Tag: humor

Lamar Peterson at Fredericks & Freiser

Is Lamar Peterson sick of painting? As he clutches his stomach in apparent discomfort in this tongue-in-cheek self-portrait, the artist appears to have taken in too much from the dishes of paint littering his bed. His sheets navigate the borders between hard-edge abstraction and messy representation, creating an amusing portrait of the artist uncomfortably inhabiting both styles. (At Chelsea’s Fredericks & Freiser Gallery through March 14th.)

Lamar Peterson, Satin Sheets, oil on canvas, 85 x 57 inches, 2014.

Devin Troy Strother at Marlborough Chelsea

It could be the outer space carpet or the thickly painted pastel-colored smiley face on this painting, but it’s hard to be sober in young LA artist Devin Troy Strothers’ latest solo show at Marlborough Chelsea. Here, basketball literally becomes an art form as little players in mid-dunk decorate the eyes and smile of this goofily-grinning abstract painting. (Through Feb 14th).

Devin Troy Strother, Devin Troy Strother x Rob Pruitt x Cory Arcangel x Walead Beshty x A Sad Face x 10 Michael Jordans, ink jet, air brush, acrylic, oil varnish, painted paper on birch panel, 84 x 60 x 2 inches, 2014.

Jean Lowe at McKenzie Fine Art

Jean Lowe’s imagined auction items in her latest exhibition, supposedly culled from historical papers and ephemera, demonstrate the artist’s delightfully absurd sense of humor while poking fun at what might be considered sale-worthy at auction. (At McKenzie Fine Art through Oct 12th).

Jean Lowe, ‘Ephemera (Lost Time),’ acrylic and watercolor on paper, 22 ¼ x 19 ¼ inches, 2013.

David Kramer at Thierry Goldberg Gallery

Dreaming of escape to a summer rental property, Brooklyn-bound artist David Kramer’s stayed in town prepping this show, which features paintings and a replica of a cabin’s front porch, littered with beer cans. The elephant in the room is this over 9 foot tall self-portrait of the artist as lumberjack whose imaginary might is coincidently paralleled in this image by a gallery staff member cleaning after opening night. (At Thierry Goldberg Gallery on the Lower East Side through October 5th).

David Kramer, Self-Portrait as a Lumberjack, mixed media, 113 x 56 x 26 inches, 2014.

Jayson Musson at Salon94 Bowery

Brooklyn-based artist Jayson Musson’s tongue-in-cheek recreation of ‘modern’ art from the comic strip Nancy for his show at Salon94 on the Lower East Side is perfectly timed to recent market interest in abstract painting. Playfully forcing the question of how we create value in art, the show amuses and provokes in equal measure. (Through June 20th).

Jayson Musson, installation view of ‘Exhibit of Abstract Art,’ Salon94 Bowery, May 2014.