Beverly Fishman at Miles McEnery Gallery

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

The simple geometry, reflective surfaces and day-glo colors of Beverly Fishman’s new paintings at Miles McEnery Gallery are an immediate draw.  Despite the allure, however, they were inspired by shiny marketing techniques used by pharmaceutical companies and colors that signal warning.  Fishman’s abstraction, rooted in real world references and resembling portals nods to the various mental and physical states we pass through in life.  (On view in Chelsea through Oct 10th.  Appointments are not necessary but masks and social distancing are required.)

Beverly Fishman, Untitled (Pain, Diabetes, Depression, Depression, Depression), urethane paint on wood, 52 ½ x 100 ¼ x 2 inches, 2019.

Pieter Schoolwerth at Petzel Gallery

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

Pieter Schoolwerth’s new paintings at Petzel Gallery question human identity in a time when our on-screen personas are more prevalent than ever.  Basing his images on screenshots of the life-simulation game The Sims 4, each digital avatar’s form is mingled with flat layers of grey surface and some have faces rendered in expressionist swirls of paint.  Here, young women take a selfie while a horrified woman in a space suit (full protective gear?) looks on.  The disorienting effect of paint vs inkjet print, vivid color vs drab grey and layers that have come unmoored from their source create a fascinating world of provisional realities.  (On view in Chelsea through Oct 31st. Masks and social distancing are required and gallery capacity is limited.  Visitors must give contact info.)

Pieter Schoolwerth, Shifted Sims #1 (Get Together) oil, acrylic, inkjet on canvas, 54 x 93 inches, 2020.

Alyson Shotz at Derek Eller Gallery

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

Alyson Shotz’s fascination with gravity, light, and other natural phenomenon continues in her current show of sculpture at Derek Eller Gallery. Textile-like sheets of electroplated metal disks hang from the ceiling, enticing visitors with their shiny iridescence.  Curling inward, they create shapes that resemble chrysalises while at the same time suggesting shed skin, another natural phenomenon signaling growth.  (On view on the Lower East Side through Oct 10th. Masks and social distancing are required and gallery capacity is limited.)

Alyson Shotz, installation view of Intricate Metamorphosis #1-6, plated carbon steel, various dimensions, 2020 in ‘The Small Clocks Run Wild’ at Derek Eller Gallery.

Os Gemeos at Lehmann Maupin Gallery

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

Os Gemeos, the Brazilian brothers who’ve painted giant outdoor murals around the world, are back in town with an exhibition of typically fabulous paintings at Lehman Maupin Gallery.  Harkening back to the artists’ initiation into the world of street art, music and dance in the 80s, this painting actually functions as a boombox, streaming music through Bluetooth speakers.   (On view in Chelsea through Oct 31st.  Masks and social distancing are required and gallery capacity is limited.  Visitors must give contact info.)

Os Gemeos, Boombox Walking, mixed media with sequins on MDF with sound system composed of two 6 inhc JBL/Harman Triaxial 60W speakers, DC 12V input bivolt amplifier and source 12V 3A, 74.61 x 110.04 x 4.53 inches (framed), 2020.

Sonya Kelliher-Combs in ‘Ecofeminism(s)’ at Thomas Erben Gallery

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

Last summer’s popular group show ‘Ecofeminism(s)’ at Thomas Erben Gallery, curated by Monika Fabijanska, has reopened after the summer break for another brief run.  Audiences can take in artworks by iconic artists who probe human relationships to nature and get another chance to check out Alaska-based Sonya Kelliher-Combs’ delicately crafted ‘Mark, Polar Bear,’ which veils the U.S. flag with polar bear fur. (On view in Chelsea through Sept 26th.  No appointment is necessary but visitor numbers are limited and masks are required.)

Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Mark, Polar Bear, acrylic polymer, polar bear fur, fabric flag, metal brackets, 40 x 65 inches, 2019.