On exhibit: Deborah Zlotsky, Ward Jackson, and Yoshiaki Mochizuki

In this post:

DEBORAH ZLOTSKY  at Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, through October 11
WARD JACKSON  at Minus Space, through October 25
YOSHIAKI MOCHIZUKI  at Marlborough Chelsea, through October 11 

Autumn in NY is off to a bountiful start with numerous exhibits featuring the many guises of abstraction. At its most superficial level, the thread that ties these three exhibits together is quite simple: I am enthralled by the work. But digging deeper, each artist reflects a clarity of vision along with a devotion to craft, and each artist's work reflects a distinctive approach to abstraction that incorporates elements of geometric forms.

Deborah Zlotsky: It happened, but not to you (Kathryn Markel Fine Arts,through October 11) features eight knock-out paintings chock full of muscular volumetric forms that are stacked and torqued through space. Zlotsky's constructions appear at once massive and floating, which sometimes twist open to reveal hollowed out interiors. These trapezoidal masses are anchored to one another, yet seem ready to separate and hurtle off with a gentle shove. A dynamic unfolding permeates Zlotsky's paintings, unlike much hard-edged geometric abstraction.

DEBORAH ZLOTSKY    A tricky subject, 2014     48x48 oil on canvas   (image courtesy KMFA)

detail from A tricky subject

 

DEBORAH ZLOTSKY   Mermaid thoughts, 2014   60x72   oil on canvas  (image courtesy KMFA)

detail from Mermaid thoughts

 

DEBORAH ZLOTSKY   The Inundation, 2014    48x48 inches     oil on canvas    (image courtesy KMFA)

detail from The Inundation

Zlotsky's palette is replete with assertive colors and burly forms, combined with fantastical compositions and a painterly approach.  A close examination of the paintings reveals planes painted with subtly modulated hues, as well as surfaces rich with drips and dings--elements that show the history of the making. Additionally, the robust forms are occasionally punctuated by tender pictorial elements (easy to miss from the distance)-- a delicate glass tube in one spot, or a needle-like mass in another

In her statement, Zlotsky states that things ordinary and familiar (from her surroundings or memory) are the starting point for each painting. Through a process that she describes as "accumulation and revision, accidents repeatedly redirect me, blurring my understanding of the differences between accident and intention, memory and history."

To see more work from this exhibit, click here.


Ward Jackson: Black & White Diamonds 1960s (Minus Space, through October 25) focuses  on his black and white, geometric compositions on diamond-shaped canvases and also includes a series of sketchbook pages. In contrast with Zlotsky's colorful and compositionally complex paintings, Jackson's work elevates the power of austerity. The surface of these paintings is unarticulated, consistent with Jackson's overall minimalist approach. Elegantly installed in arrays that reflect pages from Jackson's sketchbooks, these paintings demonstrate his methodical exploration of minimalist compositions working variously with balance, symmetry, and pattern.   All photos in this section, courtesy of Minus Space.

Installation view,   WARD JACKSON Black & White Diamonds 1960s  (photos courtesy of Minus Space)

WARD JACKSON   Interchange V, 1963    34 x 34 inches   acrylic on canvas

WARD JACKSON  Untitled (Studies for Reverse), circa 1963-64     4 x 6 inches    graphite on paper

WARD JACKSON   Untitled, 1966   17x17 inches   acrylic on canvas

Installation view      WARD JACKSON Black & White Diamonds 1960s 

Jackson described his work during the early 1960s (from the press release for the exhibit): "The diamond shape (or square on end) has the meditative power of a mandala and expands in a way that an ordinary square does not, since the measurement of the diameter across the center is wider than any of the outer or peripheral edges."   Additionally, by rotating an inherently stable form and balancing the compositions on the tip, Jackson offers us compositions that are both refined and dynamic.

The inclusion of sketchbook pages is an additional treat because we can see how Jackson conceptualized this series and then selected specific compositions to develop into paintings. 

To see more work from this exhibit, click here.


Yoshiaki Mochizuki: Grey Noise (Marlborough Chelsea, through October 11) is a gem of a show that invites quiet contemplation. Meticulously constructed with many layers of gesso, clay, graphite and palladium leaf, these intimate compositions (several as small as 10.5 x 10.5 inches) offer an indeterminate and ever-changing viewing experience. Several of these pieces appear as a field with hints of an underlying grid, while others are developed with layers of lines that form overlapping planes and simple geometries.

