Five of the Best Art Blogs You’ve Never Heard of

In Features by Jennifer Orbom 2009-07-10 print

Recently NY Art Beat sat down with the talents behind five of the best art blogs you may have yet to hear of. These passionate voices from the arts blogosphere each have something unique to offer: a bit of entertaining snark, a feminist street art community, a gallerist’s perspective, and more. You may have your own favorites and we encourage you to add them to the conversation via our comments below, but here are our picks for five under-appreciated gems to get the conversation started.

Blogs for Bloggers

The Stefan Stux Gallery (STUX)
“He rarely (as far as I’ve noticed) shows anything I think is just crap.”
– Chris Rywalt, NYC Art
The Factual Opinion
“Probably the best NYC comics blogger right now is Tucker Stone. He covers other media-related subjects, too, but his comics stuff’s
top-notch.”
Dirk Deppey, The Comics Journal
Fugitive Ink
“Bunny Smedley is a lovely writer of depth and clarity—she puts me to shame. She actually does research before she writes.”
– Chris Rywalt, NYC Art
Eyegunk
“Eyegunk has a series on NYC street art which is much more focused on NYC than other street art blogs.”
– Linnea West, Art Ravels
WoosterCollective.com, Squarerootz.net, CultureServe.net, FORMATmag.com, and MISS CREW
“Just to name a few!”
-Toofly and Alice Mizrachi, Younity

ERIC GELBER
Eric Gelber’s blog offers a glimpse into the mind of a New York artist. As News Editor for artcritical.com, he focuses on the work of others. Gelber’s personal blog turns that attention inward, and the result is good stuff and great comic art. “I started out as an artist. Then I became an art critic,” said Gelber. “When I started blogging I tried to combine the two.” The postings of his sketches and art comics (sometimes silly and sometimes, as he puts it, “off-color”), are entertaining enough, but the string of comments they generate are also worth checking out. His satirical comics are something he’s included since he started blogging, and his critiques are informed, funny, and honest. “They are crudely drawn and very cynical. They deal with galleries, artists, critics, museums, academia, and my own situation. I try to use humor to mitigate the negativity and sometimes it works…my comics are not objective in any way.”

NYAB’s pick for… getting inside an art insider’s mind on his day off.

ART RAVELS
Linnea West’s perspective on the art world is like most of us: She’s an outsider looking in. That lack of formal artistic study is what keeps her blog sounding fresh and unpretentious. “[Blogging] has become almost an obsession!” she says, with what sounds like her typical enthusiasm. “I visit a lot of art exhibitions and want to use the space as a way to work through my reactions.” A good read if you want something accessible and enjoyable, Art Ravels never sounds like a summary from some art history student’s latest academic essay. She admits her writing is a work in progress. “I cringe when I look back at some of the first posts,” she says. Kind of like your high school journal.

NYAB’s pick for…a blog that reads like your smart, funny arts-loving best friend.

YOUNITY
Younity, founded by artists Alice Mizrachi and Toofly, offers a comprehensive glimpse into the world of street art—from a feminist perspective. Sounds like it would be a small niche, but read their blog and it’s hard to deny that these women are spurring a discussion that’s both powerful and provocative. Younity acts as a “diary of life,” said Toofly. The site offers a forum for other artists to communicate and gain exposure. “The content we create helps contribute to the New York state of mind, arts culture, and lifestyle by giving the public at large a local’s perspective.” Toofly added. “We know how to navigate this city more than anyone and give shine to our own people, which sometimes doesn’t happen in other media outlets.” With links to over 50 badass New York City female artists and consistent coverage of street art and music events, it is clear Younity is dedicated to making the New York art scene a community effort.

NYAB’s pick for…reading that makes you want to get involved.

NYC ART
Chris Rywalt, author of NYC Art, offers something to the art community that’s sometimes hard to find—he straight up doesn’t take himself too seriously. Like a friend with impeccably good taste and strong opinions about most everything, he’ll fearlessly put out exactly what he’s thinking. “When I started [blogging] I thought I was alone,” said Rywalt. “Then I did some research and found out there were a good number of New York art blogs out there, so I looked to join the community. I’d be really active on one blog for a few weeks, then get bored or piss someone off or whatever, and move on to another blog. Over and over.” Kind of like a serial womanizer…but Rywalt’s coverage is too fun to resist. casino online canada

NYAB’s pick for…a healthy serving of well-curated arts coverage with a satisfying side of humor and snark.

EDWARD WINKLEMAN
Edward Winkleman’s eponymous blog offers a way to stay informed on current art market issues and the state of the art world. Writing about topics even a well-informed reader might not normally come across, this blog is your link to the source. Winkleman owns the Winkleman Gallery in Chelsea, and his strong connection with both the art and the commerce is clear. His posts include lucid, well-researched interviews with a wide-array of interesting art world authorities, and Winkleman’s writing makes it easy for the casual reader to grasp. He’s also part of a group blog, Artworld Salon, which Winkleman said “is a moderated discussion focused upon the fast-paced transformations currently taking place in the global artworld.” As bonus for up-and-coming artists, the advice from a seasoned gallery owner is invaluable.

NYAB’s pick for…market and industry expertise from an eloquent art world professional.

Jennifer Orbom

Jennifer Orbom. After city hopping for the last few years, Jennifer is now settled in Brooklyn. She is involved in several art, film, and theater organizations, working as an event planner and producer. Readers are encouraged to email book recommendations to her at jennifer [at] nyartbeat.com. » See other writings

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