Date of Premiere Issue : September 2004
Editor : Joe Zee
Publisher : Christ Mitchell / Fairchild Publications
Art Director: Paul Ritter
Dimensions : 8" W x 10 3/4" H
Frequency : 12 Issues / Year
Country of Origin : United States
Website : n/a
Statement
It happened the year I stopped being an assistant. I had a new job and even my own business cards, but my paycheck hadn't really changed. I was still living in my 400 square foot studio apartment and the occasional dinner out was still a big splurge. Yet somehow I made my first big impulsive buy: I dropped a half a year's rent on a single photograph.
My friends were horrified. They considered it frivolous. Of course, I considered it a necessity.
It was a David Hockney photo collage title "Tea Time, Los Angeles, April 16th 1983, #5." I found it one Sunday afternoon, wandering into the now-defunct Christie's East auction house in New York. The pieces was tucked away in a corner, but its image - a composite using dozens of snapshots - got my attention. I filled out an absentee bid with the highest price I could possibly afford at the time, and days later I became an art owner.
My Hockney experience was an introduction to the high-stakes world of art, and it showed me the excitement of a Geronimo-style acquisition. I'm a player now, I kept telling myself. In reality, of course, I was a rank amateur. I had no idea what I was doing or if the artwork was even a good investment. (It was.)
That day marked the beginning of my bit-by-bit collection. Soon after, I began saving up for other pieces of art and scouring obscure auctions for the best bargains. My greatest score happened one night at a children's charity benefit where, for most, the main attraction was the open bar. I took that opportunity to scoop up photographs by Phillip-Lorca diCorcia, Nan Goldin and Diane Arbus. They came dirt cheap, and I even left with a clean conscience - it had benefited a good cuase. Plus I got a tax break.
I left that studio apartment years later and my art finally had walls to hang on. When I started working at W magazine, my visually brilliant boss taught me lessons on appreciating fine art. Here was someone I trusted who could give me good, solid advice. I finally knew what to buy and where to get it. I felt connected.
That connection is what Vitals is all about: The best people to know, places to go and things to own. Think of this magazine as your guide, where my staff and I can share our insider tips with you. We're here at your service.
JZ