One of the current shows at Mana Contemporary this fall is; Francesco Clemente, George Condo, Chuck Connelly, Julio Galán, and Daniel Lezama in the Pellizzi Family Collections. That’s quite a long title – but it is honest and descriptive. The show covers three floors of the recently opened art space, an art space that seems that it has the ability to grow and continue to do so until northern New Jersey is one large arts outpost.
Francesco Clemente and George Condo are artists that almost everyone knows and understands the work, Clemente is routinely shown at Mary Boone and Condo, whose Mental States at the New Museum was very well received. While Lezama and Galan are solid paintings, I was most intrigued by the inclusion of Chuck Connelly in the show.
Connelly was an ascending art star in the early eighties – showing at Annina Nosei Gallery alongside Jean Michel Basquait, Barbara Kruger among a host of others. While Mary Boone has “won” the narrative as the hot gallery of the eighties – it is clear that Annina Nosei was priming a number of artists for great success. Chuck Connelly had three solo shows in the space of four years at Nosei between 1984 and 1987. As well as a number of high profile commissions, and his artwork played major part in a hollywood movie (New York Stories – “Life Lessons” directed by Martin Scorsese) So what happened?
A place to start with that is the unfortunately titled HBO documentary Chuck Connelly “The Art of Failure”. According to the documentary as well as word of mouth, Connelly fell into depression that along with his particular temperament and possibly alcoholism sent him into a trajectory that eventually cost him collectors, galleries, and eventually his wife.
Connelly’s work (of the 1980’s) speaks volumes about painting during the run up to the art boom of the eighties, it’s thick and physical, it shows a resonance with Soutine and Beckman. Neither of which I’m sure Connelly would call inspirational. None the less it is that physicality of image that continues to resonate strongest in his work from that period.
Chuck Connelly, Roller Coaster, 1984, Oil on Canvas (above)
Chuck Connelly, Breakfast, 1985, Oil on Canvas (Below)
References:
Mana Contemporary: Francesco Clemente, George Condo, Chuck Connelly, Julio Galán, and Daniel Lezama in the Pellizzi Family Collections.
Chuck Connelly exhibition catalog (1985) at Annina Nosei
