Comments on: Episode 168: Derek Guthrie

By: Ben Sarao

Ben Sarao — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:44:57 +0000

ALMOST FORGOT… a little piece of NAE publishing-distribution trivia!

During the first years that the NAE was published, it was delivered by car to the various outlets by Derek Guthrie and company in the rain, snow or blistering heat of Chicago.

In the early summer of 1976, Rizzoli International opened a bookstore in Water Tower Place. I was the first magazine manager at Rizzoli Chicago. A small publication distributor, BOB’S News of Hyde Park asked me to carry some of their independent titles and I did. Bob of BOB’S News was usually having issues with the Hudson News Company as he was one of the only competitors in the Chicago news distribution market.

Several weeks after beginning to receive titles from BOBS News, Derek Guthrie came to Rizzoli and asked if Rizzoli would carry the NAE. I learned that Derek or someone on the NAE staff would bring the papers on a monthly basis. I thought that the NAE delivery mode was ineffective. I suggested that NAE hook up with BOB’S News that delivered independent publications to a wide range of Chicago outlets. Soon thereafter, the NAE was carried by BOB’S News. Several years later when BOB’s News merged (not sure if merged is the correct term) with the Hudson News Company, the NAE had access to national distribution… hence, the multiple city expansion of the NAE and the eventual undoing of Chicago’s NAE enterprise.

Sorry…

By: Ben Sarao

Ben Sarao — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:22:30 +0000

If you consider the dynamics of 1973 to 2009, paper and ink have been replaced by our computers and keyboards. Hopefully, good art will remain as good art. Good art criticism will prevail and the bad or undeserved art criticism will be forgotten in time.

Galleries open and close. Some people remain on the art stage longer than others and continue to tell other want they believe is true… their truth.

I remember the NAE as being one of the few art publications that centered on art in Chicago. Unfortunately, the NAE lost it’s mission when it spread it’s focus to other cities. Because, unlike Artforum or Art in America, the NAE from it’s inception was like having a barn with a fire in it. You can put out a small fire and save a barn, and, you can even rebuild one barn. But, when there are several barns in separate cites, it is hard to have a fire starter mentality and not burn out.

Regarding this blog… it use to be said that you should never fight city hall or argue with people who buy ink by the barrel.

I like electronic ink better… as long as someone doesn’t pull the plug.

By: jill peterson

jill peterson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:37:07 +0000

i read your rant about murals, sid sachs. you talk a lot about the insignificance of money?

By: Sid Sachs

Sid Sachs — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:44:17 +0000

I found a lot of this dialog insular and crass but also it was amazing to me that there would still be so much of a response. I brought The New Art Examiner to Philadelphia in 1980 and there was an office here for 16 years. It provided a venue for more criticism of art in Philadelphia than had ever been provided before or since. We now have artblog which is an online blog and it tells me a lot about the local scene. But the New Art Examiner put Philadelphia out into the world and it interacted with Washington, Chicago, Ohio etc. We weren’t in it for the money. We just wanted there to be a dialog.

By: Shooting The Blog With ezimmerman « ‘Bout What I Sees

Shooting The Blog With ezimmerman « ‘Bout What I Sees — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:44:34 +0000

[...] JOURNALISM NYTimes article ARTicles post and subsequent posts ART CRITICISM Art criticism and the subsequent discussion about Chicago artworld (what a wild read!) ART BLOGGING Art blogging [...]

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:18:09 +0000

OG, yes you may. If you have an questions or wish to contact us, please email us at badatsports@gmail.com

By: OG

OG — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:50:06 +0000

Hey BadatSports, can I post a link to Derek’s interview Episode 168 on his A-B on iTunes U podcast? http://itunes.ab.edu

By: The Shark

The Shark — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:01:40 +0000

Michael, I think ressurecting NAE at a time when we see print failing -everywhere -is a fools errand…..I like you and think you are pretty sharp, believe your contribution here has been huge -but not on this one.

Money spent supporting a few very serious ezine websites -very tied in to analog events on the ground makes so much more sense. I feel that at a time when we really need your great energy here in Chicago -you are not thinking about what the problems are here -and why is it you believe resurrecting an old model will help solve them- I don’t think you are thinking through this very clearly -and I feel it is a waste of your time and talent-

By: Mark Staff Brandl

Mark Staff Brandl — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:45:13 +0000

Here’s a link to the article Michael mentioned:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/thebusiness/081211/

By: Michael Workman

Michael Workman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:20:02 +0000

Deeana Isaacs wrote an article about all this for the Reader to publish this Thursday. Give it a read, and do come to the event on Dec. 12 at 7:30 pm, on Friday, December 12th, at 1530 N. Paulina Suite F. Free drinks.