Limited to black, white, gray and silver, the heavily burnished surfaces of these panels appear very matte from the distance. But moving in closer or when viewed from an angle, the surfaces shimmer and reflect innumerable specks of light. Step closer still and you see that the surface is rich with tightly packed incised lines. The areas that had appeared as a dull white actually have a highly polished silvery sheen flecked with bubbles and imperfections.

YOSHIAKI MOCHIZUKI  Untitled, 1/31, 2014   14 x 14 inches    gesso on board, clay, palladium leaf

detail of Untitled, 1/31

YOSHIAKI MOCHIZUKI  Untitled, 6/10/13, 2013   14 x 14 inches    gesso on board, clay, palladium leaf

same panel seen from an angle

YOSHIAKI MOCHIZUKI  Untitled, 7/2, 2014   14 x 14 inches    gesso on board, clay, palladium leaf

The process of layering and polishing, incising the lines, and the repeated reworking of the surface carries through into the experience of viewing Mochizuki's work -- we see one thing, it changes, we look away and it changes once again. 

To see more work from this exhibit, click here.

NYC summer: a selection of group exhibitions

This summer there are numerous group shows in NY galleries featuring abstraction. The work on view spans several generations of artists with varied approaches to abstraction and painting. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Paintings on Paper exhibition at David Zwirner, which you can read here. With so much to look at (and much already written about), what follows are a few highlights from several of these exhibits. 

Eccentric Abstraction /  Frosch & Portmann  click on gallery name to see more of the exhibit

Curated by Bill Weiss, this gem of a show includes work by David Hayward, Leslie Wayne, Mamie Holst, Richard Allen Morris and Bill Weiss.  This exhibit is up through August 3. I was particularly struck by the rich physicality of the paintings by three of the artists. 

The work of Leslie Wayne and Richard Allen Morris blur the distinctions between painting and sculpture.

LESLIE WAYNE   Paint/Rag #4, 2014  oil on panel  16 x 12 x 4

close up view:  LESLIE WAYNE  One Big Love #26, 2009   oil on panel  11-1/2 x 13-1/4 x 2

RICHARD ALLEN MORRIS  (left to right)  History, 2010, Venus, 2010, Point of View, 2010   acrylic & patch & paint on canvas    10 x 8"

close up view:  RICHARD ALLEN MORRIS   Point of View, 2010   acrylic & patch & paint on canvas   10 x 8"

Douglas Florian often works on found plywood and subjects the painted surface to additional gouging, imbuing a sense of history to his paintings.

DOUGLAS FLORIAN   Bloomsday Way, 2011-2012   31 x 18 3/4   oil on wood

close up view of Bloomsday Way

 
Starting Out: 9 Abstract Painters 1958 - 1971 /   Tibor de Nagy   click on gallery name to see more of the exhibit
These exhibit  (up through August 1) includes work of nine artists who were considered part of the second-generation of NY abstract painters.  You can read a fine review of the exhibit by Marcia Yerman by clicking here. 

Surprisingly, the first painting you see upon entering the gallery is the work of Jane Freilicher, who moved on to landscape and representational work. 

 

JANE FREILICHER   Untitled Abstraction c. 1960    49 x 50"   oil on canvas

 I was also drawn to the paintings by Edward Avedisian and Paul Feeley.

EDWARD AVEDISIAN   Normal Love #1, 1963    67-1/4 x 67-1/2"    liquitex on canvas

PAUL FEELEY    Trajan, 1960    69 x 46"   oil-based enamel on canvas

Summer Invitational /  Elizabeth Harris     click on gallery name to see more of the exhibit
The 2014 summer invitation featured work by Rich Klauber, Joanne Mattera, Paul Mogensen, Gary Peter, and Sarah Walker.  Color, geometry, and layered space each had a place in this exhibit.

JOANNE MATTERA   Chromatic Geometry 21, 2014    12 x 12"   encaustic on panel

RICK KLAUBER, Editor, 2013    46 x 16"  acrylic on cedar shims

 Color as Structure /  McKenzie Fine Art    click on gallery name to see more of the exhibit
This splendid exhibit (up through August 1) features work by 16 artists.  The gallery press release details the theme: "Color as Structure" examines the ways artists use deliberate color choices to create sculptural or architectonic space in their work as well as exploring aspects of weight, movement, rhythm, light and optical vibration." 

