‘Not everything needs to be exalted and monetized,’ says Matthew Chambers, who allows gallery visitors to flip through his huge, painted books. On the gallery walls at Feuer Mesler, Chambers explores color via appealing flower paintings (left wall), tulip canvases are all about pattern, and torn canvas strips [right wall) morph into textured monochromes. (At Feuer Mesler Gallery on the Lower East Side through Oct 23rd).
Jeff Elrod’s digitally inspired paintings may evoke a preschooler’s scrawl, but there’s something about ‘Rubber Miro’ that intrigues. Maybe it’s the necklace-like pattern or the pretty colors hovering somewhere in the background that make it hard to dismiss, maybe he’s succeeded in tapping into a subconscious, universal realm that Miro pioneered. (At Luhring Augustine Gallery through Oct 22nd).
Born in the Northern Brazilian city of Belem, home to an annual religious festival that draws millions of participants, artist Tonico Lemmos Auad creates a series of attractively simple, handmade, crocheted forms inspired by votive vessels. (At CRG Gallery on the Lower East Side through Oct 23rd).
At a time when sensitive portraits of African Americans were far from the norm, 19th century Boston artist Francesca Alexander’s tiny ink on paper sketch from 1852 of Julia Benson charms. (At Driscoll Babcock Galleries in Chelsea through Oct 22nd).
Female figures in long black dresses are the basis of this arresting canvas by Canadian painter Elizabeth McIntosh, who’s known for excerpting and riffing on elements of historical paintings. The identity of the repeated woman is a mystery, but the intensely yellow object coming from her hand – a notebook? handbag? a block of butter? – is the real puzzle that gives the painting intrigue. (At Canada on the Lower East Side through Oct 23rd).
