A Cluster of Art
A recap of art and recent art experiences in February
Hello Everyone!
I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying our weird in-between weather. I haven’t forgotten about our weekly exhibition discussions. But this week was strange, and I struggle with consistency, so forgive me. I did all the legwork, as I usually do, but writing was a little tricky because of all the different art events I attended. I was trying to figure out a way to cover EVERYTHING, but I got lost in the logistics and forgot about execution. Since our last newsletter, I’ve attended an art fair, an auction, and a handful of exhibitions.
The auction was the first I had ever visited. My impressions will be included at the end of our usual reviews, accompanied by the art fair.
Back to our irregular program, here’s the list of exhibitions I visited since our last review:
Two stood out to me from the list, Sarah Charlesworth “Desire and Seduction” at Paula Cooper and Nick Cave’s “Amalgams and Graphts” at Jack Shainman.
Nick Cave’s “Amalgams and Graphts” at Jack Shainman
Luck had me in her wings during my visit to Jack Shainman. As I stumbled into the gallery, I was met with a tour led by Shainman. The tour was intended for members of the New Museum, and I rode their coattails. I saw a familiar face and could blend into the crowd for a moment before having to run to an opening.
From the tour, Shainman briefly walked us through the exhibition's first part, where the colossal piece 'Amalgam (Origin)' is housed. Another cast, 'Amalgam (Plot),' was also held in this area. The third iteration of 'Amalgam' is housed in a nearby gallery on Broadway; it is positioned to be visible to passersby at all times.
The magnitude of Cage's work does not come across well in photographs. I was stunned by the sheer size of 'Amalgam (Origin)'. My first impression of the work was akin to being confronted by a Norse God due to the bodies being overrun and melding with flora; the sheer size ran the work against the line of art and an object of worship.
Its detachment from human identity and loose similarity to human form created a sense of the uncanny. From the shoulders downward, there is all the anatomical resemblance to humanness. Yet, from above the shoulders, there is a break from the expected, and the work is overrun with foliage, and an identity is not established. The skin is melded with flowers; a pair of roses is prominently displayed in the center of its chest.
Though the piece departed from human form, its cast was based on the artist’s body. All of the sculptures are. My initial thoughts were entirely off the mark of the artist's intention. The structures represent the constant brutalization black bodies must endure. At the same time, the plant life present symbolizes growth and resistance, the enduring abundance of the human spirit in the face of violent structures.
The show's second part is mixed media assemblages collectively titled 'Graphts.' Pictured below is a work from the series. The work is assembled with vintage serving trays and needlepoint portraits featuring the artist. The choice of material speaks to class consciousness within America. Cave's show speaks on the hierarchy within society. The needlepoint signals a leisure activity typically indulged by the aristocrats, while the vintage floral serving trays indicate servitude. The combination creates an interplay of dialog surrounding historical and contemporary power structures, and the flora suggests the unbiasedness of beauty.
The show is on view from January 10 – March 29, 2025.
Sarah Charlesworth “Desire and Seduction” at Paula Cooper
I caught Sarah Charlesworth's opening at Paula Cooper on February 20th. A friend recommended the opening to me, and the imagery was fascinating. This show is my introduction to Charlesworth's art, and I haven't ever seen anything visually comparable. Throughout the show, Charlesworth incorporates found imagery; the sources vary from pornography to archeological textbooks. Next, she meticulously places the cut-outs in a landscape of a single color; each color holds a different representation. According to the press release, "Charlesworth has paired the image with a signifying color: red (sexual passion), black (dominance or death), green (natural growth), yellow (material value), blue (spiritual or metaphorical desire)."
Through her unique visual language and detailed placement of her cut-outs, Charlesworth introduces viewers to an engaged curio tour of the desirable. The Charlesworth process can also speak to the eye of a romantic pursuer engaged in courtship. It involves the objectification of the body and how the viewer may focus on a particular part of a person of interest, stripping them of an identity in the pursuit of pleasure.
The show is on view from February 20 – March 29, 2025.
Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated, hosted on Wednesday, February 26
I have a slight interest in the secondary art market, sparked by a class I’m currently taking at Sotheby’s, Perspectives on Art Business. The course focuses on the financial side of the art world, with a focus on art investments.
Having my curiosity sparked, once I saw an auction on Sotheby’s calendar I decided to take the plunge and attend. Navigating the new space was exciting, albeit slightly awkward, because I didn’t know the etiquette for an auction. I also had a small, mischievous voice that wanted to shout out a number whenever the biddings got roused. Luckily, my fear of becoming a social outcast quelled my misguided enthusiasm to participate. I was able to follow the bidding by taking a scan of the art objects on the block, this auction had 101, from there I followed along by checking the provenance, its condition, and where the value ranged. Some paintings were, of course, more popular than others, and some artists' names brought about a loud buzz while others ensued silence.
There were three forms of bidders: Online, By Phone, and By Paddle. The paddle bidders were the only one’s on-site, and they bid more sheepishly then their counterparts. The artworks were not all presented in-person; a select few were on-site, but the majority were shown through a screen. This experience definitely has me wanting to learn more about the secondary market and attend more auctions. Keep an eye out for my upcoming auction experiences, we’ll learn about the market together.
The Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS)
I was able to visit The Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS) thanks to the help of a friend and coworker. I attended the art fair on its last day, February 25, and interacted with several artists and booths. The fair featured over 80 artists and galleries from all different parts of the country. The fair was buzzing with things to do, from various talks and events to galleries showcasing contemporary and historical artists. The above works stood out to me. The first memorializes the iconic chair from the Montgomery Brawl, which took place on August 5, 2023. For my readers who are unaware, the Montgomery Brawl was a large-scale fight that erupted on a riverfront dock in Montgomery, Alabama. A group of white boaters violently attacked a Black co-captain of a riverboat, Damien Pickett, after he asked them to move their boat to allow the riverboat to dock; this initial assault sparked a wider brawl primarily divided along racial lines.
The second is a work by Jacob Lawrence, ‘Revolt on the Amistad,’ which I was excited to find. The Lawrence work depicts the Amistad revolt, a slave uprising on a Spanish schooner, a type of sailboat, in 1839. The revolt led to a legal battle that brought the issue of slavery to the forefront of American politics.
The two works I chose are related to the themes of resilience and perseverance. Interestingly enough, both depict moments near or on a waterfront. HFAS was also situated near Pier 88.
The fair was on view from February 23 – 25, 2025.
Also, I published an artist interview featuring Tuere Lawton with WhiteHot on Valentines Day. And with that, we’re all caught up to speed. ✨