The Verdict is in on Larry Salander, Art Dealer. How About Larry Salander, Painter?
Stair Galleries auction preview of Salander July 24, 2010 sale. A painting by Lawrence Salander sits to the right of the podium. © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
When he wasn’t busy buying, selling and hustling art, dealer Larry Salander loved to paint. Recently sentenced to six to 18 years in prison for fraud and larceny, he may now have time to indulge his hobby.
We wondered if his paintings were any good and phoned up David Cohen who runs Art Critical, a robust online art magazine.
Cohen was kind enough to glance at a few jpegs.
“Well, they don’t make my heart pound faster,” he said.
While not a fan of the work, Cohen believes they reflect someone with serious intentions. “If they give him a window with a view, he would be able to develop his landscape skills, but not with a palette knife,” said Cohen, who guessed those might be off limits behind bars.
The market for Salander’s paintings hasn’t proven to be much more enthusiastic.
A group of Salander’s paintings recently sold at Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York, to benefit the dealer’s creditors, who are on the hook for upwards of $120 million.
Suffice it to say, the art proceeds didn’t make much of a dent. Prices at the July 24 auction ranged from $75 for pairs of small canvases to around $800 for larger landscapes.
Salander indulged his artistic inclinations with studios on the Upper East Side and at his Millbrook compound where he churned out paintings in a wide range of styles, including a batch of brushy landscapes influenced by Hartley and Constable.
In 2001 Salander exhibited ten of his abstract landscapes at New York’s Interfaith Center, run by the Very Rev. James Parks Morton, who officiated at his second wedding.
The Gerald Peters Gallery produced a catalog, with a essay by Floyd Skloot who wrote “the ten paintings are like panels from a dream. Their imagery has both the truthfulness of fact and the grandeur, the visionary formulation of dreams.”
A second essay by Erin Fitzpatrick, a gallery employee, considers the series inspired by Turner. “Salander has created what I believe is his freest style to date. It accommodates his frantic energy while giving him full space to explore the jobs of color.” The front of the catalog notes “these paintings are for Julie,” Salander’s wife from whom he has separated.
Larry Salander's 2000 "Top of the Mountain" sold for $800 (est. $800-$1200). © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Larry Salander's 2000 "Sky for Shirley Anne," sold for $600 (est. $800-$1200). © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Lawrence Salander's 1999 "Julie January Midnight" sold for $275 (est. $300-$400) © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Bin of Salander paintings at Stair Galleries auction preview. © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Larry Salander's 1999 "Farm Fields," sold for $800 (est. $600-$800). © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Larry Salander's 2008 "Johnny Moscow Truth Defender" portrait of one of his lawyers sold at Stair for $500 (est. $800-$1200). © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Hudson's Stair Galleries where many of Lawrence Salander's possession were sold. © Photo: Lindsay Pollock
Yes, but what do YOU think of them?
I like Larry’s work; i would have purchased “top of the mountain” above: it is very sculptural ,elo-quent and more…
I find the story of what has happened to Larry a true tragedy in the Ancient Greek style: the fall because of hubris…
His art is his art…
I never knew Mr. Salander and I don’t own a painting by him. However, Mr. Cohen’s is by no means the last word concerning the quality of Salander’s art. Indeed, during the 1990s, Salander did work of superb quality. In the future, if I get the chance to do so, I shall certainly purchase one of these.
I own many of salander s paintings. self taught. He looked at and thought about art with great seriousness. His works from late 80′s on are unique, successful paintings which capture Larry’s energy and signature style! I will be putting together shows of his work in the future and will be making some available for purchase. They will be priced significantly more than those auction prices and significantly less than they were offered for at Gerald Peters Gallery! 575)770-4405
I own a salander painting it was a gift from Larry..I love this painting it was part of a number of paintings Larry did to be sold.My painting is not logged into his portfolio due to Larry allowing me to choose the painting and it was still somewhat wet when I brought it home.I worked for the Salanders in Millbrook they were very good to me and I love my painting.