Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/934095
OBSESSIONS. DECORATION. SALIENT FACTS. 12 ART NOTES W hen Geoffroy van Raemdonck and his husband, interior designer Alvise Orsini, celebrated their nuptials in 2016, Positano had never seen anything quite like it. European nobility and fashion A-listers came by yacht to toast the couple with gallons of Breton Fils Champagne, Italian cuisine, and an opera diva, who serenaded the party by boat procession. If this is any hint of what Van Raemdonck will bring to Neiman Marcus as he assumes his new role as president and CEO mid-month, one of the country's most storied retailers is in for a glamorous ride. Van Raemdonck officially takes charge Monday, February 12, following in the footsteps of longtime president and CEO Karen Katz, who will step down from her duties, though remain on Neiman's board of directors. The dapper gent's résumé sparkles with high-level luxury-retail experience, having held executive roles at Ralph Lauren, St. John, and Louis Vuitton — all prime places to prep Van Raemdonck for bringing NM into its next 100 years. Christina Geyer T wenty-five-year wedding anniversary. Twenty-five- year-old trying to impress his girlfriend. Trying to raise more than $25 mil- lion on an investor road show. It doesn't take much to dream of a reason to fly private, and we've seen all of the above. Half of our clients are veteran flyers. To the other half, we advise: Don't trash the plane, but don't worry about cleaning the mess you've made. Feel like handing your napkin/newspaper mashup to the copilot? Don't! Champagne works particularly well in the air; apply liberally, but don't get so inebriated that the captain has to keep an eye on you. Maker's Mark in a Yeti cup at 10 am on a trip to Cabo — we've seen it. Take pictures unabashedly. Old and young, veteran and virgin flyers, all take photos in and out of the plane. We recently flew a football star, and as soon as we landed, we realized that he had posted a pic of himself, sprawled in the back of the plane, on Instagram. Order catering, or bring your own food on board — from fruit trays to fromage to Frito pies, whatever makes you happy. Ask if you can drive straight to the plane and valet the car; most of the time, you can. Walk up front and talk to the pilots. They love their view but love to share it even more. Ask what that screen is for and what that dial does. Ask how cold it is outside (minus 60 would be about right). Let your broker know in advance if you will have excessive luggage; not doing so could meaningfully disrupt the trip. Tip the pilots — hand them a bill and tell them to go have a nice meal. If the line guys are hustling, throw some love their way, too. The Company Plane provides both ad hoc and retainer-based private flying advisory services, and can book your flights. www.thecompanyplane.com. THE Ps AND Qs OF FLYING P T hree Provocateurs: Dallas art spaces address identity. At Ro2 Art, a strong d o u b l e h e a d e r pairs Brian Scott of Chuck & George renown with current UNT student Xiao Lu Liu. Both talents speak the language of print-making. Scott debuts his series based on nuptials and mating rituals, slated for the upcoming art volume Wedding Gifts. Liu explores personal identity versus society, interjecting tropes from Chinese culture (both through February 10) … At The Gallery at University of Texas at Arlington, the searing watercolors of David McGee receive their due. McGee, the equal of more widely known talents such as Kehinde Wiley, is presented in a mid-career survey curated by Benito Huerta. The hard-hitting "The Telling and the Told" unfolds in layers and demands to be deciphered. McGee's figuration with pithy text serves up a mirror of where we are in America (through March 10). Venice Biennale and Documenta Headliners: How rare is it to visit a show that pairs Venice Biennale artists and those shown at Documenta, especially within months of exhibiting in these world-watched presentations. Credit Joan Davidow for her intelligent investigation of conceptual artists on the international stage (as well as Texas) at Site131. Texas' best version of a kunsthalle rolls out its most topical exhibition to date: "Fear of Change: True Scenes & Flat Screens" (though March 24). Take note of Israeli talent Roee Rosen, presenting the video operetta that screened at last summer's Documenta 14. The Dust Channel offers an engaging tale spun around a couple and their Dyson vacuum cleaner. Also watch for Russian and Zimbabwe collaborators Rachel Monosov and Admire Kamudzengerere, just seen at the 2017 Venice Biennale, in their iconic photo series intersecting reality, "1972." Rounding out the group: recent Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Core Fellow Rodrigo Valenzuela, at one-time an undocumented alien, whose large-scale paintings taken from photographs evoke border tensions. Two based in Texas also contribute worthy work: Clayton Harper's video installations that skewer gun violence; and Heather Valcik, who presents her fictitious online dating profile here. Catherine D. Anspon COURTESY THE ARTIST AND RO2 ART Brian Scott's The Joy and Beauty that is Mylan, 2018, at Ro2 Art COURTESY THE ARTIST AND SITE131 Roee Rosen's The Dust Channel, 2016, at Site131 Geoffroy van Raemdonck Neiman's NEW MAN Sponsored