06 Oct 2009

The James Kalm Report and the 2009 Season Openers

The James Kalm Report and the 2009 season openers. Here are a selection of reports that capture a bit of what's happening in New York as the new season kicks off.


Rick Prol Studio Visit

James Kalm visits some of the artsy sites on West 11th Street before dropping in spontaneously on Rick Prol. Prol has been a controversial long time presence on the New York painting scene. Coming to prominence during the ascension of the East Village, he maintained a studio/gallery on East 6th Street a stones throw from the original Pat Hearn Gallery for decades. In his involvements he's seen the tragic culmination of the EV community close up and personal, having worked with Jean-Michel Basquiat Despite the challenges, he's maintained his artistic practice, as well a serious commitment to music and poetry.


Summer Wrap-Up 09

James Kalm is out and about on the last weekend of the Summer 09, to peek at some shows in Brooklyn. Under Minerva, a new gallery and event space associated with Brooklyn Art Project, is located in the up and coming Sunset Park neighborhood. 'Is this Recyclable?' delves into the realm that exists somewhere between the abject and utilitarian. Includes views of work by: Angela Basile, Jasmine Begeske, Mark Cannariato, Jesse Holt, Ryan McIntosh, Raquel Muslin, and others. Meanwhile, Williamsburg stalwart Pierogi exhibits impressive examples from stable artists with 'Cream, no sugar'. As one of the main proponents of 'Meta-Drawing' Pierogi presents works on paper that impress with their size and complexity by Dawn Clements, Adam Dant, James Esber, Tony Fitzpatrick, John J. O'Conner, with paintings by Jim Torok, Yoon Lee et. al.


The Female Gaze at CHEIM & READ

James Kalm endures sweltering heat, and summer ennui to bike to the center of Chelsea for this block buster show. The inequality of female representation within museum collections is an almost endemic refrain. Though not reconciling this state of affairs, 'The Female Gaze' does provide examples of some of today's most influential and accomplished artists' work. From stalwarts of Post War American art like Louise Bourgeois, and Joan Mitchell, to the Essential Feminist works of Lynda Benglis, to the Post-Modern Conceptual works of Cindy Sherman, Jenny Holzer and Deborah Kass, this exhibition displays prime examples of reflective works inspired by images of women.


Tauba Auerbach and Kenhinde Wiley at DEITCH PROJECTS

James Kalm drifts into Soho to kick off the new season with a pair of highly anticipated exhibitions. Tauba Auerbach's 'HERE AND NOW/AND NOWHERE' presents five bodies of work that are all related to the duality of space, the here, and, time, the now. Illusionistic paintings are contrasted with 'Auerglass' a custom made pipe organ. Kenhinde Wiley explores the photographic medium with 'Black Light' a series of digitally manipulated photos that continues his studies of young black males. Using various lighting sources, decorative backgrounds, gestures and poses that relate to medieval religious iconography, Wiley creates images that balance precariously between 'Boys in the Hood' and 'GQ Magazine'.


2009 Lower East Side Kick-off

James Kalm returns for the 2009 season opener on the LES (Lower East Side). This sampler features run-throughs of five openings that give viewers an idea of the tastes and trends we likely to see more of as the year unwinds. Beginning with the zippy tape stripes of Franklin Evans at Sue Scott, we dash up Freeman Alley to take a peek at the work of one name wonder Carter at Salon 94. From there we visit Khalif Kelly's 'Metamorphosis' at Thierry Goldberg Projects, and take a glance at the video installation of Adam Shecter at Eleven Rivington. Finally it's up to East 2nd Street to check out the most recent offering at Museum 52 of Jacob Robichaux.


2009 Chelsea Opener

James Kalm, despite the daunting task of trying to capture the grand spectacle of 113 openings, muddles on, and brings viewers a select few of the exhibitions on offer. Drawings and recent paintings by Raoul De Keyser and the 'Afro Margin' drawings by Chris Ofili begin out tour at David Zwirner. Heading north, we pop in for a glance at the double shows of Kara Walker and Mark Bradford at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. and then slip in at Sonnabend to catch a look at the Photo-Realistic Surrealism of Matthew Weinstein. Trying to beat the clock we get an oh so brief look at Maya Lyn's installation, 'Three Ways of Looking at the Earth' at Pace/Wildenstein. We wrap-up with a viewing of the luminous abstractions of Kylie Heidenheimer, at 532 Thomas Jaeckel Gallery and pause to reflect on the 9/11 Memorial Lights over lower Manhattan.


Mostly Williamsburg Opener 2009

James Kalm braves intermittent drizzle on 9/11 to finish the last leg of New York's 2009 season opener with a jog through Williamsburg. Beginning at Canada on Chrystie Street (the Lower East Side) 'Spaced Out / On Time' is a brilliant premise for presenting a multi-generational grouping of work featuring Joan Brown, Chris Martin, Dona Nelson, Sadie Laska, Otis Houston Jr., Agatha Snow et. al. Crossing the East River we drop in for Jane Fine's 'Glad All Over' at Pierogi. Scurrying east we pop in for the three person show at Klaus Von Nichtssagend of David Gilbert, Ian Pedigo and Jessica Stockholder. We wrap-up this marathon with 'Color, Time and Space' a show of abstract paintings curated by Joanne Freeman and Kim Uchiama at Janet Kurnatowski.


Georgia O'Keeffe: Abstraction, at the Whitney Museum

James Kalm partakes in the press preview for this icon of American Modernism. Over twenty years in the making, this exhibition surveys the lesser known but perhaps more profound side of O'Keeffe's work, her abstraction. Beginning with her discovery and eventual relationship with Alfred Stieglitz in 1916, O'Keeffe was thrust in to the stratosphere of the New York art scene. She was at the forefront of pursuing a type of organic abstraction that Stieglitz championed as America's contribution to Modernism. Examples of O'Keeffe's paintings covering nearly fifty years of development are on view. Includes brief statements by Director Adam D. Weinberg, and the curatorial team lead by Barbara Haskell, Barbara Buhler Lynes and Sasha Nicholas.