Arcmanoro Niles’ portraits – set in the Washington DC neighborhood where he grew up – feature not only their posed subjects but a host of secondary, ghoulish characters who the artist calls ‘seekers.’ Though this boy’s vibrant youth is made magical by his glittery hair, an odd creature wrapped around his feet could be setting the boy up for a fall. (On view at Rachel Uffner Gallery on the Lower East Side through Feb 25th).
Gil Batle is back with a second solo show at Ricco/Maresca of ostrich eggs carved with stories of various inmates encountered during the artist’s past prison sentences. Every bit as absorbing as his first show here in 2016, this exhibition features eggs like ‘Abducted,’ which explores a murdering dentist’s tales of alien interference in his life. (On view in Chelsea through Feb 24th).
By passing polarized light through scrolled and bunched transparent films, German artist Martin Klimas creates an enticing abstraction in an array of tones and colors. (On view at Foley Gallery on the Lower East Side through Feb 18th).
Books are bound with covers of cigarettes or melted crayons, studded with nails like a fetish object or stuffed with garbage in Allan Stone Projects’ exhibition of Barton Benes’ book sculptures. This book from c. 72-74 is at the mercy of a giant safety pin, perhaps holding the book together, keeping it closed or treating it like a punk or a diapered baby? (On view in Chelsea through Feb 24th).
Nearly twenty years after his last New York solo show, British artist Jason Martin is back with limited palette paintings in swathes of oil paint as lush and thick as frosting. (On view at Lisson Gallery’s 24th Street location through Feb 24th).
