Tag: contemporary art

Posted on , by Etty Yaniv

 Helen O’ Leary: No Place for Certainty

Helen O’Leary, installation view of Home is a foreign country, 2018, photo courtesy of Lesley Heller by Eva O’Leary

Helen O’Leary‘s sculptural paintings are delicate and rough, subtle and raw, literal and metaphoric – they embrace and prick the viewer at the same time. Her current exhibition “Home is a foreign country“ at Leslie Heller indicates not only clear incisiveness and impressive mastery of form, but also a deep generosity- sharing with the viewer her rigorous process of  grappling with material: visible jointing, disjointing, bending, folding,  knitting. She says that somewhere through the struggle some magic happens. And magic does happen in her artwork. Continue reading ” Helen O’ Leary: No Place for Certainty”

Posted on , by Etty Yaniv

Hecho en Tránsito / Made in Transit at Salena

Travis Leroy Southworth  & Lisbet Roldan Collaboration Version 3, photo courtesy of the curator

What happens when artists who come from different worlds encounter one another through art? How does access to information and materials in the U.S. and the constraint and lack in Cuba affect making art? What does a dialogue look like without words? The exhibition “Hecho en Tránsito / Made in Transit” that is currently presented at the LIU Salena gallery, is posing these questions with rigor. The artwork in this show is resulting of a long term project which was designed to foster intercultural dialogue between U.S. and Cuban artists, primarily through the exchange and collaborative creation of artwork. The visual dialogue between the artists is sustained in thought provoking ways across time, place, cultural differences, and political transitions. Continue reading “Hecho en Tránsito / Made in Transit at Salena”

Posted on , by Etty Yaniv

Pop Goes The Weasel

POP GOES THE WEASEL- An exhibition that asks the question “why not”?

POP GOES THE WEASEL, installation view, photo courtesy of the curator

The group show “Pop Goes The Weasel” at The Williamsburg Art and Historical Society brings together a group of nineteen artists from Japan and the US, fifteen women and four men who are  working in seemingly disparate ways. Curator and artist William Norton  presents his premise as “Why not”? Why not bring together artists who simply share their pathos, political intent, psychological depth ,a love of materials, and above all, their joy in creating art? Continue reading “Pop Goes The Weasel”

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Liminal Worlds at Trestle Gallery

Anne Polashenski , Aliens in a New Land: Josef & Francziska Podleszański (Great Grandparents), 2015, C-prints, cut paper collage & gouache on paper, 23 x 19 in, photo courtesy of the artist

Curated by Katerina Lanfranco, “Liminal Worlds,” the upcoming show at Trestle features four artists who reflect on the fluid dividing line between the multiple realities we experience as part of the human condition.  Anne Polashenski and Greg Thielker examine notions of “self and other” through ethnography, immigrant experiences, and national borders. Ashley Hope and Elizabeth Insogna explore the elusive notions of spirit and afterlife. Altogether, through their artworks, these artists invite us to venture into territories that make us contemplate not only  politics, but also the potential for deeper self-awareness. Continue reading “Liminal Worlds at Trestle Gallery”

Posted on , by Etty Yaniv

Gregory Coates, Claiming Feathers

Gregory Coates, Afro Series 1 and 2 with artist, feathers acrylic on luan, 4 feet diameter, 2018, photo courtesy of the artist

Gregory Coates’ bold and colorful installations raise questions rather than offer explanations. Through his abstracted forms and unabashed use of alluring colors he creates “social abstractions” which can be read as affirmations of life – beautiful and poignant at the same time. Continue reading “Gregory Coates, Claiming Feathers”

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Après Coup: Transforming Trauma into Art

Samira Abbassy, Reincarnated Fears, Oil on Gesso Panel, 48” X 36”, 2016, photo courtesy of JEANETTE MAY photo studio

The group exhibition “Après Coup: Transforming Trauma into Art” was conceived in tandem with the conference, Translating Trauma into Art and Literature at the Hewitt gallery in Marymount Manhattan College. Curated by Hallie Cohen, Professor of Art, Director of the Hewitt Gallery, this thought provoking show features work by Samira Abbassy, Susan Erony, Joumana Jaber, Miriam Katin, jc lenochan,  Lance Letscher, Ruth Liberman, Tyson Robertson, and Stephanie Serpick who come from diverse backgrounds and refer to different adversities, but all share ongoing reflections on trauma – running the gamut from the deeply personal to the philosophical. Continue reading “Après Coup: Transforming Trauma into Art”

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The spirit of NYC Trash!

Bernard Klevickas ,mirrored branch, to be installed at the City Reliquary, photo courtesy of the artist

In conjunction with the City Reliquary museum ‘s current exhibition “NYC Trash!: Past, Present, & Future Sculpture Garden,” the Reliquary’s backyard garden will inhabit site specific artworks by ten local artists who are utilizing trash as art material.  The opening reception will be on Saturday, April 7th, at 12pm.  Continue reading “The spirit of NYC Trash!”

Posted on , by Etty Yaniv

Leveling at Novado Gallery

Diana Schmertz, America’s Social Contract, watercolor on laser cut paper – both sides painted, 7 panels, 28×16 inches each, 2017

“Leveling”, the painting show at Novado Gallery features figurative paintings by Michelle Doll, Charlotta Janssen, Heather Morgan, Stefania Panepinto, Diana Schmertz and Jennifer Watson. Anne Novado,  the director, curator, and co-owner of the gallery, describes the premise of the show as an artistic response to issues that permeate the social, economic, educational, and political landscape –  such as inequality, social status and women’s rights. Continue reading “Leveling at Novado Gallery”

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Jamie Martinez, a Triangle on Its Own

Jamie Martinez at The Border Project Space

Jamie Martinez, who has just launched THE BORDER at the 56 Bogart building in Bushwick, is a prolific artist, curator, blogger, and now – gallerist. In his interview with Art Spiel, Martinez shares a bit about himself, the genesis of his multiple activities and his exciting plans for the near future.  Continue reading “Jamie Martinez, a Triangle on Its Own”

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OnEdge at The Painting Center

Audrey Stone, Double Pour

“OnEdge” at The Painting Center features ten contemporary painters who interpret the notion of ‘edge’ in their abstract paintings, conversing with mid-20th century abstraction sensibilities like Op Art and Washington Color, or early Mondrian.  Patrick Burns, Anthony Falcetta, Astrid Fitzgerald, Lori Glavin, Celia Johnson, Julie Karabenick, Richard Keen, Scot Sinclair, Audrey Stone, and Jennifer Woolcock-Schwartz  explore the tension between separation and union with color and line.  In her curatorial note,  Susan Post says that the shift between separation and union triggers the sensation of being ‘on edge’ – a prevalent state of mind at the moment.  Continue reading “OnEdge at The Painting Center”