Exhibitions offer a return to form in familiar settings
Stefanie Gutheil: Die Beobachter In Gutheil’s third solo exhibition with the gallery, an array of fable creatures referred to as “Die Beobachter” (The Watchers) dominate the scenery and provide a somewhat Baroque sense of drama. These grotesque figures translate as surreal caricatures, whose narrative context remains consciously mysterious. Incorporating patterned fabrics, found objects and different paints, Gutheil establishes a wide range of textures and evokes depth. The physicality of her materials — which include feathers, foils, skulls and dripping paint — accentuate the eccentric nature of her creatures. Soon, they morph into contemporary relatives of some of the mythological monsters found in German folklore.
Through Feb. 9, at Mike Weiss Gallery (520 W. 24th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Call 212-691-6899 or visit mikeweissgallery.com.
Luc Tuymans: The Summer is Over In 1994, the Belgian painter Luc Tuymans had his U.S. debut at David Zwirner’s original location in SoHo. Almost two decades later, he is considered one of the most influential figurative painters working today. “The Summer is Over” coincides with the publication of “Luc Tuymans: Exhibitions at David Zwirner, 1994-2012 (Ludion)” and pays homage to almost two decades’ worth of collaborative exhibitions. Tuymans’ signature palette — made of soft, de-saturated blues — shines as mysteriously as ever.
Through Feb. 9, at David Zwirner (519 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Call 212-727-2070 or visit: davidzwirner.com.
Ishmael Randall Weeks: Quoin The artist’s second exhibition with the gallery features new collages and works on paper, objects and sculpture and a 16mm film in the gallery’s project room. The Peruvian-born Randall Weeks is known for using found and re-purposed materials (including tires, boat parts, construction fragments, magazines, books and printed pages) to create his installations and sculptures. In this exhibition, Randall Weeks intuitively responds to images on found film by manipulating, painting and cutting. His work addresses issues of urbanization, development, travel, mobility and migration.
Through Feb. 10, at Eleven Rivington’s 195 Chrystie St. location (btw. Rivington & Stanton Sts.). Hours: Wed.-Sun., 12-6pm. Visit elevenrivington.com or call 212-982-1930.
Paul Resika: 8 + 8 Eight Recent Works Resika’s latest series depicts abstracted floral forms that the artist observed at his pond in Provincetown, MA. His canvases range from dark and moody to joyously bright and saturated. As a group, they capture a rich vegetative life that seems both foreign and familiar. Rhythmic patterns of lily pads convey nostalgic sentiments. They seem to tell of home as much as they evoke a longing for exploring the greater world. Resika himself considers his recent immersion into nature a kind of “late baptism” whereby he was able to draw influence from such abstract expressionists as Milton Resnick. Nevertheless, his signature high-chroma palette makes for lyrical compositions clearly his own. Today, Resika’s career spans no less than six decades.
Through Feb. 9, at Lori Bookstein Fine Art (138 Tenth Ave., btw. 18th & 19th Sts.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10:30am-6pm. Visit loribooksteinfineart.com or call 212-750-0949.
Strauss Bourque-LaFrance: In The The Spring Bourque-LaFrance ponders how the mind affects what one sees and how expectation and imagination can eclipse reality. The exhibition translates as a mise-en-scène rich in scattered symbols of love and desire that have been displaced within an abstract field of white walls. In Bourque-LaFrance’s arrangements, objects are placed freely in space — referring to ways visual information is presented and circulated in retail displays (cinema montage and the home, for example). Paintings and sculptures made of common materials add to this vibrant remix of information.
Through Feb. 9, at KANSAS (59 Franklin St., btw. Lafayette & Broadway). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. Visit kansasgallery.com or call 646-559-1423.
Nancy Spero: From Victimage to Liberation: Works from the 1980s & 1990s The career of Nancy Spero (1926-2009) spanned five decades. Renowned for her serious engagement with contemporary political, social and cultural concerns, Spero chronicled wars and apocalyptic destruction in her work, as well as the cycle of life. The role and identity of women in prehistoric times and the present remained a key focus of Spero’s oeuvre — and her paper collages and large-scale paintings continue to radiate a keen sense of timeless importance.
Through Feb. 16, at Galerie Lelong (528 W. 26th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Call 212-315-0470 or visit galerielelong.com.
— BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN
