Tag: cage

Gerhard Richter at Gagosian Gallery

Six towering oil on canvas abstractions by Gerhard Richter, currently on view at Gagosian Gallery, are a second chance to take in a highlight of the Met’s short-lived Richter retrospective last spring.  Collectively titled ‘Cage Paintings,’ they pay homage to composer John Cage, whose chance-based music Richter listened to as he created the series in 2006.  Made by pulling a squeegee across painted canvas, the paintings juxtapose the artist’s carefully developed technique with the inevitable unforeseen results of his painting method.  (On view in Chelsea through June 26th).

Gerhard Richter, installation view of ‘Cage Paintings’ at Gagosian Gallery, April 2021

Chris Ofili at David Zwirner Gallery

Four paintings hang against chain link fencing at David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea, inaccessible to the public except by a narrow corridor between the fence and the wall, which has been painted with towering figures of sinuous dancers, themselves depicted behind a painted fence. The show is titled ‘Paradise Lost’ and follows Ofili’s ‘The Caged Bird’s Song’ at London’s National Gallery, for which the artist alluded to the practice in his adopted home, Trinidad, of raising caged songbirds. Here, aggressive fencing suggests that it is not the song of the caged bird that is sweeter. (On view through Oct 21st).

Chris Ofili, installation view of ‘Paradise Lost’ at David Zwirner Gallery’s 533 West 19th Street space, Sept 2017.

Tetsumi Kudo at Andrea Rosen Gallery

Cage-based artworks from the ‘60s to the early ‘80s by late, Paris-based Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo at Andrea Rosen Gallery demonstrate human estrangement from nature. Despite the bright colors, a heart shape, plastic flowers and the label reading ‘Bonheur,’ happiness seems far from this abject couple’s experience. (In Chelsea through Nov 16th).

Tetsumi Kudo, Bonheur, painted cage, artificial soil, plastic flowers, cotton, plastic, polyester, resin, string, cigarettes, thermometer, Aspro tablets, circuit board, 21 x 11 x 14 inches, 1974.
Tetsumi Kudo, Bonheur, painted cage, artificial soil, plastic flowers, cotton, plastic, polyester, resin, string, cigarettes, thermometer, Aspro tablets, circuit board, 21 x 11 x 14 inches, 1974.