The summer is done.   In lieu of a full review, I want to mention a few things you should absolutely see.  These are big name shows but there is just so much that it gets lost in the shuffle.

Dana Schutz at Petzel

Schutz has the ability of German Expressionism to take the contorted human face or body and create narrative portrait.  She shares this ability with Nicole Eisenman.  The spirit of expressionists comes through a century later.  Schutz has created 2 paintings that take place in an elevator or similar claustrophobic space.  She entitled her exhibition Fight in an Elevator.  These pieces are the stand outs as the framed, confined action is a flurry of motion and line.  

Sarah Sze at Tanya Bonakdar

I did not see the entire show, due to opening night insanity.  Sze seems to be at her best with the upstairs portion which included several sculptural installations.  I recommend seeing it and I know I will be going back.

America is Hard to See at the Whitney (ends September 27th)
I don’t need to tell you to go to the Whitney, someone else has already done that.  It took me until 2 weeks back to make my first trip.  Don’t miss the opportunity to see this sprawling show.  “America…” is a portrait of a museum in transition.  It doesn’t succeed at every turn, but it is historic.  

Brief announcement:
I was honored to be asked by the Editions/ Artists’ Book Fair (Dusica and Erik at LESP specifically) to curate their 2015 edition.  Though it will be the exhibitors and organizers that will do all the real work, I am pleased to be involved.  You can read my curator’s statement here, but let me share my last line with you: “The fair allows for open exchange between the visitor and the artist, printmaker and publisher; and sometimes all three will be the same person.”  This is important.  This is an art fair where the people making the art, the printmakers and the artists, are front and center.  If you haven’t spent time at the E/AB, you probably don’t realize that artists that might seem inaccessible are here, engaged in a dialogue with their collaborators in a completely informal atmosphere.  Please consider a visit to the E/AB in November (5th – 8th).

-Jeff Bergman

September 2015