“I do like extravagance, so if I’m going to err, I usually err in that direction,” Betty Woodman once said in a recorded interview as she explained the processes behind her exuberant ceramic sculpture. David Kordansky Gallery’s current show of Woodman’s work from the ‘90s demonstrates the artist’s unconventional take on painting, ceramics and sculpture, including this lively piece, ‘Sala da Pranzo.’ Elaborate handles create a striking silhouette and call attention to the space beyond the conventional cylinder, a vessel that could hold flowers but better acts as a surface for painting. Among the abundant patterns are foliate shapes and scrolls against an orange background, recalling Greek motifs, and large circles that suggest stylized neolithic pottery designs. (On view in Chelsea through Dec 17th).
