Machiko Edmondson, Sign (All Photos By Gail)

Nothing says it’s Summer in the Chelsea Gallery District quite like the ubiquitous Summer Group Show. So many are doing it, with varying degrees of success. And while we’ve seen a few galleries (that shall remain nameless) totally phone it in, Unix Gallery maintains their high standard of showing provocative, quality contemporary art with its group show, Efflorescence, which is up now.

Efflorescence features new works from Zhuang Hong Yi, Machiko Edmondson, Ellen de Meijer, Gavin Rain, Pino Manos, KwangHo Shin, and Alexi Torres, plus a few assorted piece from artists, such as Desire Obtain Cherish, who’ve previously exhibited in solo shows at the gallery.

A Trio of Works By Pino Manos

Sincronico Rosso

I hadn’t seen the work of Pino Manos before, but I really loved his three pieces in this show, which are created Acrylic on Extroflexed Canvas — an exciting aesthetic twist on minimalism.

Zhuang Hong Yi, Untitled 38

Zhuang Hong Yi’s Chinese training combined with Western Impressionist elements produces a vast collection of work. With studios in Beijing and Amsterdam, this cross-cultural artist brings traditional Chinese motifs such as rice paper and ink into the modern era, fusing contemporary form and culturally significant media.

Ellen de Meijer’s paints a unique contrast of tension and pathos. Her portraits show figures of successful repute, yet vulnerable with an empty gaze. They are armed with digital gadgets, which refer to our zeitgeist of access to information and power. This proliferation of technology becomes a point of dependency while human instincts docilely move to the background. Often they brandish small, bizarre objects or wear gloves symbolic of a societal obsession with sterilization and unattainable perfection.

Gavin Rain draws from traditional pointillist studies with a mix of the Russian avant-garde of the early 1900’s and modern digital images. His layering of styles communicates a particular message: “I usually dislike art that doesn’t communicate anything.” (Note:I fee similarly about works that are titled “Untitled”).

Detail From Above Work

Rain’s works aims to stimulate the eye and mind simultaneously, creating a constant fluctuation of information being transmitted between the work and the viewer.

Art By Justin Bower

Art By Desire Obtain Cherish

Detail of the Above Portrait

Intensive Care Unit By DOC

It was fun to see a few works by Desire Obtain Cherish — who had such a fun show at the gallery in back in May of 2014 — mixed in with the new stuff. His art is so clever.

Jewel Pacifier, By DOC from his Married to Success Series

Efflorescence will be on Exhibit through August 22nd, 2015 at UNIX Gallery, Located at 532 W 24th Street in the Chelsea Gallery District.