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The happy new year Chelsea Art Crawl Review
January 8th, 2009
January 8th, 2009
Happy New Year! Now is the time to look forward to great things, new beginnings, and improvements to old ones; it’s time for change.
Generally, change can be a good thing, but it is possible to go too far. I feel the state and standard of the Chelsea art world (and beyond!) has
been all about change for a while now, to the point where change has become the status quo. It’s all about the next best new thing, about
whoever can come up with the most original, unusual and different. It defies a logical progression and there is no apparent continuity. We are
constantly bombarded by novelties as well as endless variations on pre-existing styles and methods, constant revisionism. Oh look,
minimalism reinterpreted, oh look, another ready-made, MORE monochromatic canvases, more refuse-as-art! The definition of art has come
to embrace limitless possibility where literally anything can be art which is great, but this unfortunately this clouds or complicates any set of
standards to distinguish good art from bad art. Yes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so yes, there will likely always be at least one
person who appreciates any given piece of work, precluding it from definitively being called bad: even a pile of garbage. All is now open and
fair game to interpretation and opinion. Furthermore, there is the conceptual aspect of the work to consider, possibly making or breaking an
argument as to why a simple brass, two-pronged, hook ($4.00 at your local hardware store) screwed into the gallery wall is art that is
supposedly worth hundreds of dollars.
The first crawl of the year had a very similar feel to the first crawl of the Fall in September; it was packed, with about forty openings, and the
atmosphere was celebratory. Even the weather didn’t hinder the masses. To start the evening, we saw some very painterly paintings by
Susanna Heller in her show “The Heel-Toe-Express,” at Magnan Projects. Of particular interest is the title work, a 40” x 312” sprawling
painting loosely based on the act of walking over the Williamsburg Bridge. There are some recognizable landmarks and cityscapes amidst a
more expressive, abstracted quality of brush stroke. This behemoth is accompanied by many drawings and a few smaller canvases. The
preparatory drawings strongly inform the painting, but hold a sometimes looser, more intimate quality.
On The Heel-Toe-Express
Susanna Heller at Magnan Projects
317 Tenth Avenue
January 8-February 14, 2009
Susanna Heller at Magnan Projects
317 Tenth Avenue
January 8-February 14, 2009
Then, there was a great group show of sculpture and installation at Black & White Gallery with works by nine artists. The one universal
theme was the use, appropriation and incorporation of clothing as a primary--if not sole--material. Even with such stricture, the diversity of
work was riveting: Shimon Okshteyn’s column of bowlers brought to mind Magritte’s paintings, while Jason Clay Lewis’ “Fur Skull” made
pretty direct reference to Hirst’s diamond encrusted skull, but with a sense of humor. As usual, the show was thought-provoking and
exquisitely curated.
theme was the use, appropriation and incorporation of clothing as a primary--if not sole--material. Even with such stricture, the diversity of
work was riveting: Shimon Okshteyn’s column of bowlers brought to mind Magritte’s paintings, while Jason Clay Lewis’ “Fur Skull” made
pretty direct reference to Hirst’s diamond encrusted skull, but with a sense of humor. As usual, the show was thought-provoking and
exquisitely curated.
imMATERIAL
Winter group show at
Black & White Gallery
636 W. 28th Street
January 8-February 14,
2009
Winter group show at
Black & White Gallery
636 W. 28th Street
January 8-February 14,
2009
TAMARA KOSTIANOVSKY
In the year 2000, a few months after I moved
to the US, the Argentinean economy crashed.
This fact forced me to find "art supplies" in
things that I had at hand. I started making
three-dimensional maps out of my own
clothes, documenting my journey from Israel
to Argentina, and then to the US.
For Argentineans the cow is a symbol of
national identity: it's the core ingredient in
most people's diet and one of the main exports
of the country. By creating sculptural works
where cows appear skinned, tortured, or
dismembered, I intend to speak about the
conflictive relationship between homeland and
emigres, at the same time that I bring attention
to the physicality of our existences, the
escalating violence that we became accostomed
to, and the longing that results when the body
is displaced.
In the year 2000, a few months after I moved
to the US, the Argentinean economy crashed.
This fact forced me to find "art supplies" in
things that I had at hand. I started making
three-dimensional maps out of my own
clothes, documenting my journey from Israel
to Argentina, and then to the US.
For Argentineans the cow is a symbol of
national identity: it's the core ingredient in
most people's diet and one of the main exports
of the country. By creating sculptural works
where cows appear skinned, tortured, or
dismembered, I intend to speak about the
conflictive relationship between homeland and
emigres, at the same time that I bring attention
to the physicality of our existences, the
escalating violence that we became accostomed
to, and the longing that results when the body
is displaced.
ORLY COGAN
The tableaux I create are inspired by
relationships. They evolve from the personal
mythologies of my memories. I work with
vintage, printed fabrics and found
embroideries made by women in previous
eras. I act as a collaborator, modrnizing their
traditional world and altering its original
purpose.
Photo credit: Alessandra Okshteyn
The tableaux I create are inspired by
relationships. They evolve from the personal
mythologies of my memories. I work with
vintage, printed fabrics and found
embroideries made by women in previous
eras. I act as a collaborator, modrnizing their
traditional world and altering its original
purpose.
Photo credit: Alessandra Okshteyn
However, the celebrity sightings came at Mary Boone: Matthew Barney and Bjork
were there (I even got his autograph...how much is that worth?), as well as several
of the usual critics, and I even got to have a brief chat with Mary who was
bedecked in a matching fur coat/ hat combo...sweeeet! But beyond the star power
and the paparazzi, there was some interesting work on the walls. The work of Imi
Knoebel a balance between monochromatic aluminum panels juxtaposed with looser,
hand-painted pallette-like constructions presents investigations into formal concerns
and color theory. This work seemed to hit my intellect more than my gut...very
cerebral stuff, with a far stretch to the sublime, or at least a very circuitous route.
| Imi Knoebel at Mary Boone Gallery 541 W. 24th Street January 8-February 14, 2009 |
| Above: Imi Knoebel Grace Kelly III 115" by 100" (24) acrylic/wood 1994 |
Further heavy-hitters included Robert Barry at Yvon Lambert. One of the pioneers of conceptualism and minimalism, Barry presents
works from 1962-2008: a new major floor piece, wall text pieces and paintings. Here is a case where the art needs to be read as
much as looked at. Words in art have always interested me; how does one effectively use language in a realm that is largely
designated to the image and non-verbal? Jenny Holzer and Jack Pierson come to mind as artists who effectively use words as their
primary medium, though with vastly different approaches and intents.
works from 1962-2008: a new major floor piece, wall text pieces and paintings. Here is a case where the art needs to be read as
much as looked at. Words in art have always interested me; how does one effectively use language in a realm that is largely
designated to the image and non-verbal? Jenny Holzer and Jack Pierson come to mind as artists who effectively use words as their
primary medium, though with vastly different approaches and intents.
| Robert Barry at Yvon Lambert. 550 W. 21st Street january 8-February 7, 2009 |
| And though we missed the reception, a must-see show, in my opinion, is Fred Sandback at David Zwirner. Talk about minimalism with great impact...talk about use of common material in an exceptional fashion, talk about manipulation of space and affectation of atmosphere...this guy’s got it going on! Fred Sandback at David Zwirner 525 & 533 W. 19th Street. January 9-February 13, 2009 |
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| The New York Optimist February 2009 |
