Friday, December 23, 2016

Happy Holidays!


From Our Hearts to Yours - 

Wishing You Peace and Love 

and

Happy Holidays!



New York Arts Exchange

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Last Call: Miljan Suknovic at Catherine Ahnell Gallery, through December 18th


Miljan Suknovic: Studio Visit
Catherine Ahnell Gallery, 66 Grand St, #1, NYC
Through Sunday, December 18th


Lost in a world of pure abstraction, I am bewitched, but not bewildered, by Miljan Suknovic's second exhibition at Catherine Ahnell Gallery in Soho. Suknovic knows what he is doing and always pursues it with vigor. The gallery''s website tells us that this is a new chapter for the artist "With raw linen as a base he applies his paint strokes directly on the canvas. Spontaneous gestures and random color strokes meet an uncalculated structure characteristic to Suknovic."  Suknovic has certainly become bolder in this new series and more varied in the size of his canvases.  Here, in the photo, you can see a representative sample.
  

Entrance to the exhibition

Suknovic studied art and architecture in Belgrade and then went on to Prague, Florence and Hamburg, before settling in New York. His first solo show was held at Union Gallery in 2008.  Last year, Suknovic exhibited in the elegant rooms of the Serbian Mission to the UN.  And earlier this month his work appeared along with Jonas SUN7 and Lahcen Khedim  in Catherine Ahnell's booth at Art Miami Basel X Contemporary Art Fair.  

Miljan Suknovic's work in Catherine Ahnell Gallery's booth at Art Miami Basel 2016

Suknovic's exhibition in New York closes on Sunday.  If you are headed to SoHo to shop for holiday gifts, please stop in to this upbeat and color-ific show -and then treat yourself to those delicious Christmas specialties in Little Italy. (A Nesic Tradition.)

I'll be back with more tips as the art season draw to a close - so stay tuned . . . 
Beth New York 

aka, Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, Ph.D.
Director
New York Arts Exchange


Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Sasha Meret: Selected Works opens at Rafael Gallery on East 59th Street, Monday, December 12th - 6 - 8 pm




Sasha Meret: Select Works
Rafael Gallery, 235 East 59th Street, NYC
December 12 – 22, 2016; January 5 – 23, 2017
Opening on Monday, December 12th, 6 - 8 PM

Rafael Gallery is pleased to present Sasha Meret: Selected Works, which complements this internationally-acclaimed artist’s participation in the exhibition Bedazzled, concurrently on view at Lehman College Gallery through January 14th.  Our show begins on December 12nd  with an opening reception from 6 – 8 PM.  Curated by Beth S. Gersh-Nešić, the director of the New York Arts Exchange, this particular exhibition contextualizes Sasha Meret’s extraordinarily complex installation, Agendada: Books of Hours, 2010-16, at Lehman College, through its grouping of informative sculptures, photographs and paintings. Meret’s entire body of work draws from the influence of Dada, Surrealism, Conceptual Art and Quantum Mechanics – among many other sources.  It is a heady mix that infuses Meret’s visual language with a phantasmagorical expression, evident in his elaborate sculptures, assemblages, installations, paintings, photographs, drawings, prints and videos – on view in the exhibition space and also in photographs. “The main ingredients in art are mystery, surprise and spontaneity,” Meret explained. “You have to create the environment for the accidents to breathe . . . to invite happy accidents.  This is part of my process.”



Queztelcoatl, 2007-8

The son of Romanian and Russian parents, Sasha Meret was born in Transylvania in 1955.  He completed an MA in economics in 1977 and then moved to New York in 1987 to pursue his true passion, art, at Columbia University. There, he studied printmaking with Tony Harrison.  In 1994, he joined the International Art Group “Gaia” in France.  Over the last 26 years, Meret has exhibited all over the world, most notably in China, Japan, Italy, France, Switzerland, and the US.  Recently, he orchestrated an exhibition and performance piece at AmyD Arte Spazio in Milan.  He has been honored with an exhibition at the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York.  His wearable fashion was featured in XEX Magazine (October 5, 2012). 



The Divine Thirst Quencher, 2010

Founded in 1948 by Rafael Aryeh, Rafael Gallery specializes in Old Master, Nineteenth Century, Modern and Contemporary art and antiques from all over the world and Native American art of various media.  In 1978, the gallery established its main exhibition space at 1020 Madison Avenue.  Now under the leadership of Benjamin Aryeh, the gallery has expanded to three locations.  The East 59th Street galleries, situated in the heart of the Decorators and Design District, are dedicated to Modern and Contemporary masters.

