Mike Weiss Gallery -> Maya Gold: Wake, NYC exhibit

"★★★★★"

Review of Mike Weiss Gallery -> Maya Gold: Wake

I could not find a darn thing wrong with this show! I think my hope in the art world is being renewed! The fact that a gallery in Chelsea would pick up a quirky art show like this in NYC is fantastic! Just like it says in the press release the paintings "offer several meanings at once". The paintings are an over head view of people from a perpendicular angle looking straight down on top of the subject. This angle is so unique and even somewhat uncomfortable that I would have liked the works even if they were ugly! Gold uses this approach to her painting in tandem with gloomy overcast weather colors that are wonderfully atmospheric and at the same time dreamy. All this gives the viewer a bit of spectral ethereal manifestation within the painting. The fact that these contemporary paintings are large also draws the viewer in. I look forward to more exhibits from Maya Gold in New York City. Even though this is a five star show I'm not sure if you really need to experience the paintings in person, but you definitely have to check out the website at the bottom of the press release!

Press Release of Mike Weiss Gallery -> Maya Gold: Wake

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Tyler Rollins Gallery-> Sopheap Pich: The Pulse Within Solo show

"★★★★★"

Review of Tyler Rollins -> Sopheap Pich: The Pulse Within Solo show

I was delighted to hear that a Cambodian artist was going to be exhibiting in
NYC so I rushed over to the Tyler Rollins Fine Art Gallery with high expectations! It is always, always, always very refreshing to see art that has organically come out of different cultures especially ones that we don't get exposed to very often. Also its nice when art is not steeped and buried by art history and can be approached without an MFA. This is exactly why Pich's work is so exciting for me. Deeply symbolic without loosing its message or emotion. This show is a success! The Pulse Within even though it is a small show is very engrossing. Pich is going to be remembered as a great artist. I really recommend reading the press release section below because we get a real insight into Pich's creative reasoning and creative process. Even without the press release the same message gets conveyed which is very hard with sculpture. ADD THIS ART SHOW TO YOUR LIST.

Press Release of Tyler Rollins -> Sopheap Pich: The Pulse Within Solo show

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ERNEST RUBENSTEIN GALLERY -> HOPE LIVES: Artists of the Lower East Side group show

"Five Stars""★★★★★"

Review of HOPE LIVES: Artists of the Lower East Side, group show:

This was a wonderful and engaging show exhibiting twelve artists who have lived in the Lower East Side for many years. When you first walk in you are greeted by a group of wonderfully organic wood sculptures cleverly crafted from old tree Branches and twigs that were then woven into a meaningful narrative. After this lovely greeting you are taken though a great and diverse set of work ranging from architectural photos to Vampire anatomy drawings to woven quilts to abstract gold leaf pieces. Despite the enormous variety in the show everything came together both visually and emotionally. Overall you leave the show with a very satisfied creative stomach after witnessing such solid and grounded work. I could really tell this show was not about making political statements, about bringing to light a controversial subject or about exposing some injustice. This show was about artists who are fulfilling the creative void that exists in the world and about doing the kind of art that is fulfilling instead of selling out. I highly recommend this art show!

Artists: Kuki Gomez. Deborah Holcombe, William Holton, Katherine Jackson, Tim Lomas, Jill London, Tim Milk, Paul Nowell, chev d'orange, John Pavlou, Suchitra Van and April Vollmer.

Press release of HOPE LIVES: Artists of the Lower East Side, group show:

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Claire Oliver -> Beth Cavener Stichter: On Tender Hooks

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"
On Tender Hooks Press Release (PDF)

Review of Claire Oliver -> Beth Cavener Stichter: On Tender Hooks Art show:

This show was spot on! Wonderfully skilled artist Beth Cavener Sticher really stole my night's attention. Her sculpture is not plaster but actually hollowed out clay which shows her extream attention to detail. Aside from the OOOhs and AAAhs of her craftsmenship is her subject matter. A starving rabit or two gay goats and some equally charged sculptures "On Tender Hooks" is a wonderful confrontation of large issues that plaugh our would today. Its always a relife when an artist doesn't present the matter in a pretentious higher than thou manner, but instead takes the more subtle route. That's exactaly what Stichter does and then takes it to anouther level by not only documenting issues that go on forgotten but she recontextulizes them into a creative bizare yet powerful way. The artists emotion is ratiating from the peices, i mean how could it not if you spend so many hours and days working stroke by stroke on a peice of art. I highly recomend heading over to the Claire Oliver Gallery for a look! Even though there aren't many peices its still worth the trip!

