Made recently but rendered antique-looking by strategically distressed paint, Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes’ paintings at Pace Gallery exist to celebrate the histories and abundant possibilities of design. Scrolling stems, chains of periwinkles and clusters of Klimt-like gold circles in this painting join colorful wave forms and triangular patterns in creating strong horizontals, broken by large leaf-like forms at the center of the canvas. Does nature compete with design? A merger of organic and geometric shapes in the vertical strip at the center of this painting suggests a harmonious and dynamic relationship between the two. (On view in Chelsea through Oct 29th).
