The skin, shirt and vest of the man in this portrait by Toyin Odutola are alive with pattern, a foil to the quiet interior in which he stands and a suggestion of busy thoughts. Looking out into the light coming from outdoors, he’s privy to a vision from outside that we can’t yet see. (In ‘Vanishing Points’ at James Cohan Gallery through April 22nd).
Color appears to move and shift, sometimes without the constraints of form in Scott Olson’s new oil paintings at James Cohan Gallery on the Lower East Side. Recalling Umberto Boccioni without the urgency or Robert Delaunay with less defined geometry, Olson channels early 20th century experiments in abstraction with subtle nods to the organic world and a palette that alternatively soothes and excites. (On view through April 23rd).
British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare celebrates ethnic diversity in British literature with ‘The British Library,’ an installation of books written by British authors from around the globe. Wrapped in Shonibare’s signature fabric – Dutch prints derived from Indonesian batik and sold to West African markets – the volumes bear silent testimony to the beauty of difference. (At James Cohan Gallery’s Chelsea location through March 18th).