Below are several of the standout pieces that fit that description beautifully.

DEBORAH ZLOTSKY   Indoor Voice, 2013   20 x 16"  oil on canvas

MARTHA CLIPPINGER  Converge, 2012   17 x 10-1/2 x 2"   acrylic and oil on wood

ELISE FERGUSON   NW, bold, 2014   24 x 24"   pigmented plaster on mdf

 

PAINTINGS ON PAPER | Summer group exhibit at David Zwirner

Paintings on Paper. The exhibit title summons up associations of color, gesture, and the immediacy of paint along with the informality of works on paper. The act of painting on paper is personal and intimate. Without the laborious preparation necessary for painting on panels or stretched canvas, and working with the entire field in focus, the painter can execute concentrated and honest investigations. The small size of these paintings demand close examination, and the surface of the various papers provide yet another layer of richness to these explorations.

This splendid exhibit now up at David Zwirner in NYC, includes 48 paintings on paper by 11 artists, most completed in the last six years, but with several pieces dating back to 1949. The artists included in the show span several generations, from Ad Reinhardt and Raoul de Keyser, to  Stanely Whitney and Suzan Frecon, to Ilse D'Hollander and Ben Berlow. (The complete list: Ad Reinhardt, James Bishop, Raoul De Keyser, Mary Heilmann, Suzan Frecon, Stanley Whitney, Al Taylor, Paolo Monteiro, Ilse D'Hollander, Rebecca Morris, and Ben Berlow.) 

RAOUL DE KEYSER, Untitled, 1999, watercolor on paper, 9 x 12.25"

Although for some painters, works on paper may be viewed as studies for larger pieces, these small paintings on paper constitute discrete and fully realized bodies of work for each of these artists.

All of pieces in the exhibition are in the realm of abstraction --  some an investigation of spatial relationships, others referencing structure, while still others incorporate highly personal and ambiguous forms. While gouache is a frequent choice of these artists, there are also works in acrylic, ink, watercolor and oil. The papers on which these pieces are painted range from newsprint and old Indian ledger paper, to highly textured handmade paper and crisp white sheets of Fabriano.

What follows below is a personal tour of the work I found most engaging, rather than a comprehensive walk through the entire exhibit. 

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The exhibit begins with a wall of 7 pieces -- the largest is 8 x 6" --  by Ben Berlow (born in 1980, he is the youngest artist with work in the exhibit.) Executed variously in goauche, caseine, graphite and ink, these offer up a personal take on geometric abstraction and also serve to introduce several threads that run through the exhibit -- intimacy of scale, painterly mark-making, and very personal and introspective investigations.

BEN BERLOW, left to right: Untitled, 2013, casein, house paint and graphite on paper, 8 x 8.5"; Untitled, 2013, collage, graphite, gouache, and ink on paper, 8 x 5.5"; Untitled, 2013, casein and graphite on paper, 7.5 x 8.75"

The north gallery room features work by Al Taylor, Suzan Frecon, Mary Heilmann and Stanley Whitney. On one wall is a group of five pieces from the mid 1980s by Al Taylor ((1948-1999).  His work offers up explorations of spatial relationships with open lattice work painted over broad areas of color. These acrylic on newsprint pieces (image size approximately 12.5" high x 10" wide) are bold and unfussy.

AL TAYLOR

AL TAYLOR, left: [no title], ca. 1984-85, acrylic paint on newsprint, 12.5 x 10.25"; right: [no title], ca. 1984-85, acrylic paint on newsprint, 12.5 x 9.75"

Click here to see some of Taylor's three-dimensional assemblages from found materials as well as additional paintings on paper.


4 watercolors by Suzan Frecon (b. 1941) allow for an entirely different  experience. Each painting is quietly assertive, suggesting a relaxed contemplation of form and color, the slight awkwardness of the shapes in dialogue with the irregularity of the paper's surface and edges. Frecon works on old Indian ledger paper, often somewhat discolored by age, and each sheet is slightly different in size (11.5 x 16.5" at the largest). Rather than seeking 'perfection' of form, Frecon asks us to consider the engagement of the painted forms with the entirety of the paper--noticing where the form meets the edge of the sheet or extends beyond. She often allows the watercolor to puddle, creating subtle variations across the surface and integrating the painted forms into the paper.

