Tag: library

Josiah McElheny at James Cohan Gallery

Josiah McElheny’s current show of blown glass sculpture at James Cohan Gallery’s Lower East Side location was inspired by a set of references as complex as his mirrored environments but dazzles even without the background info.  Prompted by a library imagined by Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, McElheny creates vessels intended to house various forms of knowledge.  In this sculpture, McElheny explains that oblong shapes embody the idea of atoms in motion and the planet on its elliptical orbit.  Though we don’t literally see a library of knowledge relating to elliptical motion, each sculpture inspires wonder at the possibilities of what we may have not yet considered.  (On view on the Lower East Side through June 12th. Masks and social distancing are required).

Josiah McElheny, From the Library of Elliptical Motion, Hand-blown, cut, polished, and mirrored glass; low-iron mirror and two-way mirror; electric light; walnut frame, 24 1/4 x 28 x 20 1/2 in, 2021.

Meredith James at Jack Hanley Gallery

The experience of curling up with a good book in a comfy chair isn’t what you might expect in Meredith James’ ‘Library,’ a standout in her show of delightfully strange sculpture at Jack Hanley Gallery.  Stocked with blandly-colored, identical volumes, the miniature library set in a chair, feels more ominous than wonderful.  A gallery handout suggests that James’ new work explores ‘things in various stages of disappearance or obsolescence,’ offering an uncertain future for the written word.  (On view on the Lower East Side through Nov 10th).

Meredith James, Library, armchair, wood, acrylic paint, paper, 44 x 31.5 x 30 inches, 2019.

Xiaoze Xie at Chambers Fine Art

Working from his own detailed photographs, Chinese artist Xiaoze Xie, transforms images of books on dusty library shelves into atmospherically lit bridges to the past. Oil paintings from his latest solo show at Chambers Fine Art in Chelsea include this New Testament translation from Oxford University, wrapped volumes from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu and tomes from the Morgan Library in New York. (On view through June 17th).

Xiaoze Xie, The Queen’s College Library at the University of Oxford (K24, New Testament), oil on linen, 36 x 52 inches, 2016.

Diane Samuels at Pavel Zoubok Gallery

In an homage to the way that reading has shaped her view of the world, Diane Samuels’ ‘First Lines’ inscribes the first line of text from each of the over 1,700 titles in her personal library on the pieces of handmade paper that make up this stunningly detailed wall hanging. (At Pavel Zoubok Gallery in Chelsea through May 20th).

Diane Samuels, First Lines, ink and handmade paper, 66 x 96 inches, 2017.

Yinka Shonibare at James Cohan Gallery

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).

Yinka Shonibare, The British Library, hardback books, Dutch wax printed cotton textile, gold foiled names, headphones, interactive Application, dimensions variable, 2017.