

NOTA BENE: This Week in the Art World
Benjamin Godsill & Nate Freeman
NOTA BENE is the podcast version of a boozy lunch at Sant Ambroeus in which adviser Benjamin Godsill and Vanity Fair art columnist Nate Freeman dish fresh art world gossip from Dimes Square to Mayfair, peel back the curtain on auctions, galleries and fairs—and, critically, tell you where to eat and drink in every museum-stuffed port of call. Plus there’s a special guest each week, and we’ll roast them good regardless of how much clout they carry on the circuit. It’s NOTA BENE. Don’t close the deal until you tune in.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 9, 2022 • 56min
Venus over Squiggles: Featuring guest Adam Lindemann
Join Vanity Fair's Nate Freeman and art advisor Benjamin Godsill as they briefly dish on the art world's news before they are joined by collector, trader, author, adventurer and gallerist Adam Lindemann for a wide-ranging conversation covering the art market, fast cars, new york restaurants and even cursed NFTs. This is a fun conversation

Feb 3, 2022 • 22min
Dreaming of Venice
Nate and Benjamin gather to discuss the cursed LA->NY red-eye, the scene at Tower Bar, Joel Mesler
AND
A semi in-depth look at the recently announced list of participants in this years Venice Biennale

Jan 27, 2022 • 59min
Nota Bene with Special Guest Noah Horowitz
Nate and Benjamin discuss a strange email from the R in LGDR that muddies the waters about what was billed as an important blue-chip gallery tie up and then the fascinating duel gallery shows by art-world iconoclast Ashley Bickerton, one at upstart O'Flaherty's and the other with his long time new york gallery Lehmann Maupin. They then talk about the most recent French Surrender and what it means for the future of art fairs in Paris.
They are then joined by Noah Horowitz, a long time expert in the contemporary art market. Noah is currently a Senior Vice President & Worldwide Head of Gallery & Private Dealer Services at Sotheby's where he is rethinking how galleries and auction houses can collaborate (its less nefarious and more dynamic than you might think). He was previously the Head of the America's for Art Basel where he sat on the executive committee and oversaw all the fair's activities in the America's, most prominently Art Basel Miami. Most importantly he's a super-smart friend who is always thinking deeply about the future of the art market AND he has some great food recommendations for Basel in June. You won't want to miss this wide-ranging conversation.

Jan 24, 2022 • 24min
Benjamin & Nate breakdown a weekend on the West Coast
Live from Venice (California), the boys breakdown the weekend that was in Los Angeles with a special focus on the opening of Jonas Wood at Kordansky. They also visit openings at Chateau Shatto and the massive new Night Gallery space. Plus dinner at Kismet, star-packed parties and more. You probably don't want to miss this one.

Jan 18, 2022 • 45min
Nota Bene: Featuring Special Guest Haley Mellin
The boys discuss events on the east and west coasts as well as tidbits from around the artworld as they prepare for a weekend together in LA.
They are then joined by friend and activist-artist-conservationist-conservator and all around badass Haley Mellin. Haley discusses her painting practice and her history in the field. We go on to discuss Art into Acres the environmental and art initiative she founded which focuses on large-scale land conservation for climate, Indigenous peoples and biodiversity support. We also discuss her work creating climate impact reports and carbon audits for arts organizations and exhibition organizers allowing them to become more environmentally efficient and aware of visual arts role in contributing to climate change and allowing them to take steps to mitigate those contributions. She also tells us about the other work that various environmental arts groups are doing under the collaborative umbrella of the VisualArtsPact.org.
Lastly we learn about a project she has created - conserve.org - which allows anyone to provide funding to conserve land acre by acre.
Haley is an absolute power house and fun and funny and charming to boot. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Jan 13, 2022 • 43min
Resale Rights Lawsuits PLUS an interview with Gallerist Jasmin Tsou of JTT gallery.
The boys get down to the dirty business of a lawsuit between "collector" Federico Castro Debernardi and museum founder and maybe art advisor Michael Xufu Huang. We take a peek the what the story behind the story is including the role of resale rights agreements (and their validity) as well as if gallerists can continue to say with a straight face that in demand works are "on hold for a private Chinese institution". It's JUICY.
Then, for something completely different we are joined by the esteemed gallerist Jasmin Tsou to discuss the ten year history of her JTT Gallery, the role of art fairs, the emotional labor of the art business and Nate's unpaid invoices.

Jan 11, 2022 • 55min
Wrestlemania: with guest Adam Abdalla editor of ORANGE CRUSH
Nate and Benjamin get into Nate's epic stop in Marfa and other highlights of his road trip across America. They go on to dissect the revival of Interview Magazine under Mel Ottenberg as typified by Julia Fox's epic first person tale of her romance with Kanye. And... this Show by Paul Chan PLUS some (maybe) racist cartoons that dweebs trade.
Then Benjamin chats with one of the art and culture world's top connectors, Cultural Counsel founder Adam Abdalla to discuss his dope-assed magazine project. Orange Crush: The Journal of Art & Wrestling is an annual that looks at the world of professional wrestling through the lens of contemporary art (and vice-versa). The third issue (dropping later this month) includes and in-depth interview with Matthew Barney as well as profiles of wrestlers Mike Parrow, Thunder Rosa and Orange Cassidy among other strange and wonderful folk.

Jan 3, 2022 • 44min
Twenty Twenty Two: Featuring Guest Ellie Rines
Annnnnnddd we're back. Greet the New Year with Benjamin in New York and Nate calling in from the the car in the midst of an epic road trip to discuss all the happenings in the New Year.
They are then joined by a dioane of downtown Ms. Ellie Rines to discuss her plans for 2022 (including some breaking news about the growth of her gallery 56 Henry).

Dec 21, 2021 • 46min
End of the begining with guest host Andrea Neustein
The boys are back and quarantine and are joined by special guest Andrea Neustein to discuss the year that was and what they are looking forward to in the year to come.

Dec 17, 2021 • 50min
Location, Location, Location: featuring special guest commercial real estate agent Jonathan Travis
Nate and benjamin discuss the resurgence of the ‘Rona and other artworld tidbits. Benjamin then sits down with the man who moved the artworld (back) downtown: agent and collector Jonathan Travis. Jonathan tells us about how he developed his first gallery clients, his big bet on tribeca and the ones that got away and his own collection. This is a great one at the nexus of art, business and NYC.