SUZAN FRECON

SUZAN FRECON, curved and angled terre verte over ochre,  2014, watercolor on single-weight agate-burnished Indian jute paper, 11 3/8 x 15 3/4"

SUZAN FRECON, quadrant/fan compositions, 2, 2014, watercolor on found agate-burnished old Indian rag ledger paper, 9.75 x 12.25"

In stark contrast to the serenity of the paintings by Frecon are works by Mary Heilmann and Stanley Whitney. The two pieces by Mary Heilmann (b. 1940) are black and white acrylic on richly textured paper. The stark geometry of her pieces contrast with the irregular edges of the handmade paper. They are no-nonsense, bold statements, one suggesting vertical movement and the other, a layering of space.
 

MARY HEILMANN, left; STANLEY WHITNEY, right

MARY HEILMANN, left: Negative Space One, 2014, Acrylic on handmade paper, 11.5 x 11.5"; right: Negative Space Two, 2014, Acrylic on handmade paper, 12 x 15"

The two elegant pieces by Stanley Whitney (b. 1946), also in black and white, loosely reference the structure of his large, colorful paintings while offering an entirely different investigation. One piece suggests a compression of space across the array, while the other becomes an expansive exhalation. Additionally, the irregular lattice-like grids in these gouache pieces also engage with the pieces by Taylor on the adjacent wall.

STANLEY WHITNEY, Untitled, 2009, Gouache on Fabriano paper, 11 x 11"

STANLEY WHITNEY, Untitled, 2009, Gouache on Fabriano paper, 11 x 15.25"

Two substantial pieces by Ad Reinhardt (1913-1967) provide a glimpse of  mark-making that he gradually eliminated from his later monumental, reductivist paintings.

AD REINHARDT, Number 2, 1949-50, gouache, oil and watercolor on paper, 22-1/2 x 31"

The Belgian painter Ilse D'Hollander (1968-1997) is represented with an installation of six confidently executed gouache on paper paintings. While definitively abstract, her palette reflects landscape elements and the compositions reference built structures. Quite small (the largest is 7 x 5"), they invite close examination of her vigorous and fluid brushwork. 

ILSE D'HOLLANDER

ILSE D'HOLLANDER, Untitled, 1996, gouache on paper, 6-7/8 x 5"

Intrigued by this introduction to her work, my online search revealed a body of larger oil paintings suffused with emotional intensity. Click here to see a selection of her oil paintings and scroll across.  


The work of Raoul de Keyser (1930-2012) brings us into the realm of personal and ambiguous iconography. Four of the five pieces on exhibit include closed ovoid forms that float across the sheet (see De Keyser image at the top of this post). Apologies for all the distracting reflections in the photos, but they were unavoidable.

RAOUL DE KEYSER, Untitled, 2000, pencil and watercolor on paper, 7 1/16 x 4 7/8"

Given my inclination towards structure, I also found the piece below deeply satisfying. 

RAOUL DE KEYSER, Untitled, 1997, Watercolor on paper, 14-1/8 x 8-1/4"

Rebecca Morris (b. 1969) is represented with a diverse group of 5 pieces, several with somewhat formal compositional elements. More substantial in size than many other works in the exhibit, her use of ink and watercolor overlayed an inviting informality to the rigor of the compositions. 

REBECCA MORRIS, Untitled (#292-13), 2013, Ink and watercolor on paper, 20 x 14 3/16"

 

REBECCA MORRIS, Untitled (#300-13), 2013, Ink and watercolor on paper, 23-15/16 x 17-13/16"

The exhibit includes two recently executed and subtly-hued pieces by James Bishop (b. 1927) that quietly investigate flat space and linear structure, as well as several works by Paolo Monteiro (b. 1961) that depict colorful personal vistas.
 

JAMES BISHOP, Untitled, 2011, Oil and crayon on paper, 4 x 4-1/2"

PAOLO MONTEIRO, Untitled, 2012, watercolor on paper, 14-15/16 x 10-15/16"

This is just a small sample of the 48 works in this wonderfully satisfying show. Paintings on Paper remains on exhibit through August 15, 2014 at David Zwirner, 537 West 20th Street, New York.

To see the entire image list from the exhibit, click here.

Sincerity and calm: Mingei at Pace Gallery

Mingei: Are You Here?

