Nick Cave in ‘Anti/Body’ at Jack Shainman Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Nick Cave’s original Soundsuit, a costume made from hundreds of small twigs that rustled when the suit was worn, was a protective gesture prompted by Rodney King’s violent treatment at the hands of LA police in 1991.  His latest series of suits, now on view in Jack Shainman Gallery’s group exhibition ‘Anti/Body,’ are collectively titled 8:46, referring to the amount of time (recently understood to be longer) that Derek Chauvin took to kill George Floyd.  Larger than life and composed of bright floral and patterned textiles as well as synthetic flowers, each suit celebrates and mourns a lost life.  (On view in Chelsea through July 2nd.  Masks and social distancing required).

Nick Cave, installation view of Soundsuits titled 8:46 in Anti/Body at Jack Shainman Gallery, June, 2021.

Brendan Lee Satish Tang in ‘Earthen Delights’ at C24 Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Canadian artist Brendan Lee Satish Tang’s blend of traditional-looking ceramics and robot-like forms at C24 are unlike anything in the Chelsea galleries now. Inspired by both ormolu, a technique popular in 18th century France that involved adding decorative elements to existing art objects, as well as manga/anime culture, Tang grafts ceramic elements onto bases that look like engines, rockets or robots.  His curious hybrids crash together different times and histories to humorous and intriguing effect.  (On view through July 17th.  Masks and social distancing required).

Brendan Lee Satish Tang, Manga Ormolu 4.0r, ceramic and mixed media, 16 x 20 x 13 inches, 2013.

Yayoi Kusama in ‘Alternative Worlds’ at Michael Rosenfeld Gallery

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Mirrors, lights and long lines of visitors usually accompany Yayoi Kusama’s Chelsea exhibitions; Michael Rosenfeld Gallery’s selection of the artist’s smaller scale 2-D and 3-D work from the 50s and 80s is a quieter affair but a gem for Kusama fans.  Here, two box-shaped sculptures feature the artist’s signature nets, polka dots and phallic forms, bringing together pattern and texture in abundance.  Despite this work’s title, ‘Ruins (Haikyo),’ clustered protrusions resembling eggs in a nest appear to embody life and movement.  (On view through July 30th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Yayoi Kusama, Ruins (Haikyo), mixed media box assemblage with sewn and painted fabric, faux fur and paint, 11 ¾ x 11 ¾ x 4 inches, 1984.

Stephen Hannock at Marlborough Gallery

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Ophelia, who lost her life by drowning in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is transported to a North American landscape in recent work by Stephen Hannock at Marlborough Gallery.  An homage to the artist’s late wife whose ill health took away her freedom, Hannock’s Ophelia series draws on John Everett Millais’ famous painting of Ophelia and Thomas Cole’s renowned 1836 depiction of the Connecticut River’s oxbow.  Together, tragic individual experience merges with the sublime and healing possibility of nature.  (On view through July 2nd.  Masks and social distancing required).

Blue Water with Ophelia Rising (Mass MoCA #328), polished mixed media on canvas, 23 x 18 ½ inches, 2021.

Leslie Wayne Solo Show at Jack Shainman Gallery

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Leslie Wayne’s paintings give pleasure through deception; her signature technique is to use paint as a sculptural medium, fooling the eye with dried paint crafted in three dimensions.  Wayne’s latest solo show at Jack Shainman Gallery presents paintings that appear to be objects in her studio or windows that do or do not offer a view.  On closer inspection, each is carefully crafted to resemble a well-used tool, now worse for wear.  Constructed over the past year, each artwork speaks to brokenness close to home.  (On view in Chelsea through July 2nd.)

Leslie Wayne, Broken, Busted, Fractured, Fragmented, Shattered, Smashed, Kaput, oil, enamel, and acrylic on wood, aluminum and cotton cloth, 44 x 48 x 9 inches, 2020.

Jose-Carlos Martinat at Marc Straus Gallery

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Peruvian artist Jose-Carlos Martinat transplants bold graphics from the streets of Lima into Marc Straus Gallery’s Lower East Side space in an impactful show that coincides with his country’s contentious election. Working in his signature technique, Martinat applies resin and fiberglass to outdoor walls that have been painted with political symbols and slogans, peeling away the paint in sheets that hang from the gallery ceiling or on the walls.  Here, a giant pencil originated as a message of support for former school teacher Pedro Castillo, the apparent winner of this month’s runoff.  (On view through June 30th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Jose-Carlos Martinat, installation view at Marc Straus Gallery, June 2021.

Lynda Benglis at Pace Gallery

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Freestanding and stretching energetically out into the gallery, Lynda Benglis’ new cast-bronze sculptures at Pace Gallery pulse with life.  Inspired by knotted forms that connect to time spent crocheting with her grandmother, but with evocative titles like ‘Black Widow’ or ‘Striking Cobra,’ the sculptures invite viewers close while impressing with their power.  (On view in Chelsea through July 2nd.  Masks and social distancing required).

Lynda Benglis, Power Tower, white tombasil bronze, 89 x 64 x 72 inches, 2019.

