Lets start in Phoenix – Bentley Projects is clearly the most impressive gallery space I’ve seen. I’m not talking about just in Arizona, I mean anywhere. Its a freestanding space – an old warehouse turned into 4 massive gallery spaces with great light and plenty of room – It allows for simultaneous exhibitions without it seeming like one big room with four “solo” shows. Each space is clearly defined and similar but different. The sculpture garden leading from the parking lot to the front door is a real bonus.
Lets get to the work. Currently there are two solo shows and a large gallery collection on display. Michael Eastman (below) is a photographer from (I believe) the mid west, has a great series of images of deserted cities and interiors from the mid west. They remind me of Robert Frank’s photography – but without people. I’m clearly underselling the work here, so for that I apologize. However its great work. In the main gallery, a recent Vernon Fisher (painted and drawn on blackboard – above) is flanked by two Jim Dine Sculptures, one grouping of hearts, and the other 3 massive (13 feet maybe) venus figures of painted wood. I can drop the big names but I also really enjoyed work by Robert Kelly, Dale Chihuly, and Will Berry.
Back to Scottsdale. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Has four shows currently, one a design show of coffee cups and pitchers, I love coffee so it was a nice way to start even though these kind of shows do very little for me. The other three shoes, Bruce Nauman, Monique Prieto, and a overview of photography collected in the region were compelling to say the least. So much has been said about Nauman in the past couple of years, that I wont paraphrase here. The show consists of five video works and one lithograph – “pay attention” (1973). To me the crowd favorite of Nauman’s video work is “Clown Torture” with its inclusion in this show it remains that way. A curious note about SMOCA is that each show at the end has a space for people to post notes about the show – and the clowns still grab the attention there as well.
Monique Preito delivers a great group of 9 paintings – from 1995 to 2005. Preito’s forms – blobs and dangly shapes create a absurd and beautiful space that allows her to metaphorically discuss issues of art history, motherhood, race relations – these themes are not overt but bubble underneath the surface of these lush, clean, and taught images. I think her work is a must see.
Galleries of note:
Victoria Boyce Galleries, currently showing Marilyn Szabo. these are interesting but as a whole the exhibit seems unfocused somehow – almost as if Ms. Szabo is still looking for a direction to follow – and if it were up to me, I’d suggest following the ideas in “X’s and O’s” (2001)
Chairoscuro, has a group show up currently but will soon be showing Hunt Slonem. In the current group show I noticed a very nice set of Robert Mangold prints, as well as a painting by ex washingtonian Henry Leo Schoebel. I became familiar with HLS work in 1985 when I was working for Osuna Gallery – we showed him as well as Chip Richardson and Patrice Kehoe in that one year span. HLS moved to new york that year and we never heard too much after that – his work was some of my favorite DC work at the time. Fast forward to 2005 and HLS has been in Arizona for quite a few years – still doing good work although I miss his earlier broader color palette.
Bonner David Galleries, Has a group show up – some interesting artworks are here. Keep an eye on this one because it is about to hit a point where it must go one way or the other in how the gallery presents its self – either presenting the work in a more serious way or more boutique like, always filling the walls salon style, lets hope for the first.
Your words describe the art perfectly. I appreciate your recommendations. Keep up the blogging.