PACE / 508 West 25th Street, through April 5, 2014

Mingei was a Japanese folk craft movement established in 1926 when the Japan was experiencing rapid westernization and urbanization.  As stated in the press release for this exhibit:  [Mingei] sought to maintain the cultural identities and traditions of varied histories across Japan. The title of the exhibition refers to the philosophical ethos of Mingei which champions the everyday, ordinary and utilitarian objects created by nameless and unknown craftsmen.”

Kettle hook hanger, Daikoku Type, 19th century, zelkova wood

What makes this exhibit so wonderful is the juxtaposition of work from across centuries and traditions, both eastern and western, all linked by the devotion to principles of simplicity and sincerity.  Again, quoting from the press release: "According to Soetsu Yanagi, Founder of the Mingeikan -- Japan Folk Crafts Museum, 'Dishonesty, depravity, and luxury - this is what Mingei objects must avoid at all costs; all that is natural, sincere, safe and simple -- these are the characteristics of Mingei art.' "

James Lee Byars ink on paper drawing (see full caption below) and Kenzo Tange, Chair, 1957, plywood frame and back, upholstered seat

James Lee Byars, Untitled, c. 1959, ink on Japanese paper, in 4 parts.  Please note that the central area is actually uninflected black ink; what reads as dark spots is a reflection from a gallery wall.

The exhibit, curated by Nicolas Trembley, includes more than 80 items (paintings, sculptures, works on paper, ceramics and textiles) made by unnamed Japanese craftsmen, Eastern and Western 20^th century artists and designers, as well as contemporary artists. On view: a 16th century ceramic sake container, a 1981 obsidian sculpture by Noguchi, elegant porcelain pottery designed by Peter Muller, as well as tattered pre-WWII Japanese textiles. The 30 artists include Anni Albers, Josef Albers, Isamu Noguchi, Ruth Asara, James Lee Byars, designers Peter Muller, Kenzo Tange, and Charlotte Perriand, as well as other contemporary and traditional artists.  Apart from several brightly hued hangings, much of the work reflects a rich but neutral palette of black, white, tan and brown.

It is beautifully installed and fortunately, there are no labels to interfere with the experience of gazing at the work. (An exhaustive list is available at the gallery desk if you want all the details. All caption information is from the gallery list.)  There are even a couple of benches in the gallery to allow for more relaxed contemplation, which this work most certainly encourages.  The one annoyance (which will be evident from the photos) was that it was difficult to fully enjoy the works framed under glass because of excessive reflections. 

Sgrafo Modern Korallen Series (designed by Peter Muller), c. 1960-1980, porcelain

Lee Ufan, From Winds, 1982, watercolor on paper

While I will be returning to the gallery for a second (and probably third) look, the standouts this time were the ink on paper drawings by James Lee Byars, works by Noguchi and the Kenzo Tange chair. Several of the older ceramic pieces were placed in protective vitrines and I was unable to capture decent photos, but I will add images of more of the textiles after a return visit.

For installation views, visit the Pace website by clicking here. 
To read an article about the exhibit in The Brooklyn Rail, click here.

Front row, far left: Sake Bags, Pre-WWII. Center: Mino, Farmers rain cape, early 1900s, woven rice straw, hemp and seawood.  Right: Backpack, late 1800s, indigo dyed cotton, fiber.  Back: James Lee Byars, Untitled, c. 1960, ink on Japanese paper

Front, left:  Valentin Carron, Pot 1, 2013, concrete. Front, right: a glimpse of an 18th century stoneware sake bottle. Wall, left: Robert Ryman, Marshall, 1998, oil and acrylic on stretched linen. Right: Ruth Asawa, Untitled (S. 114. Hanging, Six-Lobed Continuous Form within a Form with One Suspended and Two Tied Spheres), c. 1958, iron copper and brass wire.

Left: Ruth Asaw (see above). Center: Isamu Noguchi, Untitled, 1981, obsidian. Right: Charlotte Perriand, Low chair, c. 1950, bamboo. On the wall: N. Dash, Untitled, 2014, adobe, pigment, acrylic, linen, jute, wood support

From left: Anni Albers, Haiku, 1961, cotton, hemp, metallic thread, wool; Josef Albers, Tialoc, 1944, woodcut; Josef Albers, Above the Water, 1944 woodcut; Josef Albers, Astatic, 1944, woodcut; Josef Albers, Zelle/Tents, 1932, woodcut.  Courtesy the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.