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We visit the Jewish Museum and there is an interesting show Draw Them In, Paint Them Out: Trenton Doyle Hancock Confronts Philip Guston. This work ‘The former and the Ladder or Ascension and a Cinchin’ (2012) references Hancock’s carpenter father and his superstition about walking under ladders: in this work the ladder is a portal to understand his use of symbolism
Philip Guston’s ‘The Ladder’ (1978) is from a time when his health was failing, his disembodied legs are tangled in the ladder he is desperately trying to reach his wife, her brow on the horizon. Two ladders and two different meanings
The bumbling, smoking Klansmen in ‘Riding around’ 1969 represent his condemnation of this violent activism – Guston had hidden his name, changing it from Goldstein so as not to too visible as a Jew in America.
At Skarstedt was another wonderful Cristina BanBan exhibition. Her inclusion of high heels, or knee-high socks and underwear enhances these unsettling nudes. The palates of filmmakers Sophie Coppola and Pedro Almodovar whose lovely cherry reds or soft pastels are all part of her new work. These new works begin to have more personality and at the same time still there is a connection between the viewer and the subject. I love the titular work ‘14th Street Madonna’
Cristina in front of her favourite painting ‘Striped Socks’
A great moment for New York and Post-Internet Art as I stand with Robert Rosenkranz in his very impressive new space in Chinatown. This will be an incredible project, and we cannot wait to see what he makes happen here
With Director Alex Poots we have a pre-tour of LunaLuna at the Shed - we can see already that this show will be spectacular and a crowd pleaser – Get there! Closes 23 February
At Nathalie Karg Gallery I drop in to see the work of Danny Moynihan who is exploring ever evolving landscapes. He weaves stands of mysticism and mythology in his work. He is locked into caves and is breaking out producing tangible rocky textures, as explored in this painting ‘Quarry’
One of my top three shows was at O’Flaherty’s ‘Matthew Barney and Alex Katz - The Bitch at 165 Allen street, the show starts with a three part video ‘Drawing Restraint’ where Mathew Barney investigates Alex Katz painting through his own style of film making which includes installing sound behind the canvases and ladders so the process is not only seen it is also heard
It is a spectacular movie
Then there is a weird and wonderful sculpture by Matthew Barney called ‘water cast’
At Salon 94 ‘The lady the unicorn: New Tapestry’ there was much to see. We were greeted by the artist Felix Beaudry in his own body suit
We liked the work of Hella Jongerius ‘Angry Animals’
Then it was Kenny Scharf world. Kenny Scharf was there to greet me with his Grandson at the entrance of the Brant Foundation
There was a room with interesting portraits
The famous Kenny Scharf televisions
One of the highlights of my trip was getting to see ‘Edges of Ailey’ at the Whitney museum, where the legacy of Alvin Ailey was celebrated by visionary artists and choreographers. I loved the work of Karon Davis ‘Dear Mama 2024’
A lovely work of Kevin Beasley ‘Haze’
We were stunned by the works of Nicholas Sullivan at Clearing Gallery. The hybrid Stove and Chrysler was his main theme. He is fascinated with cars and the process of excavating the interior and exterior.
The (almost) final stop was to the Drawing Centre where we saw the collection of Brian Donnelly aka Kaws. It was wonderful to see his influences altogether. From the drawings of Auriel Schmidt, to the graphite and crayon work Superman by Peter Saul. I was attracted by the honesty of R. Crumb
We were taken by the whimsical salon hang. We were dazzled by so many interesting art works