Atmosphere, light conditions and seasons shift to absorbing effect in Vermont-based painter Eric Aho’s landscapes, sometimes in the same painting. In ‘Headwaters,’ white patches close to the painting’s surface appear to be effects of the waterfall, while at bottom left, water appears to both drop and rise from the side of the cascade. Perceptions alter as we look, creating a dynamic image that engages as it challenges interpretation. (On view at DCMoore Gallery through Nov 10th).
Amid glinting filigree and chains, an emaciated figure plays a horn above two skeletons in Hew Locke’s photograph embellished with mixed media. Underneath is an image of a public sculpture memorializing Peter Stuyvesant, namesake of several New York landmarks and the Dutch governor who saw slavery as an engine to drive New York’s colonial economy. In his first solo show at PPOW Gallery in Chelsea, Locke alters portraits of public figures to examine how their lives and decisions have extended beyond their sanctioned, public images. (On view through Nov 10th).
In her current solo show at Chelsea’s Marianne Boesky Gallery, Austrian artist Svenja Deininger has brought out a new body of painting, literally, in canvases that evoke the human form, her own domestic environment, and the city of Milan, where she initiated her latest series. (On view through Dec 22nd).
It’s hard to tell if the hand in this photo by Mel Frank is gathering or stroking a marijuana plant; either way, the photo captures the cannabis cultivation guru and author’s affection for the herb. From extreme closeup photos to sunny landscapes dominated by weed and its farmers, Frank’s exhibition at Benrubi Gallery, ‘When We Were Criminals,’ offers a visual appreciation of a plant whose reputation continues to evolve. (On view in Chelsea through Nov 10th).
Just how ‘optimized’ should life be? Young Brooklyn painter Grace Weaver explores the idea of living to your utmost in ‘Best Life,’ her first solo show at James Cohan Gallery’s Lower East Side. Here, ‘peak season’ pictures two young people performing the role of tourist as they snap the requisite photos and navigate unfamiliar terrain on vacation. Weaver’s vividly colored portraits of her generation explore social pressures that will be alien to many but intense to her subjects. (On view through Oct 28th).
