Shimon Attie at Jack Shainman Gallery
Who know that images of car racing could be so interesting? These are very different than the photos that Andreas Gursky exhibited last winter in that these eliminate the background, taking it to black. Frankly these images are a “Strobist” dream. (I’ll get back to that in a moment) these images feel as if they are shot in context, but really upon further looking, they really are studio shots – even with the presence of a prop or two (jersey wall, gas container, etc.) All in all a tight little show – it even had a video presentation that was done the right way.
What the hell do I mean by a “Strobist” dream? There is a web site devoted to photography called Strobist that is devoted to highly effective uses of lighting and approaches to images using less gear with maximum results – these images struck me as something that an avid reader of that site would get jazzed by – in no way am I belittling the work, or the site
Untitled Video Still, Racing Clocks Run Slow: Archeology of a Racetrack, 2007
Andres Serrano at Yvon Lambert “Shit”
These are exactly what you might expect them to be – macro photography of shit. Highly glossy, oversized, stylized, polished and over-saturated. The gallery even smells a little bit like shit – although it probably was just the smell of fresh paint – but anything you smell in the gallery this month or so will trigger that kind of response. I’ll have to admit the show as a whole seems kind of easy and for a series of images that are as well done as these are, and don’t get me wrong – the scope and approaches of these images is really impressive – still the show was kind of a bore.
Shit (Bull Shit), 2008
Christian Marclay at Paula Cooper
Watching what CM does with the detritus of the recording industry and our relationship with popular music as well as the places where our relationship sits with popular music becomes more and more interesting to me every time I see his work. I have been following his work for quite a while and although this show uses re-occuring subject matter (cassette tapes) the approach is very different and a little bit unexpected. The new work is cyanotypes of multiple exposed opened cassettes, pulled out, dropped down and layered in a way that doesn’t allow you to see the artists that have “donated” music to the work.
Highly recommended.
Memento (True Love), 2008
One thing to note: Exhibitions that are hung like high school science fair projects. I’m seeing this more and more in Chelsea as well as a few exhibits here in DC. I think it’s sad. I get the idea that these are approaches and mechanics that intersect with some kind or real or imagined anthropological or process based approach, however it rarely is as powerful as I think the artist or gallerist would like. More and more it’s a bit like the emperors new clothes.
Peter Dayton at Winston Watcher
Peter Dayton has this really great riff on color field work that plays with it’s approach to decoration and california surf culture of the sixties. These are great images that gives the viewer both an intellectual kick and a goof at the same time. Susan Dory, who I’ve spoken of before was also showing – is continuing to produce great work.
Noland #13 “Surf Bunny Beach”, 2008
Josef Koudelka: Prague 68 at the Aperture Foundation
I was not prepared for how much I liked this exhibition. Shot over a period of 7 days during the soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia by Josef Koudelka who would have to wait over 15 years to even put his name on the photos he would smuggle out of the country to show what was happening on the ground when no one could find out anything. This is an amazing show with one of the greatest back stories I’ve seen in quite a long time. This work has never been shown in it’s entirety and is well worth waiting the 40 years it took to be able to show it. It is a powerful and urgent show, probably the best of the season.
Highly recommended.
Russian Tank in Prague, 1968