Sharon Engelstein "Blow Job" @ Sunday

Sharon Engelstein's show titled "Blow Job" at Sunday gallery in the L.E.S. exhibits sculpture produced by cutting-edge technology. The big yellow piece titled "Slow Head" in the middle of the main gallery is made of nylon and is blown up by a fan (hence the title of the show). The pieces in the back gallery are rapid prototype made by using a 3-D printer used in the industrial design industry. Although the work is produced by new technologies the work possesses a soft sensuality usually lacking in work produced by these means. For Engelstein the computer is a tool like any other, a means to an end not the end to the means. Definitely stop in to see this show!

Omar Chacon @ Bronx River Art Center

Omar Chacon at Bronx River Art Center is a refreshing blast of color in a city that is usually quite gray. Over the years Chacon has patiently and intently mined the possibilities of poured and dripped paint. Chacon has developed his dots, drips and drips that are cut to form mosaic like tiles into a personal lexicon to create works that grapple with world politics and art history as subjects.

Chacon will have his International debut with Magrorocca in Milan, Italy in September 2008 and his New York City solo debut with Green Contemporary in January 2009.

Chacon is also represented by Lincart in San Fransisco.

Hilary Harnischfger @ Never Work

Nestled in a small storefront in the L.E.S., Hilary Harnischfger's paper made objects dazzle the eye at Never Work Gallery. Do not miss this gem of a show!

Elizabeth Cooper @ Thrust Projects

Elizabeth Cooper's new work brightens the walls at Thrust Projects. Known for her splash-ish abstractions Cooper produces slick and surprisingly rough paintings.

Jonathan Hartshorn and Joyce Kim @ Thierry Goldberg Projects

Jonathan Hartshorn and Joyce Kim bring down the house at Thierry Goldberg.
Jonathan's paintings become a sculptural installation as the paintings pile up on the floor and become smashed to bits. What painter does not what to do this from time to time? Joyce explores space and the physicality of a painting's surface in her haunting abstract pictures.

Sarah Braman @ Museum 52

Sara Braman at Museum 52 is a great sculpture show! One of the best that I have seen in a long time. This is very smart show that tickles the intellect and the senses.

Hilary Harkness @ Mary Boone Gallery

Hilary Harkness at Mary Boon Gallery 5th Ave is a delectable show that is not to be missed. The paintings are super sexy, and I am not just talking about the women in the paintings performing various sex acts. The handling of the paint is so smooth I wanted to lick the paintings. It's surprising to find an artist who mixes content and process to evoke such responses in the viewer.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner @ Michael Werner

This is a fantastic show of Kirchner's late work. It is surprisingly contemporary in color, form and application of paint. The show is now extended an extra three weeks at Michael Werner Gallery. It now closes on July 3. A catalog is also available and work picking up.

Ann Pibal @ Max Protetch

Ann Pibal at Max Protetch is a smart show of smallish and colorful hard edge abstraction. In a pic below hard edge painter Thomas Burk admires the awesome blue.

Sterling Ruby and Andre Butzer @ Metro Pictures

Two major hits as far as I am concerned from the group show at Metro Pictures are Sterling Ruby and Andre Butzer. Sterling is one of many painters to come out of the So Cal graduate school system and take New York by storm. There must be something in the water over there.

Katherine Bernhardt: The Magnificent Excess of Snoop Dogg Katherine Bernhardt, book signing

Today I attended the book signing for artist Katherine Bernhardt's book "The Magnificent Excess of Snoop Dogg Katherine Bernhardt."

The signing coincided with the closing of her show at CANADA. I'm glad I made it because the show was stellar!

Bernhardt designed the layout of the book which juxtaposes her paintings with the source material. The book is remarkably generous in revealing studio shots and candid photos starring the artist. Props to Bernhardt for designing something so fresh and not the typical artist book.

I posted a couple spreads. Sorry the photography is bad, but I highly recommend you buy your own.

The book is published by Picture Box and you can follow this link to purchase your own copy!

Chick here to see the paintings of Katherine Bernhardt.