What We Learned About Jeffrey Deitch from His New York Magazine Profile

A very retrospective interview with Vulture.

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Image via Complex Original
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In a profile piece for Vulture recently, Carl Swanson wrote about Jeffrey Deitch's career and plans for the future through the gaze of Jeffrey Deitch. Swanson spoke with the former Museum of Contemporary Art director over dinner, engaging him on topics about "his future and the meaning of his past." Here are a few things we learned about Jeffrey Deitch, from Jeffrey Deitch:

  • His parents collected the work of local artists, and that's what eventually got him interested in creating. He says, " I took home these reams of this accordion-type computer paper they used to use, and I would just draw endlessly interesting logos and logotypes, corporate logos. Most of what you see is driving around in shopping centers, and you see the signs. It’s on packages. That’s the visual world, so that’s what I reacted to."
  • He remembers the "ecstasy" and joy of creating his first "serious painting" at 8 years old. It was of a beach cottage that his family was renting on Long Island Sound. 
  • He says he introduced "art writing about the connection between contemporary art and economics" while studying art criticism at Harvard Business School.
  • He is writing a book about his three years at MoCA entitled "The MoCA Index."
  • His upcoming Rizzoli memoir, "Live the Art," will feature a dinner plate on the cover and the first line will read, "Deitch Projects was not meant to be an art gallery.”
  • During a conceptual performance entitled Shadows in the Dark, Deitch asked participants to leave their underwear in exchange for Deitch Project thongs.
  • He enjoyed his time at MoCA, but believes that his way of doing things is "a much more efficient system."  
The NY Mag pieces provides an interesting look into Deitch's mind both now, and in the past. It features the occasional two-cents from others including artist Kehinde Wiley and New Museum curator Massimiliano Gioni, but the majority of the piece is Deitch thinking and talking freely about himself and his work. Often, retrospectives are heavily focused on what other people think about someone's career and the "successes" are always front and center. The structure of this piece is more of an honest reflection from Deitch and not a well rehearsed and edited self-review. Deitch is geniunely proud of all the things that he has done and seems excited for the future. Check out the full piece over at Vulture and share your thoughts below.
[via Vulture]

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