Exhibition Review by Riad Miah

Gary Petersen: The Shape of Walking at McKenzie Fine Art

For artists working within the realm of geometric abstraction, understanding the weight of art history is vital. The hard-edge lines, a keen understanding of color theory, and structured patterns—all form part of a visual language that has evolved over a century. Artists today, when approaching geometric abstraction, face a unique tension. On the one hand, they inherit the legacy of giants such as Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, Josef Albers, and Kazimir Malevich, whose works laid the foundation for what we understand as “geometric art.” On the other hand, the question looms large: How does one continue to make geometric abstraction in 2024?

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Book Review by Paul D'Agostino

Fall Reads: Nine to Note

Book Review

Here’s a set of reviews of nine recently published and forthcoming books I’ve enjoyed reading, reflecting on, and recommending of late. In the mix are two emotionally trenchant novels, a narratively enigmatic novella, a gauzily glowing volume of poetry, a vast survey of contemporary text-based art, a history of groundbreaking women photographers, a critical examination of the sociopolitics of walking, a collection of interdisciplinary essays about narrative slowness, and a revised historical glimpse into the early days of US comic strips. They’re all worthy titles to add to your fall reading list. Several would also make excellent additions to a fall or spring syllabus.

Exhibition Highlights by Claire Haik

Art Spiel Picks: Philly Exhibitions in October 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

Sometimes, we are confronted with artwork that hums with possibilities so profound you can feel them taking root in your chest and making a new home. You stand in the gallery, soaking it in, and you want to share it with as many people as possible. That said, I hope you take a good chunk of time to sink into the transcendent earthy abstractions of Warren Rohrer at Locks Gallery. Afterward, head upstairs and marvel, open-mouthed, at the unexpected forms created by sculptors Hanne Friis and Lynda Benglis. Then, journey over to Fleisher/Ollman Gallery and get lost in Sarah Gamble’s glittering forest interiors and interdimensional abstractions, filled with mystery and magic.

Artist Interview by Etty Yaniv

Dorothy Robinson: Paint Through Space and Time

Dorothy Robinson’s family moved often during her childhood, starting in rural Iowa, where they farmed for generations and eventually settled in California. After high school, she bounced between colleges before landing at UC Berkeley. Studying art never crossed her mind, but she was drawn to geography, “probably because of its strong visual component—map making, field trips, slide shows,” Robinson says. During an internship, she learned darkroom skills and later worked in commercial photo labs, shaping her sense of color while making color prints. An invitation from an artist friend to join a drawing group was transformative, and started Robinson on the path to a life of making art.

kennardphillipps Greatest Emergency
Exhibition Essay by Santiago Zabala

kennardphillipps Greatest Emergency

This is part of a series of articles for the upcoming exhibition, The Greatest Emergency at the Circulo de Bellas Artes of Madrid. The exhibition is based on Santiago Zabala’s book, Why Only Art Can Save Us: Aesthetics and the Absence of Emergency. In this exhibition, ten contemporary artists rescue us into our greatest emergencies, that is, those we do not confront as we should. Each article in the series will contextualize these artists’ practices and explore how they are linked to Zabala’s aesthetic theory and the exhibition’s themes. The fourth article in this series highlights the work of kennardphillipps.

Featured Project by Etty Yaniv

Divisions: To Be Human Is To Act Humanely

Featured Project

at Griffiss International Sculpture Park , Rome, NY

Linda Cunningham – Divisions

… hunger and fear can vanquish all human resistance, and all

freedom … Freedom consists in knowing freedom is in danger.

But to know … is to have time to avoid & prevent the moment of

inhumanity … the infinitesimal difference between the human

being and the non-human being …

————–Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity

CJ Hendry And The Rise of Photo-op Art
Opinion by Jac Lahav

CJ Hendry And The Rise of Photo-op Art

Opinion

CJ Hendry’s recent Flower Market installation, initially planned for September 13-15 on Roosevelt Island, was shut down by police due to overcrowding and quickly relocated to Brooklyn. The event was both a celebration and a symptom of our evolving art world. Hendry, known for her hyperrealistic drawings of everyday objects and her massive Instagram following of over 800k, collaborated with beauty brand Clé de Peau Beauté to pair their perfume scents with plush flower sculptures. Visitors could take one flower for free and buy additional ones for $5 each, creating Instagrammable bouquets to share with friends.

Exhibition Highlights by Anna Shukeylo

Art Spiel Picks: Chelsea Exhibitions in October 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

The fall season opened strong with some very exciting painting shows in Chelsea and its outskirts. The not to be missed stand alone Monya Rowe Gallery is featuring work by two innovative female painters, while in the heart of Chelsea, Hollis Taggart is featuring Tim Kent’s captivating works in his second solo show with the gallery. Right across the street, Fergus McCaffrey Gallery is showcasing fresh work by a seasoned German painter Reinhard Pods.

art spiel stew by Yasmeen Abdallah and Anna Shukeylo

The Art of Unpacking an Art Fair—Spring/Break NYC

Art Spiel Stew

We visited SPRING/BREAK Art Show in its new location in lower Manhattan on Varick St. We went independently, and then got together afterward to discuss our impressions of the fair, and the highlights we came away with. We have ruminated on possible trends and strong impressions that stayed with us long after the fair. Even though it has been almost a month past Spring Break Art Fair, the highlights resonated with us.

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Exhibition Review by Etty Yaniv

Assembled Worlds: Hannah Höch at Lower Belvedere

“I wish to blur the firm boundaries which we tend to delineate around all we can achieve,” Hannah Höch once said, challenging the rigid limits that society often imposes on creativity, identity, and social roles. This sentiment resonates deeply throughout the Assembled Worlds exhibition at Vienna’s Lower Belvedere, curated by Martin Waldmeier from the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern. This major showcase of Höch’s work in Austria feels long overdue, bringing together around 80 of her photomontages, alongside paintings, drawings, prints, and archival materials. Together, they offer a vivid glimpse into her groundbreaking contributions to 20th-century art.