Ancient and 20th century, Chinese and European cultural heritage come into direct contact in XU ZHEN’s sculpture of a Tang Dynasty warrior holding Brancusi’s ‘Sleeping Muse.’ Currently part of an exhibition at James Cohan Gallery that has transformed the exhibition space into a garden with walking paths that replicate protest marches, the piece aims to provoke conversation on many levels. (On view on the Lower East Side through April 22nd).
Excessive squeezes of oil paint – created using pastry bags – on Xu Zhen’s canvases reach toward the viewer like living creatures, invoking coral or clusters of candy-colored undersea invertebrates. Produced by the artist’s ‘MadeIn Company’ and titled ‘Made in Heaven,’ the work nods to factory-like art production (referencing Jeff Koons’ ‘Made in Heaven’ photo series, for example) while offering a lush abstraction that looks good enough to eat. (At James Cohan Gallery through Oct 8th).
Shanghai artist-provocateur Xu Zhen shows a piece from his ‘Eternity’ series at James Cohan Gallery that literalizes the idea of ‘East meeting West’ in an absurd combination of classical refinement and enlightenment. (In Chelsea through Jan 17th).
Xu Zhen, Eternity-Aphrodite of Knidos, Tang Dynasty Sitting Buddha, glass fiber-reinforced concrete, marble grains, sandstone grains, mineral pigments, steel, 139 ¾ x 35 13/16 x 35 13/16 inches, 2014.
