Skyping with
Sandro The German-born painter, and impressively bearded arm candy of actress Tilda Swinton makes his mark on the Manhattan art scene by Amy Michelle Smith
72 | AVENUE MAGAZINE • MAY 2012
PEOPLE: BFANYC.COM
M
ove over Chuck Close, there’s a new bearded art-innovator on the scene. German-born painter Sandro Kopp first garnered attention as the strikingly handsome, remarkably bewhiskered date of actress Tilda Swinton at the 2011 ISTANCOOL Arts Festival in Istanbul, Turkey. New York was officially introduced to Kopp, the artist, as he made his mark in Manhattan this past January with the success of his exhibit “There You Are”. The series of “Skype Portraits” saw a short but much-buzzed about run at Lehmann Maupin Gallery’s Lower East Side location. Starting with perennial New York It-boy and long-time friend Waris Ahluwalia, Kopp began his series of cyber-sittings in 2005. Using Skype as a medium is well suited to Kopp’s international origins and lifestyle, as it is a constant source of communication for the world traveller. “The tension between the old-fashioned, time-consuming oil on canvas portraiture and the quick fix, instant gratification, non-space wormhole reality of Skype tickled my fancy right away,” he says. The project was initially intended to be part of a much larger series that would see Ahluwalia sitting for portraits several times a year, but before long, other boldface names like Michael Stipe, Terence Koh, John Waters, Wes Anderson and Swinton were also sitting for sessions with the artist. The opening reception at Lehman Maupin’s Chrystie Street gallery attracted some of New York’s hottest names, a handful of which just so happened to be the subject’s of Kopp’s paintings. From Carine, Vladimir and Julia RestoinRoitfeld to Frances McDormand and photographer Ryan McGinley, the sit-down dinner and subsequent Chinatown after party was packed with A-Listers. No stranger to the sights and sounds of Manhattan, the artist has found a cozy home among the elite members of the community. This coming year Kopp is taking “Being With You” one step further for a show in London in October that will also be presented with Istanbul ’74 later in the fall. But New York is always in his sights. “I come back [to NYC] quite regularly. I love it here.” So the next time you find yourself at a Chelsea gallery, or enjoying a late night beverage at the bar at the Bowery Hotel, keep an eye out for this bearded wonder. And hope that he doesn’t shave. ✦