The Art Daddy's Weekly Daddy Wrap Up: Frieze LA and Lisa Schiff NYT Profile Edition 2/19/25
All the art daddy news that's fit to print
There is a lot that has already started to unfold in 2025 daddies. While we are still early in the year, there have been a number of unique circumstances that are actively playing a role in shaping the art market and art events. From the fires last month in LA, to pending tariffs that could affect the shipment of art and even supplies for artists, and general art news, it's been a lot to process. Also, there is currently flooding in LA so I am now concerned for the VIP day and the Frieze tent so please keep me updated there.
We are all just trying to do our best and sometimes we get thrown a curveball. Take last week. Things seemed to be progressing in a positive direction then, bam! I have was down for almost 5 days with Norovirus. It was no joke daddies and it was the inner cleanse I didn't need and would only wish on a few mortal enemies. I am back at it this week, and am starting to feel more like my daddy self every day.
This week has been marked with some miraculous art world headlines and there is always a lot to process in our industry. On top of it, last Friday was Valentine's Day. While I do not subscribe to a commercially created holiday that promotes late stage capitalism, one thing I have always enjoyed is creating valentine's cards. This year is no different and mine have taken on a digital form again and a physical one for some of you who were lucky enough to receive this gift. Please daddies accept my 2025 batch of funny art world valentines for you and yours this year. Because nothing says love like Larry Gogosian asking a woman 40 years younger than him to sign an NDA, wear little to no clothing at a Met event, and to accompany him to other things as it happens.
There was also a NYT profile from yesterday that I couldn’t add a little commentary on. And with Frieze LA and also Felix starting this week you know I also had to share some thots on that. Keep reading daddies for all that and more.
Here are all the art daddy headlines that are fit to print for the last week with a few extra things thrown in.
LA Art Faris Open Despite Last Month’s Major Weather Events
Fresh off Mexico City, the art world is now flocking to LA for the next series of fairs. As if things weren’t scary enough after the historic fires last month, and also flash flooding that parts of LA county saw over the weekend, now locals must endure art world people. This week the fourth edition of Frieze LA opens at the Santa Monica Airport, as well as Felix. However, this year Spring Break opted out citing the fires and larger financial issues. Instead they mounted a virtual fair which seems like the stupidest idea ever since we are no longer in lockdown and frankly virtual viewing rooms now give me PTSD and also don’t do anyone any favors.
Daddies entering Frieze LA.
While I understand the show must go on, holding the fairs this year seems just wrong to me on so many levels. First off, besides looking callous, there are also larger concerns about resources being diverted from people in the LA community who lost everything now being used to service the art fairs. Some are arguing this is bringing money into the local economy. I just have visions of the Frieze VIP tent blowing over then being swept away in a flash flood to the ocean.
There are also larger concerns around what this may mean for local ecosystems there. To my mind, the only other natural disaster that can be compared to in recent memory is the fires in Honolulu from 2024. The fires are reshaping the insurance industry as well as others. And as people still are rebuilding, many of the chemicals and things that burned in the fires are likely affecting social and local wildlife and people in the area. Well for now, I guess the art world will continue on like White Lotus touting a self contained fantasy that keeps them insulated from interacting with reality.
Lisa Schiff’s Too Well Timed NYT Profile
This week the NYT’s art section profiles disgraced art advisor Lisa Schiff. I have a lot of thoughts on this. The piece entitled “Adrt Adviser. Friend. Thief” is a little predictable and frankly boring.
In January she filed for bankruptcy. And now she’s back it in her new Times profile looking to flip the narrative script as it were. TBH i am a little bored with Zachary Smalls lately and seeing his shared byline on this felt like low hanging fruit. In the piece, Schiff via the narrative seems to be aiming for some kind of redemption story. TShe currently resides in a 2-bedroom apartment in Stuyvesant Town. Which btw according to Zillow the average cost is around $5k, and her parents now pay it according to the NYT.
Last spring rumors began to fly that she had stolen from collectors and then the lawsuits came. In October, Schiff pled guilty to $6.5 million in fraud charges which were revealed to be part of a larger ponzi scheme. In court documents that were filed from last August it also came to light that in addition to the two suits, there are over 40 entities ranging from collectors, estates, galleries, and brokerage firms to others who had filed similar claims against her. Some of the plaintiffs included the artist Seffa Klein, Institute of Contemporary Art Boston trustees Brian and Karen Conway, Sotheby’s Private Sales, Stephen Friedman Gallery, and Frestonian Gallery.
Her sentencing is scheduled for next month and she is facing up to 20 years in prison. She did also enter a PhD program at the Graduate Center but did not complete it. The article tries to paint her as remorseful and trying to turn a new leaf but with her sentencing a literal month from now, I think it's just a good PR move.
