Can humans live in harmony with nature? Indonesian artist Agus Putu Suyadyna’s new paintings at Sapar Contemporary featuring an astronaut in various lush, natural environments suggest that the possibility is tantalizing but unrealized. Whether holding a sunflower or embracing a chimpanzee, the astronaut’s protective gear testifies to an alienation from the natural world that is compounded by the ominous reflection of a barren landscape in the visor of their helmet. Though the title of this painting, ‘Playful Nature is the Future’ suggests sympathy with the environment and pictures fertile fields in the background, viewers are confronted with a giant bubble prompting us to ask how fantastical our thinking about nature might be. (Curated by John Silvis. On view in Tribeca through July 7th. Note holiday hours and summer hours.)
