Eliot Markell blogs about an exhibition of watercolors by Ron Gorchov at Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, on view through October 13, 2013. Markell writes that "a Gorchov trademark that does seem to have remained virtually unchanged are the familiar vertical slashes. This move animated what might otherwise result in a clunky looking attempt at
Elisabeth Condon posts a photo blog of several current painting shows in Chelsea, including: Charlene Von Heyl at Petzel (through October 5), Jonas Wood at Anton Kern (through October 19), Paul Feeley: 1957–1962 at Garth Greenan (through October 12), Alan Shields at Paula Cooper (through October 5), Tatiana Berg at Hansel & Gretel Picture Garden
S. Patkin reviews the exhibition Robert Ryman: Recent Paintings at Pace Gallery, New York, on view through October 26, 2013. Patkin writes: "The No Title Required series is one of Ryman’s largest multi panel works, continuing his investigations into the relationship between non-identical panels, and presenting a further investigation into the relationship between panels. Subtly
John Yau reviews an exhibition of new work by Allison Miller at Susan Inglett Gallery, New York, on view through October 19, 2013. Yau writes that Miller "seems intent on interrogating the languages that make up painting, on exploring what makes a shape look like a thing, and when it is simply understood as layer
Elspeth Walker reviews the exhibition Pattern Recognition at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) in Brooklyn, curated by Dexter Wimberly, on view through October 6, 2013. Walker writes that the show "is concerned not merely with aesthetics but with using abstract art as a kind of cultural tool. Pattern Recognition, in its concentrated
Megan Abrahams reviews the exhibition Joyce Pensato: I Killed Kenny on view at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, on view through September 28, 2013. Abrahams notes the impact of "both the scale and the immense physicality of her dynamic paintings -- particularly the ones she rendered on the vast walls of the Santa Monica
William Eckhardt Kohler reviews the exhibition Katherine Bradford: Small Ships at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, New York, on view through October 13, 2013. Kohler writes: "Bradford's willingness to move freely between painting genres and schools leads to a sense that she is essentially being profoundly herself and that she has forged these parts into
James Kalm films a video walkthrough of the exhibition Balthus: Cats and Girls - Paintings and Provocations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, on view through January 12, 2014. Kalm notes that: "Representing a confluence of restrained classic figuration and Surrealistic erotic narrative, Balthus looms as a painterly enigma over the second half
David M. Roth reviews the exhibition Ed Moses: Yesterday's Tomorrow at Brian Gross Gallery, San Francisco, on view through October 26, 2013. Roth writes: "This show of ten mostly large-scale works finds Moses in top form, reinvigorating past motifs with fresh methods. The latest is a craquelure achieved by mixing acrylic paint with some unnamed
Arthur Peña interviews painter Hilary Doyle whose work was recently on view in her solo show Window Facing Inward at Active Space, New York. Doyle comments: "I see art defined as bringing an idea to life... What is our experience of the 'real' world now that we spend in increasing amount of time on electronic
Eugene Thacker considers the perception of the 'color' black and the function of black in vision and painting. Thacker writes: "Certainly in paintings like [St. Jerome Writing, c.1606] Caravaggio makes extreme use of chiaroscuro, and he is not the first to do so. But there is a sense that Caravaggio took as much care painting
Lauren Smith visits the studio of painter Joanne Greenbaum. Asked about her approach to making work, Greenbaum answers: "I don't have a real philosophy but I am a worker. I work when I am not inspired. Inspiration is not a real word for serious artists, they don't get 'inspired,' they just work. Ideas come from
Paul Corio reviews numerous (primarily abstract) painting exhibitions currently on view in New York including: Gene Davis and Frederick Hammersley at Ameringer McHenry Yohe (through October 12), Chuck Webster: Blessing at Betty Cunningham (through October 12), Caetano de Almeida at Eleven Rivington (through October 13), Cynthia Daignault: Which is the Sun and Which is the
A blog post about the work of underknown painter Charley Toorop. Toorop’s painting Self-Portrait with Hat and Voile "is emblematic of her later 'realistic' style. Features that help to define a painting’s realistic appearance are usually accurately rendered shadows, light, textures and colors. We believe the sitter’s physicality and presence. We relate in a similar
Cindi di Marzo reviews the exhibition Marc Chagall: Love, War and Exile at The Jewish Museum, New York, on view through February 2, 2014. Di Marzo writes that the show "focuses on Chagall’s activities during an increasingly difficult period for him, the 1930s to 1948. The 30 paintings and 24 works on paper gathered for
Jacob Feige reviews the exhibition Jennifer Bartlett: History of the Universe - Works 1970-2011 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, on view through October 13, 2013. Feige writes: "Nearly forty years after Jennifer Bartlett first gained attention in the 1970s, her painting practice encompasses a greater variety of approaches than perhaps any other well-known
John Seed reviews the exhibition Richard Diebenkorn, The Berkeley Years 1953-1966 at the M.H. De Young Museum, San Francisco, on view through September 29, 2013. Seed writes: "The works Diebenkorn made during his years in Berkeley reflect his artistic dialogues with Edward Hopper, Northern Expressionism, the work of Bay Area colleagues and the French lineage
In a recent installment in his ongoing "In Process" blog series, Paul Behnke posts a photo blog of the progress of two paintings by Phillip J. Mellen. Behnke's introduction begins: "Mellen combines additive and subtractive gestures to build up the surface and add depth to his work. Bold colors, solid forms, drips and spatters allude
Bianca Guillen reviews an exhibition of paintings Sarah Williams at George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, on view through October 12th, 2013. Guillen writes that "the manner in which Williams knowingly illustrates the differing luminesce of artificial light, affectively shrouds each work in mystery. These landscapes are haunting scenes finessed into states of individual and complex
Photo blog of installation views from the exhibition Francesco Clemente: Tents at Blain|Southern, Berlin, on view though November 9, 2013. The press release notes that the show features "three large-scale canvas tents, with every aspect of the exteriors, interiors, walls and roofs painted in intricate detail... Produced in India, Clemente describes these tents as his