Can a room full of benches inspire community-minded thinking? Francis Cape’s hand-crafted replicas of furniture from Shaker and other 19th century separatist communities, presented en masse at Chelsea’s Murray Guy Gallery, are objects whose value is rooted in their usefulness to many people – opposite of art as luxury commodity. (Through Aug 9th).
Francis Cape, installation view of Utopian Benches at Murray Guy Gallery, July 2013.
At eighty-two years old, Alice Mackler is enjoying a career revival with this show at the Lower East Side gallery Kerry Schuss, inspiring nods to Matisse’s odalisques (Time Out) and William Steig cartoons (Gallerist NY). (Through July 26th).
Alice Mackler, Untitled, glazed earthenware, 2013.
Lucas Samaras’ pin-encrusted cube is a standout in Susan Inglett Gallery’s ‘Specific Objects’ show, an exhibition inspired by a pivotal 1965 Donald Judd essay that came to define minimalism. The piece’s shape is its subject matter, but the pins introduce an element of danger that give it a charge. (In Chelsea through July 26th).
Lucas Samaras, Untitled, pins on wood, 1964.
New York artist Matt Hoyt was a star of the last Whitney Biennial with his tiny, meticulously crafted sculptures that resemble archeological finds or rare natural specimens but which remain a pleasing puzzle. This assortment (‘group 93’) appears in Casey Kaplan Gallery’s summer group show ‘Mind is Outer Space.’ (In Chelsea through Aug 2nd).
Matt Hoyt, Untitled (Group 93), two wooden shelves with polyurethane supports containing 11 component objects comprised of all or some of the following: various putties, plastic, metal, clay, krazy glue, pastel, oil, tempera, acrylic, and spray paint, 2010-2013.
An exhibition of architect Renzo Piano’s work, including models, photos, diagrams and reference books on Piano’s buildings takes visitors to Chelsea’s Gagosian Gallery on an around the world tour of marvelous homes, museums and in this picture, the Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center, built on a peninsula in New Caldonia. (through Aug 2nd).
Installation view of Jean-Marie Tjibaou table in ‘Renzo Piano Building Workshop’ at Gagosian Gallery, July 2013.
