Tania Perez Cordova at Tina Kim Gallery

Titled ‘Precipitation,’ Tania Perez Cordova’s new body of work at Tina Kim Gallery manifests a rain shower in the gallery, thin gold-plated chains representing drops of water.  Falling from ceiling to floor through holes pierced in the leaves of artificial plants, the chains form straight lines that contrast the elegant curve of stems and leaves, creating a tension akin to a bow or the strings of a harp.  As visitors advance through the gallery, the number of chains increases to suggest a more intense downpour, inviting viewers to follow their instinct in interpreting and appreciating Perez Cordova’s poetic practice.  (On view in Chelsea through March 25th).

Tania Perez Cordova, Philodendron Stenolobum (70% chance of rain), iron, epoxy clay, plastic, acrylic, gold plated brass chain, patterns of leaf damage, ’22.
Tania Perez Cordova, (detail) Philodendron Stenolobum (70% chance of rain), iron, epoxy clay, plastic, acrylic, gold plated brass chain, patterns of leaf damage, ’22.

 

Hannah Levy in ‘And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon’ at 247365 Gallery

Flesh-color, cabbage-like leaves nestle in a container that recalls an incubator in Hannah Levy’s alluringly odd sculpture at 247365 Gallery. Waxy fingers that hold the tub and leaves made of something resembling skin recall Keith Edmier’s resin renderings of his mother or Matthew Barney’s plastics and petroleum jelly, making for fascinating but unnerving sculpture.

Hannah Levy, Untitled, steel, thermoplastic, silicone, plastic tub, 25 x 44 x 36 inches, 2016.
Hannah Levy, Untitled, steel, thermoplastic, silicone, plastic tub, 25 x 44 x 36 inches, 2016.

Andy Goldsworthy at Galerie Lelong

Renowned for his interventions in nature, British artist Andy Goldsworthy has recently documented himself walking up a waterfall, throwing kelp into the sky and crawling precariously across a long hedge. Here, he participates in an autumn ritual usually enjoyed a younger demographic – burrowing through a massive pile of fallen leaves. Each gesture reads as a charmingly quixotic quest to engage with nature. (At Chelsea’s Galerie Lelong through Dec 5th).

 Andy Goldsworthy, Burrowing through a pile of leaves, Greenwich, CT, 15 Nov, 2013, time lapse video, running time 4:27 minutes, ed of 6.

Christopher Adams at Garvey Simon Art Access

Christopher Adams’ ceramic plants appear at once fragile and
robust; the material of their thin, scrolling leaves suggests something
breakable, the vigorous growth at center hints at expansive potential.  Garvey Simon Art Access in Chelsea is overrun
with variations on the plant in a range of glazes and finishes, making for a provocative
merger of biology and decoration. 
(Through Nov 7th).

Christopher Adams, from the ‘Primordial Garden’ series,
2015.

Marc Handelman at Sikkema Jenkins & Co

When humans talk about nature, it’s to promote ends that may have little to do with the natural world, argues Brooklyn artist Marc Handelman in his latest solo show at Chelsea’s Sikkema, Jenkins & Co. Binders filled with images from corporate reports that portray forced compliance (e.g. cleanups) as a willing choice join whimsical paintings like these to question real motivations behind discussions of the environment. (Through April 11th).

Marc Handelman, Dear Stakeholder, oil on canvas, 87.5 x 61.75 inches, 2014.