Karen Lederer’s ‘Hipster Wellness’ is a standout in Driscoll Babcock’s summer group show of painting by young artists who follow new approaches to traditional still life. Bright colors dominate, particularly a glowing bowl of Cheetos, which balances the orange color squares on an art book about Josef Albers. Painted as if seen in digital space, the picture includes Lederer’s own hand, not wielding a brush but as if poised to take a selfie. (In Chelsea through Aug 12th).
The changing built environment is the subject of Bortolami Gallery’s summer group exhibition, which opens with Scott King’s hard-to-miss ‘Temporary Eyesore.’ The printed banner brings to mind ‘pardon our appearance’ signs on renovation sites, albeit at a gargantuan scale, while the text seems to promise that a space deemed unpleasing to the eye will soon be taken care of. (In Chelsea through Aug 12th)
Imi Knoebel’s large potato paintings are a standout in Luhring Augustine’s impressive intergenerational summer painting exhibition. Organic and geometric shapes seem to vie for dominance while muted tones struggle with vibrant color. (At Luhring Augustine Gallery through August 12th).
Jennifer Dalton’s contribution to FLAG Foundation’s summer group show stays with visitors in a unique way. Custom-printed gum balls invite chewing, once you’ve decided between, ‘Tell Me Everything’ or ‘Don’t Tell Me Anything.’ The balls act as mini-personality test – are you prepared for a long story, or would you rather not know? (At FLAG Art Foundation through August 12th).
At the start of Dutch artist Bas Jan Ader’s 19 second video, Fall 1, the artist perches on a chair on a roof. As we watch with increasing unease, he leans over until he causes himself to tumble to the ground below. Absurd yet emotionally jolting, Ader’s video portrays the artist as dare devil willing to take risks and foretells his eventual disappearance at sea during the creation of another event-as-artwork. (At Metro Pictures in Chelsea through Aug 5th).
