Johnnie Winona Ross at Stephen Haller
JWR’s latest show at Stephen Haller clearly extends the vocabulary of approaches involved in building images in a reductive vein. JWR has placed his emphasis on the process as well as the final image, allowing the viewer to become engaged in the making of the artwork since it literally sits on and slightly below the surface. Concerns about the attachment of the canvas to it’s support are as evident as always via handcrafted tacks showing along the side of the stretcher.
The show, titled, Deep Creek Seeps, is a series of quiet paintings, that upon closer or longer inspection reveal themselves in unexpected ways, suddenly you become aware of just how much detail and concern is placed in each image. It may take a moment, but once you start looking, the artworks become as busy as the desert that they are so obviously inspired by. Let me take a moment to unpack that a little, the desert, to the average viewer is just that, sand maybe a cactus every once in a while. Once you start looking in depth at the desert you find a complex system of life, it’s always been there – you just have to look for it and possibly wait for it.
I’m always amazed at how many different elements actually make up a single piece in JWR’s work.
Extended play
JWR has just had hist first monograph published. Covering JWR’s work from 1995 to the present with writing from Carter Ratcliff and Douglas Drieshpoon only add to this gorgeous book. Published by Radius books, and designed by Skolkin+Chickey it is available in two versions – one a standard hardbound edition and the other a clamshell including the book and a limited edition print. It is available through Stephen Haller Gallery as well as being distributed by DAP.
The show runs through November 24th.
Jaq Chartier at Schroeder Romero
Jaq Chartier mixes science and art in creating cerebral and sensual artworks. Clearly the art side (painting) is the primary concern mixed in with a strong experimental approach to the images and the chemicals that make them. I’ve spoken about JC’s work here before so it should come as no surprise to see it mentioned here. The latest show at Schroeder Romeo continues with works from the “testing” series. These are the images that initially interested me in JC’s work, I think you will find them interesting as well.
The show runs through November 24th.
Richard Prince at the Guggenheim
This show was everything I wanted it to be. That said, I’ve talked about RP way too much over the last couple of months – so this will be short. The best pieces for me are the car hoods. I’ve read interviews that RP thinks that maybe the car hoods are to minimal – and he’s right, they are. However, they are stripped down and out of step with the rest of the work, and to me that speaks volumes about the core subject of the artwork and the changes that have been made and will continue to be made in the future.
I once read a review of the girlfriend images and the author referred to them as the sexiest images of women she had seem in a long time. I realized that she was right, I wish I could remember who wrote that.
The show runs through January 9th.