Tag: waste

Elias Sime at James Cohan Gallery

Addis Ababa-based artist Elias Sime continues to turn discarded electronics into compositions that can suggest aerial maps or abstracted landscapes in his latest show at Chelsea’s James Cohan Gallery.  Computers made in China, sold in the US and discarded in Ethiopia make their way into artworks that implicitly question resource distribution and rampant consumption.  (On view through June 29th.)

Elias Sime, detail of Tightrope: Noiseless 18, reclaimed electrical wires and components on panel, 100 ¼ x 63 ¼ inches, 2019.

Joan Linder at Mixed Greens

Joan Linder revisits the 1970s Love Canal toxic dumping scandal with a labor-intensive exhibition at Mixed Greens of meticulous drawings depicting the borders of the Buffalo landfill site as well as renderings of documents related to environmental degradation. In the gallery’s back room, notebooks stretching along every wall picture fences that keep the public way from ruined land, raising the question of what’s lurking here and elsewhere. (In Chelsea through Nov 14th).

Joan Linder, Hooker 102nd Street Book, ink on moleskin notebook, 5 books, 5 ½ x 3 ½ inches when closed; 5 ½ x 105 inches when opened, 2013.

Noriyuki Haraguchi at Fergus McCaffrey Gallery

This gorgeous reflecting pool by Japanese artist Noriyuki Haraguchi – an update on his iconic versions from the 70s – is the picture of serenity in the pristine upstairs gallery of Chelsea’s Fergus McCaffrey Gallery. Contrary to appearances, though, the pool is full of spent machine oil, a symbol of our attraction to a natural resource with not-so-beautiful byproducts. (Through Feb 21st).

Noriyuki Haraguchi, Oil Pool, steel, spent motor oil, 24 x 12 feet.