Helen Frankenthaler’s abstract paintings allude to landscapes and moods; a showcase of the artist’s work from the ‘90s at Gagosian Gallery conveys the pleasures of colors and feelings observed in nature. Pioneer of an influential staining technique in mid-century American abstraction, Frankenthaler here adds an overt, textured brushstroke that emphasizes the surface of the canvas. Appearing to hover over aqua-toned pools of color and an underlying dark depth, the long orange mark sets in play a complicated and shifting illusion of depth. (On view through April 15th on 24th Street in Chelsea).
Helen Frankenthaler, Poseidon, acrylic on canvas, 70 ¾ x 100 inches, 1990.
Though they were finished over five years ago, 91 year old German artist Gerhard Richter’s ‘final paintings’ from 2016-17 at David Zwirner Gallery feel current; together with smaller-scale work on paper, the paintings have been a ‘must-see’ since opening in mid-March. Richter’s muscular painting process involved scraping layers of paint from the surface of his paintings with a large self-designed squeegee. Never sure of what his technique would yield, Richter surrendered at least part of a painting’s outcome to chance; the resulting images embody movement, resisting the static quality of a finished piece. (On view in Chelsea through April 29th).
Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting), oil on canvas, 78 ¾ x 98 3/8 inches, 2016.
Josephine Halvorson can turn the most mundane roadside object, from discarded refuse to aged signage, into an object worthy of contemplation. In her latest solo show at Sikkema Jenkins & Co titled ‘Unforgotten,’ the Massachusetts-based painter zeros in on remnants from the past, including a tumbleweed, a neglected work bulletin board and this rusted disconnect box. A pleasingly symmetrical pattern of circular holes coexists with bullet holes, both of which let the late day sunlight pass through to create bright ovals of orange light. The umber tones in the box and the landscape contrast a cloudless blue sky, adding beauty to a setting that few would value. (On view in Chelsea through April 22nd).
Josephine Halvorson, Disconnect Box, acrylic gouache on panel, 32 x 26 inches, 2022.
German painter Albert Oehlen’s continuously morphing style has been associated with ‘bad painting’ and a sense of being “on the way to becoming something else,” two qualities which linked him in his mind to another celebrated and influential artist, Paul McCarthy who he has invited to show with him now at Gagosian Gallery. Oehlen’s new work features a recurring abstracted form resembling a corporate logo, a modified pi symbol or, in proximity to the figurative sculpture by McCarthy, a squat torso with two long legs. Seen in various color combinations and even as a cast aluminum sculpture, the form merges with or boldly erupts from fields of gestural abstraction. Here, the ambiguous shape appears defaced by paint, a suggestion that the medium still has power to shake things up. (On view in Chelsea through April 22nd).
Albert Oehlen, Omega Man 15, acrylic and oil on canvas, 2021.
In a time when public monuments and memorials are being reconsidered, LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Carnegie Prize Winning installation ‘More Than Conquerors: A Monument for Community Health Workers of Baltimore, Maryland 2021-2022,’ is a model for way forward, not by not singling out one achiever but by lauding a community of heroic individuals who dedicate their personal and work lives to helping others access better health care. Now on view at Gladstone Gallery, in Chelsea, the artwork features photos of and interviews with eighteen individuals like Kendra Lindsey. A carer for her family since she was a child, Lindsey was inspired to start a health and wellness business, become an auxiliary police officer and support local community groups in addition to working as a community health worker. As a tribute and an act of advocacy for appropriate pay, ‘More than Conquerors’ is a moving and illuminating look into the lives and motivations of an under-appreciated yet vital workforce. (On view through April 15th).
LaToya Ruby Frazier, ‘More Than Conquerors: A Monument for Community Health Workers of Baltimore, Maryland 2021-2022’, 18 stainless steel IV poles, 66 archival inkjet prints, dimensions available, 2022.
