Though Kurt Kauper’s realist oil paintings are intended to be open-ended, allowing viewers to apply their own interpretations to his sometimes-surreal scenarios, the artist makes sure there’s plenty to fuel speculation. In this painting from Kauper’s series ‘Watching Men,’ part of his solo at Ortuzar Gallery that pictures men preparing themselves to face the world by brushing their teeth or combing their hair, for example, it’s tempting to consider what’s on this thoughtful man’s mind. Just as he faces the direction of the arrow in the bike lane next to him, his scarf matches the road markings and the nearby construction barriers. Though the barricades seem to symbolize impeded progress, the man appears to be at the moment of breakthrough as he emerges from shadow into light. (On view in Tribeca through Feb 28th).
