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.)

‘Caribbean: Crossroads of the World’ at the Queens Museum (and beyond)

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David Perez Karmadavis, Estructura Completa (Complete Structure), 2012, video.
David Perez Karmadavis, Estructura Completa (Complete Structure), 2012, video.

Rather be in the Caribbean?  The next best thing might be seeing ‘Caribbean:  Crossroads of the World,’ a 200 year survey of visual culture from the islands at three NYC museums.  At the Queens Museum, highlights include videos like ‘Complete Structure,’ by David Perez Karmadavis.  Here, a blind Dominican man carries a handicapped Haitian woman through busy streets to allude to the relationship between their neighboring countries. Though reminiscent of Francis Alys on Mexico City streets, Karmadavis’s video captivates by concentrating on the dynamic between this unlikely duo.  Watch the video on Vimeo.  (Also at the Studio Museum in Harlem through Oct 21st and El Museo del Barrio through Jan 6th.)

People Who Work Here at David Zwirner Gallery

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David Ording, Melanin, 2012, oil on wood.
David Ording, Melanin, 2012, oil on wood.

In January, David Zwirner’s 519 W. 19th St location housed one of the most expensive to install and popular site-specific artworks ever shown there.  Just seven months later, this prime real estate has been turned over to gallery employees (who happen to also be artists) for the group show, ‘People Who Work Here.’  A few participants might want to keep their day jobs, but among the standouts is this oil on wood portrait of Thomas Jefferson by David Ording titled, ‘Melanin.’ Based on a freckle-free 1805 original, the painting repatriates Jefferson’s pigmentation…perhaps at the expense of his dignity? (Through Aug 10th).

Christian Jankowski at Friedrich Petzel Gallery

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Christian Jankowski, 'Discourse News,' video on plasma screen, 2012.
Christian Jankowski, ‘Discourse News,’ video on plasma screen, 2012.

It isn’t news that art jargon can obscure more than it illuminates.  But in Christian Jankowski’s video ‘Discourse News,’ the spectacle of a popular New York news anchor delivering the artist’s wordy definition of art from her usual desk in the NY1 studio makes visual art verbosity seem particularly absurd while also reminding viewers of how over-simplified normal news programs can be. (Jankowski’s latest solo show runs through July 28th at Friedrich Petzel Gallery.)