Claire Oliver -> Beth Cavener Stichter: On Tender Hooks website

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Lehmann Maupin -> Teresita Fernandez: Solo Art Show

(this is not the actual installation pic, at the gallery theres some impressive additions to the walls)

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Review of Lehmann Maupin - Teresita Fernandez: Solo Art Show:

Sculpture at its best! I think this is the third great review I'm writing this week. Don't be fooled There are some less than amazing shows I went to I just didn't write the reviews yet. That said the show at Lehmann Maupin Gallery was wonderfully put together. The space, the art, and the feeling, the emotion, the craziness! (OK maybe I'm getting carried away) Honestly though for me this show was like an epic short film with a wonderful still movement to it. The absolute coolest think was that everything was made of graphite! I never knew the stuff inside a pencil could be so impressive. Fernandez has produced something elemental and raw as f she dipped her hand into the earths core and pulled out one of her thoughts. Set in the sparsely renovated Lehmann Maupin Gallery, the space compliments the work in a setting of plausible post WWIII setting. You should set some extra time in your tour to let this art show seep into your consciousness for a lovely exploratory journey. I enjoyed this Chelsea art show the most out of my tour on October 22nd. Must see!

Press Release forLehmann Maupin - Teresita Fernandez: Solo Art Show:

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Ziehersmith Gallery -> Stephane Calais: Flowers for America art show

"Four Stars" "★★★★"

Online art Gallery of Ziehersmith Gallery -> Stephane Calais: Flowers for America

Review of Ziehersmith Gallery -> Stephane Calais: Flowers for America art show:

This art show has tons of different types of work in it, even plants! It was almost four separate installations in one. In this sense it was a roller coaster ride! Very complex stuff here guys. I didn't get enough time at the show to really figure it all out. I definitely saw the juxtaposition of the portraits next to the flowers and that was enough for me. I felt like the show was a success because the artist really took into consideration of alot of different facts in the layout display and construction of the show. The one thing that didn't fit was the title "flowers for America."
I saw the floral aspect of the show, but I didn't see the America part. I was a shame because maybe that was why I had a hard time figuring the show out and ultimately took away from my viewing experience.

Press release for Ziehersmith Gallery -> Stephane Calais: Flowers for America art show:

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Onishi gallery -> Megumi Nagai: Face

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Review for Onishi gallery -> Megumi Nagai: Face solo exhibit:

Really, Really, Really Good! Just like it says in the press release, Nagai's works come alive using wood pieces as a canvas for her intricate colorful etchings. Aside from the technically interesting process of Nagai's work, there is a deeply emotional as well as symbolic message embedded within the art. Nagai's launching point for her style of old feudal Japanese artwork is obvious but it doesn't over power the work with traditionalism, instead it enhances the beautiful aesthetics and also the dreamy surrealism surrounding her subjects. The images are so fantastic and full of narration that they seep into the back of your mind and stick there vines creeping up an old stone garden wall. Displayed in a less intimate setting the work may have been less impactful due to their small and concise scale, but since the Onishi gallery is small and extremely cute I was drawn into the work even more. These pieces would be a perfect compliment to a small studio apartment or artsy bathroom or den Or any room with moderately low ceilings. Surprisingly affordable for such a great caliber of work I think Nagai under values her creative process and could easily raise her pricing tenfold (but I'm not sure how well she is recognized in the art world.) This would be a great show for any body who likes great art! Must see these in person, their power don't get conveyed over the Internet.

Press Release for Onishi gallery -> Megumi Nagai: Face solo exhibit:

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Ramis Barquet Chelsea Gallery-> Rashaad Newsome: Standards solo exhibit

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Review of Ramis Barquet Chelsea Gallery-> Rashaad Newsome: Standards solo exhibit:

Rashaad Newsome is just a fantastic artist who is producing fine and well thought out work that is socially and politically relevant. The press release offers some wonderful insight to the deeper meaning of Newsome's work. Both the art and the video definitely accomplished what they set out to do. And like a cherry on the top of a sundae, there was a killer coat of arms in the back room of the gallery through a set of silver (or possibly platinum) gates which changed the common usage of the gallery space from an exhibit place into a mysterious landscape in which you are a guest and you should feel privileged to get access. The symbolic magnitude of this show is way to echoing and far reaching for me to cover in this short review. The general feel for the show is not about emotion or even trying to evoke any kind of reaction. It was educational and a clear personal formulation of idea's. I was impressed that it didn't come across at in an arrogant or posh manner but instead the work was well grounded in the real world. I just realized this review is really vague...so to cut my confusing rambling short: I liked the show and I think you will too.

