

Images and posts relevant to the current exhibition can be seen by clicking on the category “CURRENT SHOW” in the left sidebar. The images are also posted on Winged Way Auctions (the bidding has already begun!).

Drop by to see the work in person!

Open 11-6

Wednesday - Sunday

Winged Way

273 Grand Street, 4th floor

NY NY 10002

ian@wingedway.com

646.221.0591

Check it out here.

Check it out here.