Primed by countless social media posts to see cats as cute and entertaining, visitors to Joseph Jones’ solo show at Chapter NY Gallery encounter meticulously detailed paintings of the animals that slow down our rapid-view consumption and complicate our enjoyment. Two of three paintings cropped to show human arms holding a gorgeous, white-furred cat prominently feature a wristwatch, perhaps making us aware of how long we pause to examine each work. Though the show includes paintings of tiny but bold flower blossoms and one sympathetic-looking dog’s head, human/cat interactions dominate. One cat wearing a yellow hood looks accusatorily outward as if horrified to be forced into such a getup while another manifests in a rainbow of color like a feline leprechaun. Jones’ paintings probe human attitudes to felines – from plaything to enigma – in ways that invite careful looking. (On view in Tribeca through Feb 21st).
