By Dounia Lomri
Have you heard? Keith Haring is back… at the Brooklyn Museum. A very rich exhibit of his work from 1978-1983 has been put together, giving a reason for many to flock to Brooklyn. Haring was one of the few street artists who was been able to successfully transfer his public art into gallery spaces. Not only is his work provoking and politically charged, but aesthetically pleasing. The color palette he uses, as well as the tribal patterns, symmetric shapes and lines that characterize his art, almost hypnotize the public. And because graffiti art has been missed, it’s a nice return. And some Lower East Side galleries are picking up the vibe and seem to be giving him a shout-out this month. Elements of urbanity can be seen in the openings featuring Jackie Saccoccio, Sharon Horvath and Nayda Collazo-Lloren.
Check out this week’s recommendations:
-“Keith Haring: 1978-1982” at Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238. Ends July 8.
-“100% ART”, Mark Freeland at the Dorian Grey Gallery, 437 E 9th St., New York, NY 10009. Ends April 1. Curated by Robby Takac. Also a deceased artist, Freeland is honored by the Dorian Grey Gallery. His colorful and thought-provoking collages and paintings definitely agree with Haring’s intentions to shock and surprise the world surrounding him by using irony and powerful images.
-Marie Losier and Leigha Mason at 1:1. 121 Essex Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY. Ends March 31. These two artists’ works fit perfectly into 1:1’s mindset, which is contemporary art that has social and or political meaning to it. Haring would also be rooting for these video installations. Plus, performance “Banquet for Artaud” on April 7.
-“Blind Reproduction” at a Gathering of the Tribes, 285 E 3rd St., 2 Fl., New York, NY 10009. Artists: Alexis Duque, Lorra Jackson, Brian Elig, Blair Kamage, Carly Bodnar,Robert Scott, Joseph Materkowski, Samuel Bjorgum, Lauren Kolesinskas, Jessica Daly, David Hollenbach, BMIP (Babyhead), Nick Musaelian.
This original exhibit features pieces that are absurd, and that have been created in a very specific context. They are the result of communication between the artists, as they each produced work based on descriptions of other artwork. This chaotic exchange of ideas and inspiration however ends up being refreshing and intriguing.
-“IT”, Michael Mahalchick at Canada Gallery, 55 Christie Street, New York, NY, 10002. Ends April 8. Mahalchick goes down the Haring road; he’s not afraid to shock or confuse. He lets the art interact with the person standing in front of it, and vice-versa.
-Jackie Saccoccio at Eleven Rivington. March 22 – April 22, 2012
-“100 paintings”, Aaron Oblvn at Klughaus Gallery, 47 Monroe Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 1.
These cartoon-esque paintings remix old characters we are so used to seeing. Oblvn has a fresh perspective on the old “Felix the Cat”, as he uses spray paint and other interesting methods.
-“Little languages/Coded Pictures” at Lesley Heller Workspace, 54 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 15. Artists: Mike Carroll, Alan Crocket, Julie Evans, Ron Gorchov, Theresa Hackett, Sharon Hovarth, David Humphrey, Jennifer Reeves, Margrit Lewczuk, Laura Newman, David Storey and Michelle Weinburg. Curators: Theresa Hackett and Michelle Weinburg.
-“Across Doom Hopes the Guiding Fever”, Nayda Collazo-Lloren, at LMAKprojects, 139 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 20. Nayda Collazo-Lloren uses language to create a dialogue between perception and random noise, that compose our everyday lives. And she does so with a majestic installation.
-“Snapshots and Twisted Tales”, George Kuchar, at Mulherin+Pollard, The End of Freeman Alley, New York, NY, 10002. Ends March 25. This ends in two days, so go see it, it’s worth your time. Kuchar’s anecdotal pieces are finely composed, and depict lives most intense, and also banal struggles.
-“Funes”, Jenny Perlin, at Simon Preston Gallery, 301 Broome Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 15.
Jenny Perlin explores the way misunderstanding and truth overlap. She uses mixed media; drawing, video, installations that all work together to paint a portrait of Perlin’s thoughts and ideas.
-“m, l, e” Anne-Lise Coste at Toomer Labzda, 100 A Forsyth Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 15.
The spray-paintings composed of meaningless or meaningful shapes of letters bring us back to Haring’s beautiful black and white compositions.
-“Inside out”, Elliot Lloyd at Y Gallery, 165 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002. Ends April 8.
Lloyd creates striking portraits as well as layered paintings that are not completely finished or developed, and therefore stand in between two states.
