Jennifer J. Lee at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Closeups of a yellow cable knit sweater, acne scars, popcorn and other objects with textured surfaces draw viewers into Jennifer J Lee’s tiny representational paintings at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery.  Colorful and complex, they engage the senses on multiple levels; painted on rough panels of jute, Lee accentuates the tactility of her subjects.  Here, cacti crowd the frame of this 13 x 12 inch piece offering a lively dynamic of sharp thorns and strong light.  (On view on the Lower East Side through June 26th.  Masks and social distancing required).

Jennifer J. Lee, Prickly Pear, oil on jute, 13 x 12 inches, 2021.

Kamrooz Aram in ‘Field of Vision’ at Peter Blum Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Iranian-born New Yorker Kamrooz Aram’s abstract paintings are a standout in Peter Blum Gallery’s handsome summer group show ‘Field of Vision,’ enticing with their heavy texture and abundant organic forms.  Known for riffing on arabesque decoration, Aram sends our eyes fluttering around this verdant canvas, briefly settling on forms that resemble insect wings or clouds.  Two panels suggest shutters opening on an intimate garden or the dark of night. (On view on Grand Street through July 30th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Kamrooz Aram, Maghreb Drapery, oil, oil crayon, wax pencil and pencil on linen, 85 x 82 inches, 2020.

Yin Xiuzhen at Pace Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Based in Beijing but frequently traveling to exhibit her artwork, Yin Xiuzhen was inspired to turn suitcases into ceiling-mounted mini-cities now on view at Pace Gallery in Chelsea.  Working with second-hand clothing from the city she’s depicting, she has constructed small-scale versions of urban landscapes and architecture from around the world.  Both deeply personal  – made from a material that expresses many individuals’ personal tastes and circumstances – and representing architecture ‘owned’ by an entire city of citizens, Yin Xiuzhen connects individual and collective experience in a global framework.  (On view through June 26th. Masks and social distancing required.)

Yin Xiuzhen, detail from the installation ‘Along the Way’ at Pace Gallery, May/June 2021.

Alexander Harrison in ‘New Old Histories’ at Kasmin Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Paused in mid-action and wearing tattered clothing, this cowboy may look worse for wear, but he appears to have come out on top.  What he’s literally on top of – a platform hiding three individuals with huge eyes – suggests the drama isn’t quite over.  Alexander Harrison’s cowboy – backlit by a fiery red sky and composed of dynamic, bending limbs – is a highlight of Kasmin Gallery’s group show ‘New Old Histories;’ in one action-packed moment, Harrison frustrates the typical Western good guy vs bad guy dichotomy (is he the law or is the law after him?) and leaves us wanting more.  (On view in Chelsea through June 26th.  Masks and social distancing required.)

Alexander Harrison, Beyond the Horizon, acrylic on panel, 47 ½ x 47 ½ inches.

Analia Saban at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery

by Merrily KerrDon't Miss, Features & Commissions, Hottest ShowPosted on Comments are Disabled

Can painting be a tapestry?  Can it be sculpture?  Analia Saban continues to explore painting’s possibilities in her current show at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, in which she presents woven paintings, pigments derived from Tesla paint, and dried paint as a printing surface.  Here, one of a series of paintings created by weaving dried paint strips through linen features a gradient inspired by image-editing software.  Appearing in various colors of the spectrum, each gradient painting juxtaposes the digital and handmade, painting and fabric production, offering a fascinating hybrid medium.  (On view in Chelsea through June 19th.  Masks and social distancing required).

Analia Saban, Woven Angle Gradient as Weft, Medium Violet, woven acrylic paint and linen thread on panel, 70 1/4 x 70 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches, 2021.