The long-armed embrace offered by the central figure says it all in this acrylic on canvas painting by Emma Kohlmann at Jack Hanley Gallery on the Lower East Side. Kohlmann explains that viewers who venture out to galleries during the pandemic should encounter an oasis, or a place to be distracted from turbulent times. Caring couples, harmonious relationships between humans and nature, and references to Matisse’s colorful painting abound in a show that will take the mind to happy places. (On view through Nov 14th).
Amy Sillman at Gladstone Gallery
One ambiguous figure appears to break into multiple forms in Amy Sillman’s irresistible ‘Split 3,’ shifting to the side as if to walk off the canvas. Dominant yellow, green and red colors draw the eye back into the painting’s depths but thick, dark horizontal lines of paint block the viewer’s journey. Coming and going, inviting and refusing, in motion yet static, the contradictions in the canvas reward pondering. (On view in Chelsea at Gladstone Gallery through Nov 14th.)
Billie Zangewa at Lehmann Maupin Gallery
Titled ‘Wings of Change’ rather than ‘winds,’ Billie Zangewa’s new body of work at Lehmann Maupin Gallery speaks to the importance of personal renewal and of hope in the face of difficult times. Created by hand-stitching pieces of silk together on larger, fragmentary surfaces, perfection is not the goal. Rather, each work acknowledges life’s messiness (all were made during the pandemic) and features Zangewa and her son continuing to build their life together at home. (On view in Chelsea through Nov 3rd).
Anders Oinonen at The Hole NYC
It’s often hard to read a visage by Canadan artist Anders Oinonen, whose cast of odd characters is currently making faces on the walls of The Hole NYC on the Lower East Side. This figure has turned his or her architectural face sideways, allowing cotton candy hair to float along the top of the canvas. Though partially obscured in shadow, the face looks anxious, making this individual a perfect representative of the election anxiety faced by many Americans today. (On view on the Lower East Side through Nov 15th).
Ariel Orozco at Spencer Brownstone Gallery
No detail of urban life is too mundane for Mexico-City based conceptual artist Ariel Orozco, whose minimalist panels at Spencer Brownstone Gallery uncover a hidden choreography in the metropolis. Finding himself trailing 18 wheelers through city traffic, Orozco recorded the patterns of blinking lights on the rear of the trucks, then recreated the same flashing sequences with lights embedded into canvas. The effect is humorous and surprisingly engaging…and viewers don’t even have to deal with diesel exhaust. (On view on the Lower East Side through Nov 8th).