It’s easy to name a few stars, at least of the human variety. But start thinking beyond our solar system and it gets tougher to come up with household names for more distant celestial bodies. The stars – Almaz, Menkalinen, Hoedus I and others noted on this lightbox by Ivan Navarro at Templon Gallery’s recently opened New York space – are officially named by a working group of the International Astronomical Union in Paris. Navarro, known for neon sculptures that comment on political power and social issues questions who has the right to mark territory with names or by other means. Swirls of painted color evoke distant nebula along with the stars, emphasizing the unknown nature of distant phenomenon. (On view in Chelsea through Dec 23rd).
Ivan Navarro, Nebula X (Auriga), LED, aluminum, wooden box, paint, regular mirror, one way mirror, and electric energy, 2022.
Merrily Kerr is an art critic and writer based in New York. For more than 20 years, Merrily has published in international art magazines including Time Out New York, Art on Paper, Flash Art, Art Asia Pacific, Art Review, and Tema Celeste in addition to writing catalogue essays and guest lecturing. Merrily teaches art appreciation at Marymount Manhattan College and has taught for Cooper Union Continuing Education.
For more than a decade Merrily has crafted personalized tours of cultural discovery in New York's galleries and museums for individuals and groups, including corporate tours, collectors, artists, advertising agencies, and student groups from Texas Woman's University, Parsons School of Design, Chicago's Moody Institute, Cooper Union Continuing Education, Hunter College Continuing Education and other institutions. Merrily's tours have been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Sydney Morning Herald and Philadelphia Magazine.
Merrily is licensed by New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs as a tour guide and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA USA)
View all posts by Merrily Kerr
