Two heads from 1979: Left, “David Ortiz (Laughing).” Right, “Robert,” a portrait of Ahearn’s longtime collaborator Rigoberto Torres.
Amidst the flurry at the Frieze Art Fair there is art being made. If you walk by the stand for John Ahearn‘s South Bronx Hall of Fame (part of the Frieze Projects curated by Cecilia Alemani), you might come upon the artist with his hands deep in wet, mushy plaster, crafting life casts of friends and assorted patrons. On the walls are some of the portraits Ahearn and lontime collaborator Rigoberto Torres made in 1979 and originally showed at Fashion Moda, in the Bronx. During the run of the fair (which ends Monday), the team is accepting new portrait commissions, for $3,000 a pop–giving collectors a chance to truly be a head of their time.
Darnell strikes a post with John, who holds his cast of Darnell’s head.
Darnell, also an artist, displays his own work.