Robert Kushner at DC Moore Gallery

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Celebrated Pattern and Decoration artist Robert Kushner wears his heart on his sleeve in his latest solo show titled ‘I Heart Matisse’ at DC Moore Gallery in Chelsea.  Strong pattern and bright color dominate still lives that include ceramics and textiles in his collection.  By mentally inhabiting Henri Matisse’s light-drenched South of France style, Kushner not only pays homage but celebrates optimism and pleasure in nature and creativity.  (On view through June 19th).

Robert Kushner, Birthday Party Steuben Vase and Oranges, oil and acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48 inches, 2021.

Zoey Frank at Sugarlift

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Social distancing is over in Zoey Frank’s 2021 painting ‘Pool Party,’ a standout in her current show at Chelsea’s Sugarlift Gallery.  More than nine feet tall, the canvas crowds in fifteen mostly female figures in a celebration of human interaction, from a gossipy interlude at bottom left to seniors enjoying a child at center.  (On view through June 26th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Zoey Frank, Pool Party, oil on canvas, 114 x 96 inches, 2021.

Miguel Cardenas in ‘Best in Show’ at Jack Hanley Gallery

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Known for his surreal canvases, Columbian artist Miguel Cardenas adds a mysterious element to Jack Hanley Gallery’s current dog-themed group exhibition.  At just under 1’ x 1,’ this small panel painting has a strong presence with its bold blue background and a hybrid man/dog creature’s penetrating eyes.  The title, ‘Heart of a Dog,’ suggests a human following animal passions.  (On view through June 12th Masks and social distancing required.)

Miguel Cardenas, Heart of a Dog, oil on panel, 11.8 x 11.8 inches, 2017.

Jennifer J. Lee at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery

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Closeups of a yellow cable knit sweater, acne scars, popcorn and other objects with textured surfaces draw viewers into Jennifer J Lee’s tiny representational paintings at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery.  Colorful and complex, they engage the senses on multiple levels; painted on rough panels of jute, Lee accentuates the tactility of her subjects.  Here, cacti crowd the frame of this 13 x 12 inch piece offering a lively dynamic of sharp thorns and strong light.  (On view on the Lower East Side through June 26th.  Masks and social distancing required).

Jennifer J. Lee, Prickly Pear, oil on jute, 13 x 12 inches, 2021.

Kamrooz Aram in ‘Field of Vision’ at Peter Blum Gallery

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Iranian-born New Yorker Kamrooz Aram’s abstract paintings are a standout in Peter Blum Gallery’s handsome summer group show ‘Field of Vision,’ enticing with their heavy texture and abundant organic forms.  Known for riffing on arabesque decoration, Aram sends our eyes fluttering around this verdant canvas, briefly settling on forms that resemble insect wings or clouds.  Two panels suggest shutters opening on an intimate garden or the dark of night. (On view on Grand Street through July 30th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Kamrooz Aram, Maghreb Drapery, oil, oil crayon, wax pencil and pencil on linen, 85 x 82 inches, 2020.

Yin Xiuzhen at Pace Gallery

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Based in Beijing but frequently traveling to exhibit her artwork, Yin Xiuzhen was inspired to turn suitcases into ceiling-mounted mini-cities now on view at Pace Gallery in Chelsea.  Working with second-hand clothing from the city she’s depicting, she has constructed small-scale versions of urban landscapes and architecture from around the world.  Both deeply personal  – made from a material that expresses many individuals’ personal tastes and circumstances – and representing architecture ‘owned’ by an entire city of citizens, Yin Xiuzhen connects individual and collective experience in a global framework.  (On view through June 26th. Masks and social distancing required.)

Yin Xiuzhen, detail from the installation ‘Along the Way’ at Pace Gallery, May/June 2021.

Alexander Harrison in ‘New Old Histories’ at Kasmin Gallery

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Paused in mid-action and wearing tattered clothing, this cowboy may look worse for wear, but he appears to have come out on top.  What he’s literally on top of – a platform hiding three individuals with huge eyes – suggests the drama isn’t quite over.  Alexander Harrison’s cowboy – backlit by a fiery red sky and composed of dynamic, bending limbs – is a highlight of Kasmin Gallery’s group show ‘New Old Histories;’ in one action-packed moment, Harrison frustrates the typical Western good guy vs bad guy dichotomy (is he the law or is the law after him?) and leaves us wanting more.  (On view in Chelsea through June 26th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Alexander Harrison, Beyond the Horizon, acrylic on panel, 47 ½ x 47 ½ inches.

Analia Saban at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery

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Can painting be a tapestry?  Can it be sculpture?  Analia Saban continues to explore painting’s possibilities in her current show at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, in which she presents woven paintings, pigments derived from Tesla paint, and dried paint as a printing surface.  Here, one of a series of paintings created by weaving dried paint strips through linen features a gradient inspired by image-editing software.  Appearing in various colors of the spectrum, each gradient painting juxtaposes the digital and handmade, painting and fabric production, offering a fascinating hybrid medium.  (On view in Chelsea through June 19th.  Masks and social distancing required).

Analia Saban, Woven Angle Gradient as Weft, Medium Violet, woven acrylic paint and linen thread on panel, 70 1/4 x 70 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches, 2021.