Positioned on the floor of Mendes Wood DM’s new Tribeca gallery space, Brazilian artist Paulo Nazareth’s water-filled glass vessels and sand-filled ceramic dishes look vulnerable to a careless visitor’s foot, yet each one is a container for something more fragile – a tiny replica of a ship. Accompanied by a cast-iron sink, its top painted with a globe, the vases, jugs, glasses and dishes appear to represent travel on the earth’s land and seas; the term ‘nau’ in the title referring to the masted sailing ships used from the 14th century by the Portuguese. Fragile and toy-like, the small boats recall child’s play, but given the artist’s fascination with travel from the Middle Passage to the present day, the piece also carries the weight of history. (On view through June 10th.)
