Moscow-born, NYC-based painter Sanya Kantarovsky’s latest paintings at Chelsea’s Casey Kaplan Gallery explore awkward and absurd relationships. This twisted dupe appears to be horrified as he willingly bends over to have his hand crushed by a green-booted figure. (Through June 21st).
Sanya Kantarovsky, L’appetit, oil, watercolor, pastel, oilstick on canvas, 47” x 35,” 2014.
Working from collages and digitally manipulated photos, New York artist Angelina Gualdoni merges still life and abstraction to captivating effect. This painting pits a ghostly assemblage created from red and yellow color zones in the foreground against a silhouetted plant in tropical colors behind, neither of which seem to settle in their places. (At Asya Geisberg Gallery, through Feb 15th).
Angelina Gualdoni, Rooms, oil and acrylic on canvas, 47” x 52,” 2013.
Though created from paint, this folksy character’s shirt and pants have the texture of rough-hewn fabric, perfectly in keeping with his Johnny-Appleseed-like barefooted nature wanderer persona. By New York painter Benjamin Degen and titled ‘Kleos,’ it suggests that like the ancient Greeks, this home-grown oddball is also seeking a glory of sorts. (At Chelsea’s Susan Inglett Gallery through Dec 7th).
Benjamin Degen, Kleos, oil on canvas over panel, 2013.
Rod Penner’s tiny photo realist renderings of desolate scenes from the American rural landscape summon nostalgia and intrigue in equal parts. (At Ameringer, McEnery, Yohe in Chelsea through Nov 23rd).
Rod Penner, Ranch View Motel/Vaughn, NM, acrylic on canvas, 2013.
Brian Adam Douglas’ surreal, Neo Rauch- like images of anonymous characters intently engaged in their individual tasks are intriguing, but are even more amazing for being constructed entirely of paper. Though his solo show at Chelsea’s Andrew Edlin Gallery was inspired by mankind’s ability to rebuild after natural disasters, here each character experiences a momentous occasion of his or her own. (Through Oct 26th).
Brian Adam Douglas, The Memory of You is Never Lost Upon Me, cut paper on birch panel with UVA varnish, 2011.
