Jim Shaw: The End is Here at the New Museum

Last night I went to the opening reception of Jim Shaw's: The End is Here exhibition at the New Museum.  It is the artist's first NYC retrospective spanning on three floors of the museum - an impressive curatorial feat.  Not only are we presented with a survey of the artwork he created in the last five decades such as paintings, drawings and theatrical backdrops but also with his diverse sources of inspiration.  For example, there are rooms filled with his collections of comic books, record covers and religious posters as well as an entire gallery filled with paintings he purchased from thrift stores.  This exhibition is so expansive it requires a couple of trips to the museum to fully absorb it. The good news is that the show runs until 01/10/16, so there is plenty of time to see it.  Here are some photos I took, please check out the museum's website for more information.

P.S. The views from the museum's 7th floor 'sky room' are incredible, especially at night.

 

My visit to Michelle Doll's studio made possible by Verni

I found Michelle Doll's studio via Verni.  This site made it easy for me to schedule a visit and see her work in person, something I wanted to do for a while.  Her studio is in a nice area in Hoboken, NJ, in an artist building, with beautiful views of Manhattan and the Hudson River.  It feels very welcoming and homey.  

In her studio are a number of works in progress and finished pieces.  There are large and small oil paintings that depict honest moments of intimacy.  The large images surround you while the small ones draw you in, a playful interpretation of space, a space that is shared by the couples, the artists, and the audience. She paints them differently, the small pieces she describes as 'tokens', precious, and carefully rendered.  The large ones are painted more loosely and in parts the paint seems to be peeling (an illusion created by the layered application of paint). It's as if we are witnessing the impermanence of the embraces. It's a beautiful and startling sensation at the same time.

Michelle is a successful female artist showing tenderness and courage in her paintings as well as a remarkable technique.  Below are some photos I took during my studio visit.  You can see more of her work on line at www.michelledoll.com.  I had a great time in her studio and a good experience using Verni to reach her.  Don't hesitate to try the service for yourself!

 

Dan Voinea at Slag Gallery; Bors & Ritiu at Open Source

Two galleries in Brooklyn are now exhibiting artwork by Romanian artists.  Painter Dan Voinea is showing at Slag Gallery, an event made possible with the support from the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York.  Voinea makes his solo debut in New York City with a small number of oil paintings, seven or eight, perfectly suited for the gallery space.  Seductive, dark, soulful, his works stand out and his technique shows a level of sophistication that delights.  The show is called 'Absently Yours' and is on display until October 11.

The duo Cristian Bors and Marius Ritiu also show a small number of pieces that make a great impact.  Their show titled 'Venus von Hamburg' is a smart social commentary on the economic crisis in Europe.  It is on view at Open Source until September 28.  More details about these shows can be found by clicking on the links above.  I'm also happy to answer any questions you might have. Here are a couple of shots from the shows, be sure to go experience the artwork for yourself!

New work by Dan Voinea at Slag Gallery

Detail

Opening Reception at Slag

Opening Reception at Open Source

Within Venus von Hamburg, the great Greek beauty Venus de Milo is distorted and disfigured. Her fate is no longer controlled by her people, but her uncertain future has been dictated by politicians and executives. - See more at: http://open-source-gallery.org/#sthash.gKvL59GJ.dpuf

Within Venus von Hamburg, the great Greek beauty Venus de Milo is distorted and disfigured. Her fate is no longer controlled by her people, but her uncertain future has been dictated by politicians and executives. - See more at: http://open-source-gallery.org/#sthash.gKvL59GJ.dpuf

Venus von Hambur

'Slip' and ''Pardon the Interruption, Please.'

Last night was very busy night in Chelsea.  There were so many art lovers on the streets and in the galleries and quite a few opening receptions happening at the same time.  Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to see all the ones I wanted to visit.  I did make it to two great shows, one called 'Slip' at Winston Wachter Fine Art displaying drawings by Zaria Forman and the other called 'Pardon the Interruption, Please.' featuring sculptures by Will Kurtz at Kim Foster Gallery.  See photos below.  For more information about the galleries and the artists please click on the links above. I highly recommend both shows, they will remain open in Chelsea till sometime in October.  I'm also happy to further comment on any of these pieces, if you have any questions please let me know.

Art From the Boros II

Last Thursday I went to the opening reception for the Art From the Boros II show, at Denise Bibro Fine Art Gallery in Chelsea.  It was a busy and fun opening, see photos below.  47 New York City artists were chosen from a pool of two hundred submissions.  The work is exciting and diverse, definitely worth the trip.

Jean-Antoine Norbert, From Chaos to Light 1, 2013

Candace Browne, Pitchers of Thorny Flowers, 2010

Jo Mar, Falling to Pieces, 2012

Debora Simon, Ursus Maritimus, 2015

London Tsai, Sisyphus' confidant , 2009-2012

Robert Franca, Bed, 2013

Mariyah Tareen, Tranquility, 2015

Enchanted Evening at the New Whitney Museum

If you are in NYC this summer I definitely recommend a visit to the newly reopened Whitney Museum of American Art. It is located in the Meatpacking District and from its patios you'll see some of the most beautiful views of the city.  The museum houses a large collection of American Artists such as Edward Hopper, Robert Rauschenberg, Vija Celmins and Chuck Close. Overall this is a place you don't want to miss and to make it even better Friday nights are 'pay as you wish' nights!

'Land and Sea' at Danese Corey. 'Blue Drawings' at Portraits Inc.

I went to two Opening Receptions last night for two very different art shows.  The one at Danese Corey in Chelsea is a group show exploring unusual interpretations of  the 'Land and Sea'.  Definitely worth a trip to see intriguing works by artists such as April Gornik and Richard Misrach.  I enjoyed the juxtaposition of very large scale works and miniatures, drawings and paintings.

On the other side of Manhattan, on the Upper East Side, Patricia Watwood and Michael Gormley curated a group show of mainly blue figurative drawings.  The show is a celebration of highly skilled draftsmen and draftswomen such as Steven Assael, Nicolas V. Sanchez, and Melanie Vote.  For more information see the links and photos below:

http://www.danesecorey.com/

http://www.portraitsinc.com/