There seems to be a scandal a brewin’ on the Dallas art scene! I have no interest in getting to the bottom of it, but in the mean time I’ll probably follow it as intently as I did Brit Brit’s “rough patch”. I actually stumbled upon it by complete accident as I was browsing exhibits in Dallas that I might want to check out, and came across an event posting for Eric Trich’s “omg!” exhibit currently on display at the Cathedral of Hope. What caught my attention you ask? Simeen Ishaque, a Richland College art professor, had this to say about Trich and his work: “He could be another Basquiat in the making.”
PAUSE
To get straight to the point, and to not give this any more attention than it deserves, Eric Trich is a 20 year old Dallas artist who is currently attending SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts. So what’s the big deal? Well, Mr. Trich and his mentor Siros have been drumming up lots of hype by creating what is quickly proving to be a fake list of international collector’s that are vying for, and currently own, Trich’s art collections. This Starbuck’s employee, turned overnight artist along with everyone else involved is apparently having a ball creating the “art star fantasy”, as Trich “omg!” is his first solo exhibit and he only has a few others on his resume including an exhibit at Richland Community college (where he was a student before transferring to SMU), a branch library, and now a church.
Full detailed articles can be found at the Park Cities People website as well as Titus O., but from the sheer lack of information available (finding any information about him at all was a chore, and there is no information at all about said art collectors), Trich’s amateur status, and lackluster art that I’ve seen posted on the web…I have reached a conclusion, and I definitely smell a rat!
I will certianly stop by his current exhibit since staying on top of industry news is kind of my job, but don’t expect to see much more free publicity for such ridiculous shenanigans. This type of activity makes a total mockery of the art industry, and I choose to only support artists and art enthusiasts actively working to build a sound, ethical community.
Sidebar: If he’s really selling ALL of his artwork at 4-5 figure prices, wouldn’t you think he’d employ a graphic designer to whip up a more appealing event flyer sans the skull cane? I’m just sayin…
March 4th, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I just got a pingback about your link to my site. I wrote about 10,000 words sadly about this thing, not so much by choice, but because I started with something similar to your questions in 2007, published them on glasstire.com, and they threatened to sue me, and worse. Its hardly even a scandal anymore. I’m more tired of it than everyone else in Texas who followed this a year ago.
I know there is a lot there, but if you dig back into the stories and not just the latest, hopefully final jab that you link to (there is a category all just for Siros/Trich on my site) you’ll find that I discovered that the only info you cite – People Newspapers – wrote their stories before Trich was even in a single show, anywhere, simply because Siros called and said “This kid is a genius”. They’re only a little upscale Dallas neighborhood info source. The editor I spoke with admitted it was a nothing but a puff-piece space-filler. I also show how a “review” they sent out in press packets, supposedly from the Chicago Tribune, was totally fraudulent.
These stories were all on Glasstire, until Siros threatened first to sue, then to kill the editor unless she took the stories down last November. A little tidbit deserving mention in your post. In fact, this is the real story – all this terrorism-lite I reported.
It’s ridiculous, and hardly worth the effort, but if these losers want to perpetrate such a public con, the info should be out there to allow people to know who they’re dealing with. The list of those who aren’t bothering to find out continues to grow – though I hope I’ve slowed it down a bit. Plus, the kid is simply a no talent hack. Most people get that, no research needed.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:21 PM
I saw it all, but I have zero interest in digging into the details. I think it’s hilarious actually. I only mentioned it because I plan on checking out the exhibit so I thought I’d provide a little insight as to why. You did a fantastic job on your article btw. Kudos!
March 5th, 2009 at 4:41 PM
I shall read your field report with a reluctant fascination.