Tag: new york

Brian Alfred at Miles McEnery Gallery

Would New York be better without the people?  An empty subway entrance at West 4th Street, Rockefeller Center buried by snow and a deserted Coney Island beach – all scenes included in Brooklyn-based painter Brian Alfred’s latest show at Miles McEnery Gallery – suggest that if the city’s human inhabits would step aside, the views would improve.  Here, two city bridges silhouetted by a gorgeous sunrise or sunset may or may not be busy with traffic, but they appear as tranquil as the country-side.  (On view in Chelsea through Oct 5th).

Brian Alfred, Two Bridge(s), acrylic on canvas, 60 x 72 inches, 2019.

Thomas Holton in ‘Interior Lives’ at the Museum of the City of New York

Despite the pressures of a busy life, whether she was at home, at work or at her mother’s house, Shirley Lam always put a meal on the table for her family.  Thomas Holton’s documentary photos of the Lam family’s life in their 350 sq ft apartment on Ludlow Street is one of three remarkable photo series now on view at the Museum of the City of New York that elaborate on capability and sacrifice in New York’s Chinese communities.  (on view through March 24th).

Thomas Holton, Dinner for Seven, 2011, installation view of ‘Interior Lives’ at the Museum of the City of New York, January 2019.

Morteza Khakshoor at the International Print Center New York

Male behaviors and rituals occupy Ohio-based printmaker and current International Print Center New York resident artist Morteza Khakshoor’s colorful, dream-like prints.  This piece, ‘Men of High Culture’ is a standout in the IPCNY’s current juried exhibition of new prints.  Including a homogeneously dressed cast of male wall flowers and two figures grappling with eccentric creatures and separated by a vase of flowers, Khakshoor’s setup reinterprets the uber-male cockfight.  (On view through Sept 22nd).

Morteza Khakshoor, Men of High Culture, screenprint on paper mounted on panel, 29 ¼ x 42 ¾ inches, 2018.

Julie Bena at Chapter NY

Whether they’re teeth or a quadrupled epiglottis, the line of metal balls in each of these three mouth sculptures by Julie Bena suggests ways in which language might follow Newton’s laws.  If each of these joyous, dismayed or just loud mouths spoke, would their words have a momentum that wouldn’t diminish?  How would the energy of each person’s thoughts change form as it manifested in each individual?  (At Chapter NY as part of the multi-gallery group exhibition Condo New York.  Chapter is hosting Adams and Ollman).

Julie Bena, installation view at Chapter NY, July, 2018. Foreground: 3 Mouths Are Largely Enough (Hearthy), powder coated metal, 8 ¾ x 11 x 2 ¾ inches, 2017.

Luke Murphy at Canada New York

A campfire made of LED matrix panels, a slightly misshapen monolith in cool blue light and this glowing quilt with changing patterns are standouts in computer programmer/ artist Luke Murphy’s latest show at Canada NY.  Here, both subject matter and execution exude homey charm.  (On view on the Lower East Side through July 15th).

LogCabin Quilt, 62 x 41 x 5 inches, 2018.