My Highlights from ADAA: The Art Show 2015
All of the works selected are by artists who have interested me for a long time; they tend to be artists who have been undervalued or underrepresented in the canon.
My Selection:
Mel Bochner, Self / Portrait, 2013, at Peter Freeman, Inc.
This recent self-portrait by conceptual artist Mel Bochner fuses his rigorous exploration of language with deft, painterly handling.
Donald Moffett, phthalo white, 2014, at Marianne Boesky Gallery
Although Moffett’s extruded oil paintings utilize traditional materials, their untraditional handling reinforces the artist’s interest in identity politics.
Jan Groover, Untitled, 1978, at Janet Borden, Inc.
Jan Groover’s innovative chromogenic color print from the late 1970s turns simple everyday objects into an elegant abstract composition.
Tony Smith, Untitled, 1962, at Valerie Carberry Gallery
This elegant, reductive 1962 painting reflects Smith’s extraordinary compositional skill. The translation of his sculptural vision into two dimensions is compelling.
Al Held, UNTITLED, 1954, at Cheim & Read
An undervalued artist, Al Held is becoming increasingly appreciated. This beautifully painted expressionist work from 1954 presages his rigorous geometric practice.
Ray Johnson, F. Clemente (Frank Stella’s Ass), ca. 1983-1985, at Richard L. Feigen & Co.
Ray Johnson’s collages conflate wordplay, visual complexity, and his own vocabulary to create enduring and idiosyncratic works of art. F. Clemente (Frank Stella’s Ass) is a wonderful, and very funny, example.
Christina Ramberg, Untitled, ca. 1970, at David Nolan Gallery
This small gem of a drawing by Chicago imagist Christina Ramberg includes the fetishistic motifs that make her work fascinating and increasingly sought after. The bound high heel provides a memorable image.
Peter Hujar, Self-Portrait, 1975, at Fraenkel Gallery
This haunting self-portrait contributes to our consideration of Hujar as an important photographer and chronicler of his place and time.
John Graham, Study for Marya, ca. 1943, at Allan Stone Projects
“Study for Marya” is a wonderful example of Graham’s reinterpreted classical portraits of women. His influence on artists such as Gorky and de Kooning is clearly felt here.
