Kanye West’s quest for art world recognition has finally been granted by Blum & Poe. On Friday evening, the Los Angeles-based gallery premiered an exclusive, two-night private viewing of Famous, West’s controversial installation of twelve silicon celebrities sleeping in bed.
West appeared remotely via a screen at the space to present his work on view. Notable guests counted his wife, Kim Kardashian West, actress Olivia Munn, and Kardashian West’s sister Kendall Jenner.
According to W Magazine, which first had the story, gallery owner Timothy Blum referred to West’s installation as “a serious piece of art” at the opening. He later told CNN: “If you didn’t know that this was a work by Kanye West, and instead was the work of a known artist in the art world, the perception of the piece would be completely different—it would be celebrated and universally supported at the highest level.”
Kim Kardashian West with Timothy Blum. Courtesy of Getty Images.
That the gallery decided to host this event is neither surprising nor uncharacteristic given its exhibition history. In a 2010 interview with art ltd magazine, Blum conceded that he and his partner, Jeff Poe, “somehow made a specialty of giving people their first shows.”
In recent months, the gallerists have also shown an interest in pushing the envelope. Over the summer, for instance, the gallery invited artist Richard Prince to collaborate with High Times magazine on a five-day, cannabis-dedicated exhibition replete with rolling papers and “a marijuana strain” on tap.
artnet News reached out to Blum & Poe on the work’s installation and reception, but did not receive an immediate response.
See images of the private viewing below:
Famous by Kanye West, a private exhibition event at Blum And Poe, Los Angeles. Courtesy of Getty Images.
Kim Kardashian at Blum & Poe. Courtesy of Getty Images.
Guests attend Famous by Kanye West, a private exhibition event at Blum And Poe, Los Angeles. Courtesy of Getty Images.