This summer, for lack of a better description, has been unusual in that it has been busy for the art world. For those of you who don’t know me in the writing forum: in my other life I own an art shipping company, and we have been busy! As have many of my competitors! Good for everybody.
Also good for the East Village, where I was gallery-hopping with my friend and writer, David Carbone. Yes, in the dog days of summer everyone was open late in the day -- here are some who bear mentioning who have kept the flag up well after 4 PM on a Saturday afternoon.
Elizabeth Denny and Denny Gallery for her show Works off Canvas, ending on September 8th. One artist who is a true standout in this group is Amanda Valdez, who paints solid liner color theory but within each canvas uses one section to hand-embroider a chosen block of color [immediately above].
Leslie Heller Workspace's show entitled Yard Sale, which ended on August 17th, felt like a greatest hits summer group show. Within it were some pictures by Deborah Brown, such as Tower of Babel 7 [below] and 10, very romantic stuff with colorful abstract gestures over solid blocks of color. In back of the space, leaning up against the bin room wall, was Field Battle [top], a stunning large work by Jon Soon Im with hundreds of laser-cut soldiers defending various princesses of Asian pop culture.
Bosi Contemporary had the exhibition Head, a standout for me this summer (reviewed here). Mayson Gallery was open well past 6 and then it was time for David and I to move along -- get out there and see some art, people, everybody is open.