Two Coats of Paint by Sharon Butler
"GALLERY SHOWS, LISTS - NYC Selected Gallery Guide: August, 2022"
August is the laziest month in New York. Everyone takes a breath, some leave town, and others gear up for their September shows. That said, there is still plenty to see, usually in air-conditioned comfort. And, because gallerists are understandably loath to open new shows at the end of August, many existing ones get extended beyond announced closing dates. On Friday, “Sunset” opens at Underdonk in Bushwick. A big group show focused on endings seems like the perfect way to kick off the end of summer. “Jung Lovers,” another expansive Brooklyn group show, is still on view at Soloway in Williamsburg. On the Lower East Side, see “Crucible” at Spencer Brownstone through August 30. Didier William curated “Offsight” at James Fuentes, and I hope it’s extended past its announced August 12 closing date. In Chelsea, “Why I Make Art by Brian Alfred” at Miles McEnery includes work by my old colleague Carl Ostendarp and other favorites. “Informal Get Together,” at Mitchell-Innes Nash, brings together painting and sculpture by Keltie Ferris, Joanne Greenbaum, Arlene Shechet, and Jessica Stockholder. For a taste of Baltimore, check out “Charm City” at Asya Geisberg, where Carolyn Case has curated a show of material-driven abstract work by artists with a connection to the city. On the Upper East Side, “Tango,” a beautifully installed exhibition featuring unusual art pairings is on view at Jennifer Baahng through August 17 and Hannah Black and Sophie Friedman-Pappas open at Meredith Rosen on August 10. –Sharon Butler
"Artists Pay Homage to the Many Charms of Baltimore"
Charm City, currently featured at Asya Geisberg Gallery, is a collection of materially-driven abstract works by artists who live in or have a deep connection to Baltimore, Maryland.
Through material exploration, these artists push against traditions of art-making in abstraction. By utilizing found objects, fibers, undulating lines, maximalism, and deeply personalized processes, the artists are redefining abstraction while charming the eye in curious and playful ways.
Baltimore is a gritty space with complicated narratives but is also a hotbed for creativity, with an underground arts ecosystem unrivaled by most American cities of its size. This exhibition celebrates the abstract risk-takers who have been a constant in the Baltimore art scene.
Together, these artists are shifting preconceived notions of Baltimore to one that centers community, creativity, and celebration, and by working through material-driven abstraction, the artists are asking viewers to truly feel Baltimore as it is today, a wonderfully diverse and welcoming creative haven.
For more information, visit Asya Geisberg Gallery.
The exhibition is on view through August 26, 2022.