Shrunken and placed in a jar by the evil genius Braniac, the capital city of Superman’s home planet exists but just out of reach. Mike Kelly takes up the theme of past trauma as ever-present influence on the present in an installation of mixed media installations and lightboxes based on drawings of Kandor culled from comics. (At Venus Over Manhattan through January 28th).
In colors that suggest political banners, Dusseldorf-based artist KRIWET created this bold ‘comic strip’ in 1970, using letters to create mental pictures. It is part of the group exhibition ‘All Watched Over’ at Chelsea’s James Cohan Gallery, which muses on the power of futuristic technology to improve life. (Through Aug 7th)
KRIWET, Comicstrip, 1970.
Political, Pop artist Jerry Kearns turns up the volume at Mike Weiss Gallery with wall installations that could have a physical effect on viewers. (In Chelsea through August 23rd).
Installation view of Jerry Kearns: RRRGGHH!!! At Mike Weiss Gallery, July 2014.
Looking to sniff out some good summer group shows on the Lower East Side? These comic noses in rough clay by Danish artist Ditte Gantriis at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery are worth checking out; they bring to mind iconic character types and how quickly we interpret them. (Through August 15th).
Ditte Gantriis, Untitled, white sculpture clay, 11 ½ x 5 x 5 inches, 2014.
Brooklyn-based artist Jayson Musson’s tongue-in-cheek recreation of ‘modern’ art from the comic strip Nancy for his show at Salon94 on the Lower East Side is perfectly timed to recent market interest in abstract painting. Playfully forcing the question of how we create value in art, the show amuses and provokes in equal measure. (Through June 20th).
Jayson Musson, installation view of ‘Exhibit of Abstract Art,’ Salon94 Bowery, May 2014.
