Paddle8: an exclusive Internet club for art enthusiasts and other people with a lot of money
Several young, fresh-faced rich folk—Aditya Julka, who was previously backed by Accel Partners on two projects; Alexander Gilkes, previously at luxury brands company LVMH; and Hikari Yokoyama, an established art adviser—have started the elite, members-only Internet art club Paddle8, a “new destination for examining, understanding and acquiring unique artworks.” So, an invite-only, art-based social network? Everyone’s favourite buzzword, “curate,” is being bandied about right away, too—each month will feature a new curator presenting an online “show” based around a single theme.
First up? Glenn O’Brien with his “The Art of Wit”–themed art show. (Next up: “Stuff.” Seriously.) Anyone looking to become part of this exclusive group will have to fill out an application that will be reviewed by a judging panel, because the plan is to create a safe space for serious art people. Find out more about the online art world and our selection of Toronto candidates after the jump.
Each piece will be “accompanied by a ‘dossier’ that provides context, insights and multiple pathways to understanding the artist’s practices.” So, a catalogue? Recent hype-builders on the site’s blog include a YouTube video of Pee-Wee Herman making a prank call (we assume to show us that they don’t take themselves too seriously) and a clip from the silent film Nosferatu (a swing and a miss). But New York doesn’t have the wacky art market cornered: Toronto has plenty of art-world characters that would fit right in on this site. Therefore, we nominate the following locals for induction into the ultra-exclusive Paddle8 club:
- Clint Roenisch, because his intense stare will fit in with the unapologetic seriousness of the site, and, well, he has one of the better galleries on Queen Street (so he’s always looking).
- Kenneth Montague for his lady-killing good looks (we imagine that a highfalutin online social network could moonlight as a veiled dating website for men and women with large portfolios). But to be frank, he’s amassed one the coolest collections in town, so why wouldn’t he brag in an online forum?
- Michael Awad is a bit of a dark horse, but we think that if he uploads a picture of himself wearing his Sergeant Pepper jacket, no one would deny him anything.
- Nicholas Metivier, because there is nothing the man can’t do.
- Alexander Josephson, because every niche sub-Internet group needs a pretty young thing with, well, enough money to purchase an island.
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