Artists Unite Issue

Back in Chelsea this time, we took in a lot in a very small area. We deviated from the original plan and made a quick stop in the Art-Mall at 529 W 20th St. Not much to report on that. Sara Tecchia gallery was the one notable we saw, with some bold, large-scale monochromatic watercolors by Ed Baynard in the front gallery, and some examples of innovative processes used to produce some solid, abstract works on view in the back. Perhaps my favorite was by Clement Price-Thomas, who makes two-dimensional as well as sculptural works using salt, which he “grows into his art.” I like this gallery’s stated mission, “… to establish an international, transcultural and intergenerational conversation between artists through varied media. Sara Tecchia Roma-New York strives to revere the past, not repeat it, all while revealing the uniqueness and authenticity of its artists.”

The official start of the crawl began at Plus Ultra Gallery. To confess, I wasn’t sure I’d like Joe Fig’s show all that much, thinking the miniature replications of famous artists’ studios and painting tables might be a feat of technical exactitude and obsessiveness, and perhaps not much more. However, my expectations were completely overturned. To avoid being contaminated by others’ biases, I try not to read much about a show before seeing it. Perhaps that’s how I managed to miss the important detail that each of Fig’s sculptures is accompanied by an audio interview between Fig and the artist-subject. Transcripts are available, but there is something special about listening to an audio interview (I wish I had all day!) while peering into a corner of the artist’s studio that completely sucks you into that world. This great review by Jerry Saltz encapsulates it. The show’s been extended until June 3rd. Take advantage of it!

Plus Ultra is located on a cobbled strip of West 27th Street, waaaaaay west, that now has many small new galleries all along the north side of the street. You can walk right through the spaces (Number 1 on Edward Winkelman’s peeve list!) and find yourself in what seems like a block-long, high-ceilinged interior hallway. It will be interesting to see what develops in there. If you plan to walk through Plus Ultra, or any of the other galleries, be sure to allow ample time to linger with the work. As good as Joe Fig’s show is, we got as much pleasure talking with Associate Gallery Director Max Martinez in the back room. Max gets maximum points for his courteous approach to gallery-goers, and especially his verve and knowledge about art both within and beyond Plus Ultra’s walls.

Next stop was Mixed Greens, for Mary Temple’s show. Gallery people often get a bad rap, so it’s worth it to continue pointing out the gems in the crowd. A special nod to Steven Sergiovanni, who makes every visitor to the gallery feel welcome and valued. Steven exudes an unabashed passion about the work they show, and really seems to love what he’s doing. This gallery also has a laudable mission, founded on the theory “that great, affordable art should be a part of everyone’s life.” Temple creates trompe l’oeil tonal renditions of daylight and shadows within mock architectural spaces. Looking at these installations and small, painted cutouts on paper, the atmosphere is hushed, attuned only to your own expectation of rustling leaves and shifting shadows. Temple however, has successfully frozen time. This work brought to mind Claire Adas’ recent contemplative contributions to the Now:Here:This, particularly on April 28th, and also May 12th. (While we were there, Steven happened to be showing someone a photo by Coke Wisdom O’Neal, which I only mention because I was so pleased by this accidental introduction to a new noteworthy artist.)

Galerie Lelong’s staff provided an unfortunate contrast to Plus Ultra and Mixed Greens, and the show (”Cosmococa - CC1 Trashiscapes” of work by Helio Oiticia and Neville D’Almeida, until June 17th) was also underwhelming. No help was to be found in the press release either. It was difficult to understand what exactly D’Almeida’s role was in this collaboration. After viewing the photographs in the main gallery, we removed our shoes and headed into a darkened room where the floor had cushions and foam mats for visitors to recline upon while watching a slideshow of similar (the same?) photographs projected in pairs on opposing walls. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to do with the curved emery board, one provided on each mat. Something artsy with my toenails, now that my shoes were off? Even if I was too obtuse to fully comprehend what was so “participatory” about this “participatory installation of slides, sounds and objects,” unshod and supine, I vaguely managed to get into the vibe of the imagery and soundtrack. First exhibited in 1973, the installation felt strongly dated. Our participation “in a multi-sensory experience” was somewhat relaxing (all galleries should have a lounge!), but it ultimately failed in “subverting the separation between art and life”. My hunch is that original 1973 East Village incarnation of this installation might have included booze, cocaine, and other “participatory” elements that would’ve been a big part of blurring the separation!

