Hasta La Ideas

Margaret Evangeline, “Of Gnarl and Striation” (2005)

Let today’s Friday Photo be a reminder that only a handful of shopping days remain until the Whitney Art Party, the annual benefit sponsored by the museum’s hip, young crowd of “Contemporaries.” While some attendees to the Wednesday soiree weigh their sartorial options (the dress code? “Downtown Dressed Up.” Discuss), we’re focused on the swell slate of auction items, now available to view and bid on here. While the Marilyn Minter skateboard has already been snapped up using the equivalent of eBay’s “Buy It Now!” feature, bidding is still open for most of the 70 lots, including works by John Baldessari, Alex Kuo, and E.V. Day. From New York-based painter Margaret Evangeline comes the 2005 work “Of Gnarl and Striation” (pictured above). It’s no conventional couple of roses but the flowery aftermath of the artist’s gunshots through a large (22 x 30″) sheet of creamy French paper. We think it’s just the work for a young art buff looking to start his or her collection with a bang.