Chelsea Gallery Shows in January/February 2008
Feb 4th, 2008 by Brad
Rauschenberg’s “Runts” at PaceWildenstein Gallery (534 West 25th Street, NYC, Chelsea). These works are created from Rauschenberg’s archive of photographs, which he then transfers onto polylaminate mounted on aluminum panels. These images are of a more personal nature than other commercial images that appear in earlier work.
“Mine is the need to be where it will always never be the same again; a kind of archaeology in time only, forcing one to see whatever the light or the darkness touches, and care. My concern is the move at the speed within which to act. Photography is the most direct communication in nonviolent contacts,†wrote Rauschenberg in a 1981 essay.
Before I read the above quote I thought that these images were an archaeology of memories, where different images are combined by form and semantic connections as we try to peace together patterns out of a chaos of experiences. In Studio360 this month, V.S. Ramachandran was talking about Synesthesia he said that “science is about looking for patterns in what seems chaotic”. Which lead me to think:
“If science looks for patterns in chaos & complexity then art both finds patterns in chaos & complexity and creates chaos & complexity for one to find patterns.†Brad Carlile Jan 2008 🙂
The Frank Paulin’s photographs spanning the last half of the twentieth century are on display at Silverstein Photography (535 West 24th Street, NYC Chelsea). Paulin pushed traditional street photography into new and innovative directions. The show really makes one reminisce for this kind of street photography shot with a keen observation, humor, and caring. I feel Paulin’s street photography has been overlooked in comparison to others that most people know.
Three of Bernd and Hilla Becher classic image grids are on exhibition at Sonnabend (536 West 22nd, NYC Chelsea). I don’t always take to their work but the “Winding Towers” captured my attention. It has an interesting visual rhythm with these angular subjects. Reflecting more on this, the Becher works that don’t work for me are those where the images individually are very interesting but on a larger scale they don’t have enough difference in form to create something more as a whole. “Winding Towers” is successful because it is very interesting at both levels. In addition, the subject of winding and pulleys that change direction of force also create some interesting avenues of thought.
In addition to Bernd and Hilla Becher, their former student Candida Hofer is also showing in the back rooms at Sonnabend. Several of Hofer’s large-format photographs of library interiors and large rooms become very abstractly geometric and interesting. I didn’t take any jpgs. But I did get the image below of Robert Morris’s “Untitled”.
Robert Morris’ “Untitled” work is still stunning to me. I’ve never seen it in person before.
Michel Tabori (LA), has a show at Dillon Gallery (555 W 25th St NYC, Chelsea). This mixed media work is created with acrylic paint, and resin on canvas mounted on panels. There are expressive washes of color with subtle details to explore. This is my first visit to Dillon Gallery, I really liked this space.
Also of note was another LA artist Mark Bradford silvery collage work “Nobody Jones” at Sikkema, Jenkins & Co (530 W 22nd St, NYC). Sorry no images from this show, but some were quite gripping. I was captivated by one you can see from the front door. It is a work where the silver facade seems to expand breath as it reveals materials glimpses beneath its silvery front.
The next two little jpgs from the Hasted-Hunt gallery do not do justice to the next show. When you make a small image it takes out the tiny details, winkles, and discolorations that Martin Schoeller work is really about. So like all of the shows you need to go and see it yourself. Scare yourself and get up close. Next time I’ll grab some detail images.
Hasted Hunt (529 W 20th St, 3rd flr, NYC Chelsea) presents Martin Schoeller’s “New Work”, which is large format color and black&white photographic portraits of celebrities and the Amazonian Pirahã tribe. Another thing these tiny jpgs don’t show is the play of the two long rectangular light panels used to light the subject. They create unique and eerie reflections in the eyes of the subject, almost like a split cat’s eye. It is unique but I’m not sure it works.
These unblinking flaw-enhanced portraits include George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchet, Judi Dench, and Donald Trump. The day before I saw the Lucian Freud show at MOMA. In both shows I was reminded how open the subjects have to be to really put themselves out there and let all of the imperfections become so magnified as to upstage the subject.