Press release of Ramis Barquet Chelsea Gallery-> Rashaad Newsome: Standards solo exhibit:

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Gana Art New York -> Shigeru Uchida: Vague Hazy Transparent Wavering

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Review of Vague Hazy Transparent Wavering:

The Gana Art center really out did themselves with this high profile show of Shigeru Uchida. Uchida is one of the designers today with lots of high profile grants and awards who has been producing for over 30 years! This exhibit was incredible and multi-faceted. For one thing, the attendees at this show were much more interesting than the other receptions that evening, some even wearing traditional feudal Japanese outfits. When I walked in I was greeted with somebodies lovely perfume (typically I don't notice perfume) and it was very pleasant. In a way the pleasant sweetness of the perfume foreshadowed the exhibit.

One of the first things you see when you enter is the large wooden trees (pictured above) and there is a small description on the left wall about some traditional Japanese concepts which set the tone of the lens that you will view the rest of the installation with. It's hard to describe the show really, you'll just have to see it for yourself! Any self respecting art connoisseur cannot miss this opportunity to see Uchida's contemporary works! The first floor also had pools of water which were lit from the bottom casting out a mystical wavering light onto the walls. Also littered throughout the show were these little white creature like benches (also above). On the second floor were some intricate shelving designs that looked like they came right out of a photo sequence. In the same room there was watery light projected onto the floor with more white creatures. Overall Uchida really created an amazing atmosphere that captured some of the essence of Japanese culture and also provided a great sense of tranquility with multi layered meaning. This is a MUST MUST MUST MUST SEE! Enjoy the show!

Press Release for Gana Art New York's Shigeru Uchida: Vague Hazy Transparent Wavering show:

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DANESE -> Andy Harper: Recent Paintings and Works on Paper

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Review of Andy Haper's recent paintings and works:

The DANESE gallery is super impressive with super tall open ceilings and huge oak exposed rafters and a skylight! Also the gallery has lots of floor space. If you walk into this gallery and there is mediocre or sub-par art on its walls the space will totally overpower it.

This was not the case with Harper's recent paintings! The gallery has a perfect mix of scale and grandeur that complimented Harpers paintings perfectly which were large and extremely detailed. He featured colorful intricate leafy patterns in exquisite detail that covered the whole canvass leaving no empty space or white space. Beautifully reminiscent of royal medieval tapestries, the paintings made a grand and kingly impression. These would be equally fantastic sitting in a museum, or in the lobby of a high end doctors office, or in the den of a Soho condo. This kind of presence for paintings is hard to get in today's art world. My guess is that Harper put so much dedication to detailing his patterns that the time and dedication of the artist somehow got infused into the paintings themselves. (a very new age theory, even for me, but you'll know what I mean when you see them) Fantastic work! Another MUST SEE! You can preview Andy Harper's paintings but you should see the show in person!

Press Release for Any Harper's solo show:

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Marlborough Chelsea -> Steven Charles: The Upstairs Room

"Five Stars" "★★★★★"

Press Release(pdf)

Review of Marlborough Chelsea: Steven Charles's The Upstairs Room:

Wow! Open up your eye's for this juicy and amazing show! This was by far the best show I saw on Oct 15th when visiting receptions in Chelsea. The Internet pics definitely do not give Charles credit for the complexities of his work. He uses enamel in all of his work, dipping paining and splattering making some parts of the frame 3D; actually popping out of the canvass. Furthermore, he does not limit himself to the canvas including old shoes and miniature trees in his pieces. There was even an actual pop-up book enameled to the painting in one of the pieces! That's not including the three contemporary monolithic sculptures that were presented. Not only is the enamel layered, so is his works meanings. "The Upstairs Room" really touches on a range of themes from religion to sex! Combine intensely enamel graphics, a plethora of topics, some awesome colors and an old sneaker with some empty cleaning containers and you get whats in "the upstairs room". These works seem to reflect on persons perceptions of the world or rather they reflect that persons reflections of his or her perception of the world and whatever else is on their mind. This show could set a new trend for expressionism with a twist! Each piece has an almost visceral impact on the viewer forcing them to take in these snapshots and depictions due to the totally unique presentations. All of the work has no kind of contrived feeling, but rather its all very natural and organic feeling. I would guess that Charles is a very genuine person in real life (didn't get to meet him unfortunately).

If you go see one show this fall THIS IS IT! MUST SEE!

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