Vases grimace and boxes flirt in Kathy Butterly’s sometimes anthropomorphic, always charmingly eccentric ceramic sculptures. Butterly’s new work – on view for the first time at James Cohan Gallery – is larger than ever and still defying convention with its raucous combinations of color and forms. (In Chelsea through Oct 20th).
LA-based abstract painter Mary Weatherford had an epiphany while driving through the streets of Bakersfield, CA one evening. The peachy tints of a radiant sunset and the glowing storefront lights inspired her to add neon light to her abstract expressionist canvases, making each uniquely expressive of a particular time and place. In her first solo show at Gagosian Gallery in Chelsea, Weatherford’s huge works are inspired by politics as well as specific experiences; one of the most impactful, GLORIA, operates with explosive force. (On view through Oct 15th).
Urs Fischer wants art to ‘do more than it does.’ With a team of software engineers and the input of choreographer Madeline Hollander, the New York-based Swiss artist sets out to surprise gallery visitors with a troupe of dancing office chairs, programmed to interact with each other and humans. Dubbed ‘robotic sculptures,’ the chairs come across as sinister if they come up behind you but strangely cute from the front as they hover nearby, slowly swiveling their wheels like a dog wagging its tail. Here, several engage in a group animation reminiscent of a chorus-line about to kick up its heels. (On view at Gagosian Gallery through Oct 13th).
A plano-convex lens dangling under three projectors creates a mesmerizing, constantly shifting pattern of light on the walls in Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s latest solo show at Bitforms. In advance of a major exhibition of his interactive environments at the Hirshhorn this fall, the artist’s current exhibition tantalizes with small scale pieces from the past few years that evoke wonder at the intersection of technology and the natural world. (On view on the Lower East Side through Oct 21st).
Barbara Takenaga’s abstract paintings evoke natural phenomena – here, a polished cross section of a stone or a distant view of far galaxies. In the case of ‘Overview,’ a standout in her latest solo show at Chelsea gallery DC Moore, she electrifies the heavens with vibrant color and gratifying complexity. (On view through Oct 6th).