We’ve said and heard a lot about BravinLee Programs and Tom Nozkowski lately, but there are still more superlatives to be bandied about. John Lee’s relaxed, genial demeanor is not necessarily what you’d expect from someone who is so focused, driven, and dedicated, and it’s just one of several reasons we give him five stars. This small, new gallery is likely to have a big impact on the way collectors and even artists themselves view works on paper. Especially if Nozkowski’s show is an indication of what’s to come. The oils on paper and 25-piece suite of drawings have the power, simplicity, and confidence that can only be achieved through decades of dedicated practice. With good reason, Tom won this year’s Award of Merit Medal for Painting from the American Academy of Arts & Letters. In the world of young superstars, it was of interest to read in The Brookyn Rail that people used to practically cringe when young Nozkowski wanted to show them his paintings. Thirty-plus years later, he’s still doing it, and better than almost anyone around. BravinLee has set up an enticing little library in the front of the gallery, and if you ask nicely, John Lee might show you the inner sanctum of the back room, where there are pieces hinting at what comes next, as well as a zinger by Fabian Marcaccio created especially for the gallery. These new smaller galleries in Chelsea provide a welcome counterpoint to the typical gargantuan ones, and remind me of everything that was good about the intimate spaces that existed way back when in Soho.

The crawl ended on a high note, with the opening of solo shows by Amanda Church (”Liquid Love”) and Michael Perrone (”Home and Away”) at Michael Steinberg Gallery (up until June 24th). Amanda is a sophisticated colorist and abstractionist, skillfully melding sex and squirm. Her curvilinear forms are original and unforgettable. They evoke a mix of curiosity and discomfort as if one is getting a surprising view of something that should be kept covered up by skin, or at least by a discreet layer of clothing. Gawk all you want, guilt-free. Part of the delight in Church’s work is that it’s all absolutely deniable, none of her forms being literally representational of all that sexy and/or creepy stuff. It’s all in your head! And, of course right in front of your face. The on-line representations of her work don’t begin to do it justice, and the in-person experience of their large scale is equally important. Like me, Edward Winkelman has been an admirer of Church’s work for some time, and he has a more in-depth write-up here.

The surprise bonus of this crawl was Michael Perrone’s work. The opening was packed and I couldn’t get near the desk to get more info on Perrone’s background, but he’s quite the virtuoso when it comes to handling paint, as these small to medium scale works, mostly on acrylic on aluminum, will attest. His stylized celebration of contemporary American urban and suburban scenes, where the mundane, and even seedy become sublime, has some thread in common with the work of Carolyn Swiszcz. The unpopulated settings are silent and alienating, yet his inclusion of small, observed details, the sense of space, and the intricate compositions and paint handling draw in and engage the viewer.

I’m off to the west coast, and may include a gallery crawl out there if there’s time. For our west coast readers, check out Artwalk Culver City, with 30 participating galleries on June 3rd, noon until 8pm.

[Images top to bottom: Ed Baynard, "Melting #3" 60" x 40", watercolor, 2005; Joe Fig, "Fred Tomaselli" 11" x 11" x 9.5, mixed media, 2006; Mary Temple, "Paper Room GRN 3, 10" acrylic on paper; Installation shot of "Cosmococa - CC1 Trashiscapes" of work by Helio Oiticia and Neville D'Almeida at Galerie Lelong; Thomas Nozkowski, oil on paper; Amanda Church, "Flash Point", oil on canvas, 72" x80", 2006; Michael Perrone, "The Rec", 24" x 24", acrylic on aluminum]