Those art worlders in-the-know, whomever they may be, have been touting a new frontier. These economic times have paved the way for regenerating new interest, and new artists ... the big-time artists' chips are down, and the once-stuffy galas and galleries are forgoing their usual $900 plates and frivolous to-do’s in favor of cocktails and casual bids. The end result is at once despairing and opportunistic; as new players enter, many important and recognized artists are rendered anonymous by a fledgling crowd. Take last night’s ARTSEEN, an auction held at the Friedrich Petzel Gallery to benefit NYFA, featuring “affordable art” at bidding prices starting under $400, posh sips by Bubble Lounge and a mix of predominantly young bidders, many of whom were unable to identify iconic artist Andres Serrano even though they were really stoked about the Real Housewives of New York City, namely Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen.

Arguably the most controversial artist of his time, photographer Andres Serrano rose to infamy in the 1980s with his unapologetic pairing of religious iconography with bodily secretions. He went on to captivate audiences with images of corpses and burn victims, mocking established aesthetics and censors along the way. Here, the 58-year-old enfant terrible takes stock of the music, the drugs and the character assassination that fueled his desire to keep going.

Now that the long weekend has passed, so has the calm before the storm that precedes the break of the new art season (though this premiere tends to get eclipsed by some overwrought runway show that traditionally gets far more inches in print). This heady orgy of installation art, acrylics, ego, and expectation is not unlike its distant cousin further uptown at the Tents. There are those opening receptions worth your while, and those you should dash from your list (and possibly replace with an impromptu fro-yo). Ever the idealist, I'd like to think the duds are far fewer than the gems. But alas, like the obligatory, ill-conceived mix of horizontal stripes and plaids, they still exist.