John Dilg in ‘The Big Picture’ at Sikkema Jenkins & Co

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John Dilg, 'A Religious Experience,' 2009 - 10, oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in.
John Dilg, ‘A Religious Experience,’ 2009 – 10, oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in.

John Dilg is no outsider artist (he’s an art professor at the University of Iowa) – though his pared down painting style may look unskilled it purges unnecessary details from his eerie, uninhabited landscapes.  Muted colors and hazy lines add to the ambiguity of this scene titled, ‘A Religious Experience.’   Monumental in theme but not size (at 11 x 14 inches, it’s a little larger than book size), Dilg invites personal interpretations as he evokes a cascade of water or mountain capped by cloud a la Moses on Mt Sinai. (‘The Big Picture,’ a group show of small-scale painting, is on view at Sikkema Jenkins & Co through July 27th.)

Adi Nes at Jack Shainman Gallery

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Adi Nes, Untitled, chromogenic print, 2008.
Adi Nes, Untitled, chromogenic print, 2008.

Israeli artist Adi Nes created this startlingly beautiful image as part of a series of staged photographs picturing a fictional kibbutz in Israel’s historically embattled Jezreel Valley.  Dense orchard foliage creates a sense of intimacy with this sun-lit boy and his horse but brings with it a sense of our intrusion. (Adi Nes’ ‘The Village’ is at Jack Shainman Gallery through July 28th.)

Thomas Houseago’s ‘Lying Figure’ on the High Line

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Thomas Houseago, Lying Figure, bronze, 2012.
Thomas Houseago, Lying Figure, bronze, 2012.

Thomas Houseago’s ‘Lying Figure’ lurks in shadow on the High Line under the Standard, like a voyeur lying in wait for the hotel’s notorious exhibitionist guests.  Composed of repulsive, fecal-looking coils cast in bronze, the character is nonetheless a commanding presence despite being laid low and missing his head. (On the High Line through March 2013).

Patrick Jacobs at Hasted Kraeutler in ‘Great Photographs: Scapes’

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Patrick Jacobs, 'Window with View of the Gowanus Heights,' diorama composed of various materials, 2012.
Patrick Jacobs, ‘Window with View of the Gowanus Heights,’ diorama composed of various materials, 2012.

‘Window with View of the Gowanus Heights,’ a tiny, meticulous diorama by Patrick Jacobs set into the gallery wall, imagines what paradise would look like if it suddenly materialized beyond the fire escape.  It is part of the group exhibition, ‘Great Photographs: Scapes’ at Hasted Kraeutler, which includes huge photos of lush forests and burning woods, magnificent aerial views and vintage prints of the 19th century Colorado railroad.  But it’s Jacobs’ humble ‘what if’ that really dares to dream big by turning a superfund site into a verdant Eden. (Though July 20th.)

Mateo Tannatt at D’Amelio Gallery in ‘Idea is the Object’

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Mateo Tannatt, New Line, Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero/Shogun 1982 - Present, 2012.
Mateo Tannatt, New Line, Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero/Shogun 1982 – Present, 2012.

With his swing set turned sculpture at D’Amelio Gallery, LA-based artist Mateo Tannatt exploits the shock value of mixing themes of car crashes and children, though after a moment, it seems just as likely that this auto fragment has been junked like so many old toys.   Swinging can be relaxing or thrilling, and Tannatt deftly suggests both the insulating attraction of a car-like pod and the consequences of pushing it too far. (Though August 24th.)