Brazilian artist Marepe’s socially conscious practice thrives on contrasts between city and country, rich and poor, etc.; each of these five assemblages in Anton Kern Gallery’s 25-year anniversary show is collectively titled ‘caipira’ or ‘bumpkins’ and features a prominent heart drawn in pastel. Set up like pins waiting to be bowled down, these unsuspecting folk appear to be especially vulnerable. (On view at 16 East 55th Street through Aug 20th).
As artists continue to present bodies of work created during the pandemic, Californian painter Brian Calvin’s best new paintings at Anton Kern Gallery stand out for concisely capturing a feeling of disorientation. Here, a female figure’s parted lips convey cluelessness or surprise and a sense of vulnerability, yet at the same time, her other mouth – lips firmly pressed together – suggest composure. Trying to separate the faces (and emotions) can literally hurt. (On view in midtown through Dec 5th. Masks and social distancing required).
On your way to the newly reopened MoMA? If it’s that or something else that takes you to mid-town Manhattan, be sure to check out Sarah Morris’ UBS Wall Painting in the UBS building on 6th Ave right around the corner from the museum. Morris’ mural packs a punch from the sidewalk, towering over passersby and offering an abstracted image of the city grid (including this very building) that’s livelier and more colorful than the real version surrounding it. (On view at 1285 Avenue of the Americas.)
New York Art Tours celebrates the Museum of Modern Art’s reopening to the public today with a closer look at a panel by Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT’s Media Lab Neri Oxman from her reopened exhibition, ‘Material Ecology.’ This wax and resin panel is the first piece visitors encounter in an exhibition that showcases materials and processes that collaborate with nature. The panel’s attractively undulating structure is determined by the need to transmit light and accommodate heat change. (On view through Oct 18th. View MoMA’s new guidelines before visiting.)
Pittsburgh-based artist, poet and performer Vanessa German’s vibrant installations of photo and sculpture stand out around Rockefeller Center, luring viewers with their dramatic color and abundant detail. Initially puzzling for their lack of commercial message in an environment designed to sell, photos of fabulously dressed women and sculptures of German’s signature power figures convey feminine power. The Center’s shows and attractions have ground to a halt due to COVID-19, but German’s semi-divine, haloed figure remains. (On view in Midtown through April 5th. Organized by Art Production Fund).
