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Arts and Culture

Not a Painting Group Show at The Hole

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Adam Parker Smith, Charlatan
Adam Parker Smith, Charlatan, 2015 (All Photos By Gail)

The Hole gallery can be hit (Holton Rower, André Saraiva) or miss (Jim Joe) with its single artist exhibits, but it tends to get it right when curating a group show where work by multiple artists follows a common theme, and they deserve high fives all around for Not a Painting, a vibrant new group show which opened on Tuesday, June 9th.

Adam Parker Smith, Charlatan
A detail from the above “wall sculpture” by Adam Parker Smith includes a cluster of artificial succulents.

Not a Painting presents a group exhibit of wall-based works from emerging artists that are contingent upon painting, or refer to painting, or negate painting; but are not paintings. Partipating artists include Adam Parker Smith, Andrew McNay, Bob Eikelboom, Colin Oulighan, Evan Robarts, Evie Falci, Ezra Tessler, Gabriel Pionkowski, Martha Friedman, Nick Theobald, Radamés Juni Figueroa and Will Stewart. With an expansive array of materials, these individuals construct artworks that hang on the wall and have the logic of a painting but that do not use paint on canvas.

Here are a few of our favorite pieces from this fun show!

Evan Robarts Hemlock Trail
Evan Robarts, Hemlock Trail

Evan Robarts uses a weathered chain link fence as his canvas and places found colored balls where he would otherwise want to apply paint. This one is so clever.

Adam Parker Smith Bob
Adam Parker Smith, Bob

Adam Parker Smith’s Bob has the appearance of a caricature drawn with a finger on a condensation-covered antique mirror, but the condensation is actually clear resin.

Evie Falci, Ani (L), Manipura (R)

Evie Falci’s Ani (above left), and Manipura (above right) were created by affixing brightly colored rhinestones to denim. Bedazzling!

Evie Falci, Manipura (Detail)
Evie Falci, Manipura (Detail)

Ezra Tessler The Grangerfords
Ezra Tessler, The Grangerfords

Ezra Tessler’s row of monochromatic, identically shaped wall sculptures were created using oil paint on paper pulp over aluminum awning parts. Here’s a closer detail shot, below.

Ezra Tessler The Grangerfords

Loaf 2 by Martha Friedman
Loaf 2 by Martha Friedman

Martha Friedman casts colored rubber to make what looks like a slice of Pimento Loaf stuck to the wall. Brilliant.

Loaf 2 Detail
Loaf 2, Detail

Not A Painting will be on Exhibit Through July 26th, 2015 at The Hole, Located at 312 Bowery (at Bleecker) in NYC.

Not a Painting Signage

Arts and Culture

Holton Rower, Too Many Ideas at The Hole

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The Hole Gallery View
A Room Full of Ideas (All Photos By Gail, Click on Any Image to Enlarge for Detail)

If you’re intrigued by the idea of visiting an artist’s studio, where you could not only see finished works but also get a peek inside his head to discover what concepts he’s experimenting with, then I suggest you visit The Hole to check out Holton Rower’s new exhibit, Too Many Ideas. Continue reading Holton Rower, Too Many Ideas at The Hole →

Arts and Culture

Adam Green And Friends Hot Chicks at The Hole

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Adam Green Hot Chicks Signage
All Photos By Gail

Adam Green used to be part of the “Anti-Folk” duo known as Moldy Peaches, a “Band” whose music was just not that good. Just being honest here. But I can’t hate on Adam Green for his responsibility in making Moldy Peaches a thing, because the guy is just too cool and hilarious to not be crazy about. As a visual and performance artist, Green strikes that perfect balance of being serious without taking himself seriously. His current exhibit, Hot Chicks by Adam Green & Friends is lots of fun. Here are some photos from the show, accompanied by my insightful commentary.

Continue reading Adam Green And Friends Hot Chicks at The Hole →

Arts and Culture

2014’s First Art Joke: Jim Joe’s January 2014 at The Hole

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Jim Joe at the Hole Glass of Water
A Glass of Water and A Lottery Ticket are Examples of Jim Joe’s “Art,” at the Hole (All Photos By Gail)

Jim Joe (real name and identity unknown) is a NYC tagger/street artist who writes his name, and an occasional saying, on buildings around the various NYC boroughs and, The Hole Gallery would have us believe, apparently wants to be taken seriously as an artist. OK, whatever. I like to keep an open mind about what constitutes “Art” in a contemporary sense, but this exhibit takes even the James Franco School of The Emperors New Clothes Phenomena to a new level of bullshit.

Opening on New Year’s Day, 2014 and running through the month of January, the January 2014 show will expand daily as The Hole adds to the exhibit each day with new works by Jim Joe. We dropped in on Saturday, January 4th to find the works you see in this post on display and constituting the exhibit in its entirety to-date.  Yawn City.

Jim Joe Devil Head
Jim Joe Guardian Image

There were two other pieces that I declined to photograph: one that looked like a sheet of newsprint and a black, half-loop-squiggle spray-painted directly onto the gallery wall. Trust me, you’re not missing anything.

Santa Toy at The Hole

I found this little Santa Claus plush toy discarded in one corner of the gallery floor. It is unclear whether this is meant to be part of January 2104, perhaps as a found object commentary on the Commercialism of the Holiday Season. Who Knows.

We do have more than three full weeks left in the month of January, so this exhibit could take a turn for the better, say, in the next week or so. But from what I saw not it’s not worth the bother of checking out unless you want to see for yourself how much of a joke it is. Or, you could also see Adam Green & Friends Hot Chicks group show, which runs concurrently in The Hole’s rear gallery.

It’s crap like this that gives Contemporary Art a bad name. Color me not impressed.

Arts and Culture

Kelsey Brooks: Better Living Through Chemistry at Judith Charles Gallery

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Kelsey Brooks Group of Four
All Photos By Gail

On Saturday night, Geoffrey and I made an unplanned pit stop into the Judith Charles Gallery, having been attracted in from the sidewalk, to view an eye catching exhibit from San Diego based artist Kelsey Brookes. Entitled Better Living Through Chemistry, this show features a large body of work and is Brookes‘ first solo exhibition in New York. Continue reading Kelsey Brooks: Better Living Through Chemistry at Judith Charles Gallery →