Contraband

The Linda Benglis retrospective opened at the New Museum back in February, but I just got around to seeing it this past weekend. I’m so glad I can give everyone a head’s up in time to see this exhibit, because it is fantastic. This current exhibition is the artist’s first retrospective in twenty years – and the first one ever in New York. Works displayed span the range of Benglis’s career including her early wax paintings, her brightly colored poured latex works (the Fallen Paintings), the “Torsos” and “Knots” series from the 1970s, and her recent experiments with plastics, cast glass, paper, and gold leaf.

You’ll also get to see a number of rarely exhibited historic works including Phantom (above, 1971), a dramatic polyurethane installation consisting of five monumental sculptures that glow in the dark, and the installation Primary Structures (Paula’s Props), first shown in 1975 – all very, very cool.

Eat Meat

One teeny word of warning that I’d like to put out there: although there were lots of kids visiting the museum with their parents, the exhibit also includes a collection of the artists “adult themed” photographs and erotic sculptures (read: dongs) which aren’t necessarily my thing, but whatever. Although Benglis’s sculptures are kid friendly, if I were a parent I’d be cautious about kids seeing what I’d call “Adults Only Material,” unless you really want to have that kind of conversation with your 10 year old. It’s easy enough to avoid that particular gallery, however. You’ll know which one it is when you enter it.

Wing

Linda Benglis is on Exhibit Through June 19, 2011, in the Lobby and Second floor Galleries of the New Museum, Located at 235 Bowery (Below Houston), New York, NY. Hours are Wednesday 11 AM – 6 PM, Thursday 11 AM – 9 PM, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11 AM – 6 PM

Cocoon