Maria Nepomuceno at Sikkema Jenkins & Co

A superabundance of color and curving forms characterize Brazilian artist Maria Nepomuceno’s ‘imaginary nature,’ as she calls her sculpture composed of woven straw, beads, ceramics and resin forms.  With direct links to the human body – beads are cells, straw references skin – the artist’s life affirming constructions celebrate nature in its eye-popping variety. (On view at Sikkema Jenkins and Co in Chelsea through April 7th). 

Maria Nepomuceno, 3 mulheres, beads, braided straw, ropes, ceramics, clay, resin and wood, 180 x 150 x 90 cm, 2017.

Mark Bradford at Hauser & Wirth Gallery

LA artist Mark Bradford takes full advantage of his new affiliation with Hauser & Wirth Gallery and their huge gallery space with this piece, titled ‘Waterfall.’ Bradford is known for embedding cords and other materials in his paper-on-canvas artworks; here, he has pulled thick cords away from his ‘paintings,’ bringing the paper with them. Hung over a rafter, the cascade gives new life to action painting. (In Chelsea through Dec 23rd).

 Mark Bradford, Waterfall, mixed media, dimensions variable, 2015.