Tag: neon

Chryssa at the Dia Foundation

When she arrived in New York from Athens, young Greek artist Chryssa was so taken by Times Square that she was inspired to create assemblages from neon and signage that capture the color and excitement of street life.  Stocked with loans from MoMA, the Walker Art Center and other major museums, the artist’s first show in the US since the 80s, now at the Dia Foundation in Chelsea, makes a strong case for her importance to New York’s downtown art scene in the 60s and 70s. Resembling a combination of street signs and printing plates for mass publication, Chryssa’s Americanoom suggests or actually includes words (‘zoom,’ ‘run,’ ‘new,’ and ‘café’) that give voice to a bustling city. (On view through July 23rd).

Chryssa, Americanoom, aluminum, steel, stainless steel and neon, 1963.

Cosima von Bonin in ‘The Secret History of Everything’ at Galerie Perrotin

“First of all, I never explain my work,” Cosima von Bonin declared at the beginning of a 2018 interview with Brooklyn Rail, establishing that there are no pat explanations for pieces like this octopus currently on view at Galerie Perrotin.  Patchwork fabrics and stuffing give the animal an approachable and familiar feel, like a kid’s toy, while the blue glow of neon tubes below may represent mysterious ocean depths. Beached on this platform, however, with patches of white suggesting splashed water, the animal doesn’t appear to be on safe ground, creating an attractive but uncertain scenario.  (On view in the group exhibition ‘The Secret History of Everything’ on the Lower East Side through Aug 14th . Masks and social distancing are required.  Appointments can be made via the gallery’s app.)

Cosima von Bonin, Total Produce (Morality), 2010, Octopus: Various fabrics, polyfill, Base: Various fabrics, foam materials, rubber, wood, neon tubes, Octopus: 86.6 x 86.6 x 23.6 inches

Andrea Bowers in ‘Ecofeminism(s)’ at Thomas Erben Gallery

‘Ecofeminism(s)’ at Thomas Erben Gallery, curated by Monika Fabijanska, is not only one of the first but one of the best shows recently opened to the public.  Featuring iconic projects like Helene Aylon’s ‘Earth Ambulance,’ for which she transformed a truck into an ambulance for earth picked up at military bases, mines and nuclear reactors, and Cecilia Vicuna’s delicate assemblages of natural objects that convey fragility and connectedness, the exhibition presents important projects from the 70s and 80s alongside more recent work.  Here, Andrea Bowers extends the continuum to the present and adds a note of urgency by flashing the word ‘real’ on and off in this neon sign. (On view in Chelsea through July.  No appointment is necessary but visitors numbers are limited and masks are required.

Andrea Bowers, Climate Change is Real (Multiple), neon, MDO, paint, 20 ¾ x 57 inches, ed of 3 with 2 Aps, 2017.

 

Doug Wheeler at David Zwirner Gallery

Light and space artist Doug Wheeler’s installation at David Zwirner Gallery makes light a transformative medium, turning the white cube into a glowing and changeable environment to challenge the senses.  Light disperses before our eyes as it fades from the bright glow of neon tubes installed in a recessed space to the darker areas of the wall, floor and ceiling at the end of the long rectangular gallery.  (On view in Chelsea through March 21st).

Doug Wheeler, 49 Nord 6 Est 68 Ven 12 FL, installation view at David Zwirner Gallery, Jan 2020.

Mary Weatherford at Gagosian Gallery

LA-based abstract painter Mary Weatherford had an epiphany while driving through the streets of Bakersfield, CA one evening.  The peachy tints of a radiant sunset and the glowing storefront lights inspired her to add neon light to her abstract expressionist canvases, making each uniquely expressive of a particular time and place.  In her first solo show at Gagosian Gallery in Chelsea, Weatherford’s huge works are inspired by politics as well as specific experiences; one of the most impactful, GLORIA, operates with explosive force.  (On view through Oct 15th).

Mary Weatherford, GLORIA, flashe and neon on linen, 117 x 234 inches, 2018.