Vanessa Maltese at Nicelle Beauchene

Young Toronto-based painter Vanessa Maltese has a different take on the shoe as object d’art. In a show titled, ‘Company,’ it appears that she has invited guests who have removed their shoes in an empty gallery, then disappeared. In fact, each piece of footware is cast aluminum, painted in oil. Too clean to compare to Van Gogh’s famous paintings of heavily used shoes, these sneakers have some travels yet to complete. (At Nicelle Beauchene Gallery on the Lower East Side through Dec 22nd).

Vanessa Maltese, in the foreground: Ari (company), oil on cast aluminum and socks, 4 x 4 x 12 inches, 2016.
Vanessa Maltese, in the foreground: Ari (company), oil on cast aluminum and socks, 4 x 4 x 12 inches, 2016.

Tommy Mishima at Nancy Margolis Gallery

Art history meets sneaker culture in paintings by Tommy Mishima at Nancy Margolis Gallery. (In Chelsea through August 7th).

Tommy Mishima, Sneakers 2, oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches, 2015.