Contributed by Sharon Butler / When Jane Swavely isn’t working in the old-school LES loft where she raised two sons, she is at a cabin in the Catskills or sailing around the northeast on a beautiful, sturdy sailboat that her husband built. The last time we met was on Cuttyhunk Island off the coast of Massachusetts, where she had sailed from Martha’s Vineyard, braving … read more… “Interview with Jane Swavely: Toxic glow”
Contributed by Mira Dayal / There is a sense of unease in the series of paintings that comprise of “Espial,” Jane Swavely’s latest show at A.I.R. Gallery. I enter the space — not of the gallery, but of the painting itself. Hovering just inches above the ground, the edges of the canvas become the frame … read more… “Jane Swavely: Admiration for the jungle”
Contributed by Jennifer Rose Bonilla-Edgington / Erin Lawlor’s paintings, on view at Miles McEnery Gallery through August 16, have a sense of the familiar. Wide brush strokes play off one another, conjuring winding ribbons, rendered systematically like blood flowing to and from the heart — an ebb and flow of the most critical kind. At first … read more… “Erin Lawlor: Like blood flowing to and from the heart”
By Jonathan Stevenson / At first blush, if you were born in 1959 – two years after Sputnik, just beyond the outer fringe of the baby boom, but before Gen X kicked in – you could be forgiven for feeling a little left out. You’re too young to have felt the thrill of 1960s radical outrage … read more… “Vintage 1959”
1959: Spirit of the Void @ DUMBO Open Studios For Dumbo Open Studios, I invited Stephanie Theodore, founder and director of Theodore:Art in Bushwick, to co-curate an exhibition of work by artists born the same year I was–1959. I was surprised when more than fifty artists responded to my call, making the choices difficult, but we ultimately put … read more… “1959: Spirit of the Void”
Contributed by Sharon Butler / Well, hello there December. I just completed a hectic (but energizing) semester teaching three courses–New York Academy of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Parsons at the New School–and I’m eager to head out and see some exhibitions before the holidays. Tra la la. Don’t forget to give the gift of … read more… “Two Coats Selected Gallery Guide: December 2018”
Contributed by Sharon Butler / Last year I visited Jayanthi Moorthy‘s studio and suggested she get in touch with Kathryn Myers, a UConn colleague of mine who has facilitated cultural exchanges with Indian artists, curated numerous shows of their work, and participated in many exhibitions in India. The two artists connected, and this year they curated “Cooperative Consciousness,” a group exhibition at … read more… “A.I.R. artists at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India”
UPDATE: Fair paralysis set in this year, and, overwhelmed by the number of things going on (Frieze, NADA, Portal, etc.), I opted to go to a few local events and invite some fair-goers to visit the studio rather than attend the fairs myself. The Kentucky Derby Party and Benefit Auction at Smack Mellon, “Anti-Pro” at … read more… “Frieze Weekend”