Art Daddy Headlines
Brent Sikkema's Husband Charged With Murder
Following one of the most shocking headlines of 2024 with the murder of famed gallery owner Brent Sikkema, on February 11th, his husband was finally formally charged with his murder. In 2024, Sikkema was murdered in Brazil in a larger plot that is alleged to have been hatched by his husband, Daniel Sikkema. At the time, the couple was embroiled in a contentious divorce battle that involved custody of their child, which American officials are implying was the lead up to the muder plot.
Brent Sikkema c. 2022
In January of 2024, Sikkema was dead in his Rio de Janeiro apartment with 18 stab wounds that had been inflicted on his body. After police reviewed tape that was found at the home of the victim, they determined it was Alejandro Triana Prevez, a 30 year former body guard that had worked for the Sikeemas. Previous outlets reported that Prevez allegedly had been involved with the accused.
The NYT reported “According to a superseding indictment that was unsealed on Tuesday, Daniel Sikkema arranged a series of payments to the hit man, often through other people, before the killing and arranged a $5,000 payment afterward, promising additional payment later. The indictment does not name Mr. Prevez but notes that the suspect, whom it refers to as CC-1, was arrested on Jan. 18, 2024, the same day that Mr. Prevez was.” The details of this case are unbelievable and as things further play out in terms of the charges and other details of the case, the art world will be watching. This is a real nail biter, daddies.
Critic and Writer Walter Robinson Passes Away
This week the art outlet Artnet was served another blow with the passing of founding editor Walter Robinson. Robinson, who was also a critic and painter, moved to NYC in 1968 to attend Columbia University. He went on to attend the famed Whitney Independent Study Program. He was a regular critic for Art in America, and was a founding editor at Artnet Magazine from 1996 to 2012, championing many writers' and artists' careers in the process.
The artist in his studio.
Robinson astutely coined the term ‘zombie formalism’ in 2014 as a way to describe a form of collecting younger artists work at a lower price than flipping at a profit later on. Robinson helped a generation of artists to create and write and in the process helped form a major art world publication. RIP Daddy.
Christie's is Being Pressured to Call of AI Auction
This week in an open letter written to the auction house Christie's, thousands of visual artists urged them to not go through with an upcoming auction that is slated to feature AI art for them. The letter which was first published on February 8th has since gotten over 4,000 signatures. The auction which is titled “Augmented Intelligence,” is set to begin on 2/20 and go through 3/5. It will feature the works of artists Refik Anadol, Pindar Van Arman, AI collaborators Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst, OpenAI’s first Artist-in-Residence Alexander Reben, the late AARON software creator Harold Cohen, and anonymous AI collaborative artist Claire Silver and things are priced between $10,000-$250,000.
While some see the use of AI as revelatory and the larger benefits it can have, others see it as a threat to copy right and the creative process and other issues it could potentially pose. Christie's did make headlines in 2021 with the sale of the landmark Beeple NFT that went for $69 million. While they were ahead of that trend, the art world market for NTFS today is not what it was, and likely never will be what it was 4 years ago. I say don't drink the Kool aid, daddies. Call me old fashioned, and while tech can be cool, give me a physical artwork over a digital one any day.
Daddies in the Wild: A Postcard from Palm Beach
The MAGA daddies were out in full force at the Palm Beach show. There were lots of daddies making the rounds and they wanted to see and be seen. While the art was mid, some of the daddy sightings were hitting. A major one was Mr. Sylvester Stalone. Daddy Staley was looking a bit tired but the rest of the daddies were there popping their republican.
The art was mid but who really goes to art fairs for that, it's really for the daddies if I am being real. There were some looks that were also serving and you can see them with the daddies here. These matching daddies in French wallpaper patterns, the caviar on a potato chip, you name it and the Palm Beach daddies did it.
The Art Daddy Does Valentine's Day
Last week was V-Day daddies. And while I am not one to celebrate I did try to make some art world valentine's day content we could be proud of. One thing that I do think is brewing for 2025, and even though Miss Jerry Gogosian is going through it, I smell a budding romance between her and Magnus Resch. I mean think about. He’s single and now so is she. Every time Mags is anywhere he is quick to pose with the ladies and do studio visits. And the daddies in my dms tell me Mag's signature move to hit on you in a polite way is to get your email or even LinkedIn. That is some classy Yale PhD shit daddy.
While Mags is not my thing personally, there has certainly been some chemistry for the both of them for a while. He has been a guest on her podcast Art Smack multiple times. He had her speak at his grad level course last fall. He also had other invited art world guests as well, but when I think of well known art players, she is not at the top of my list. But, she has captivated our little art world economist. And he legitimacies her in some ways too. Can you imagine if this art world power couple came true? I was pushing hard for it, and despite Jerry wanting to know how to interview the once canceled James Franco, I guess only time will tell what’s next for these two.
In a NYT Style section manner, I also want to set forth some taste making elements.
I am reading: I'm reading Lovers & Writers by Lily King.
I am drinking: 365 Strawberry Basil Mint Seltzer
I am looking at: All the men over 60 with real estate in other countries on daddy apps. I am also going to auctions to meet men over 60 with real estate in other countries so this counts as a form of looking