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM.  For more information, contact Associate Director Wade Bonds at wade.gallery59@gmail.com or (212) 755-4888.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea at Riverrun Books and Manuscripts, December 2 - 4, only!



Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea

Exhibition and Book Signing
At RIVERRUN Books and Manuscripts
12 Washington Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
December 2 – 4, 2016

The New York Arts Exchange is pleased to announce its partnership with RIVERRUN Books and Manuscripts for the forthcoming exhibition of Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea, a magnificent collection of paintings on tea bag paper, executed ritually from January 3 – December 31, 2015.  The subjects range from whimsical to poignant, depending on the artist’s mood and current events.  This brief “pop-up” exhibition will feature about 20 of her original paintings and her beautifully illustrated book, 363 Days of Tea, which includes all the paintings in a sumptuous 8” x 8” volume.  Please join us for three days of exciting events:
·         Friday, December 2 – opening, 6 – 8 pm
·         Saturday, December 3 – artist’s talk and book signing, 3 – 5 pm
·         Sunday, December 4 – owner of RIVERRUN Books, Tom Lecky (former head of Books and Manuscripts at Christie’s) presents “How to Think Like a Collector,” 2 – 4 pm.

RUBY SILVIOUS is a visual artist and graphic designer. Her recent work includes experimenting on recycled and found materials. On January 3, 2015, she started a project called 363 Days of Tea, a visual daily record of her impression of the moment, using the emptied-out tea bag as her canvas, and altering it to create a new work of art every day for 363 days. She draws, paints, prints and collages moody, evocative and sometimes whimsical art on used teabag paper. She is the author of a newly published coffee table book, 363 Days of Tea: A Visual Journal on Used Teabags. Silvious was educated in the U.S., Europe and Asia; she currently lives in New York's Hudson Valley. Her art is exhibited internationally, and is featured in public and private collections. www.rubysilvious.com
 
RIVERRUN specializes in rare, antiquarian, and unusual books & literary manuscripts of all periods, with an emphasis on literature, travel & exploration, art reference, illustrated books, science & technology, and Americana. We seek interesting and important material in all fields.
RIVERRUN's cataloged inventory exceeds 15,000 titles, all of which may be found online. The shop's revolving inventory of some 30,000 volumes means that there is always more to discover if you pay us a visit.  Please call or e-mail to confirm hours and availability info@riverrunbookshop.com or (914) 478-1339. http://www.riverrunbookshop.com/
NEW YORK ARTS EXCHANGE is an arts education service that offers lectures, private art tours, studio visits and curatorial services. Founded in 2003, NYAE is dedicated to connecting audiences with all the arts in accessible and joyful ways in order to inspire life-long curiosity about what the arts can offer.  We wish to thank Tom Lecky of RIVERRUN Books and Manuscripts for helping the NYAE bring Ruby Silvious’ extraordinary work to Westchester County.

For more information, please contact Beth S. Gersh-Nešić, director of the New York Arts Exchange at bethnewyorkarts@gmail.com or call: 914-318-6074. www.nyarts-exchange.com

Press photos by request.




Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving 2016!

David Bates, Thanksgiving, 1982
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas

Greetings for Thanksgiving with the greatest gratitude of all for you, who are reading this blog and have been so wonderful all these years as the New York Arts Exchange celebrates its 13th birthday. This year we shifted away from weekly art tours to offering more lectures and exhibitions in NY and CT venues. Please join us as we learn more about art together. 

The New York Arts Exchange is about conversation - we want to share our love of art and artists with you.  Please send suggestions on how we might do this better.  Which approach to art suits your tastes and lifestyle best? Write to me at nyarts.exchange@verizon.net  Or leave a comment at the end of this blog post.


Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, 1914
Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Massachusetts

The blog post today highlights three different versions of the holiday feast: anecdotally, historically and nostalgically.  Which one do you like best? Notice that Norman Rockwell's iconic Freedom from Want, 1943, is not among these paintings.  I know David Bate's work, but Jennie Augusta Brownscombe and Doris Lee are artists I had never heard of before I decided to do some research for this blog.  I am grateful to learn about their lives and their work from the bounty that the internet gives us everyday.  Thank you, Google, for the convenience of quick and informative searches.




Doris Lee, Thanksgiving, 1935
Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois


As you turn your thoughts to holiday shopping, please consider purchasing Ruby Silvious' lavious book 363 Days of Tea.  Her paintings will be on display for only 3 days at Riverrun Books and Manuscripts, 12 Washington Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson,  Come savor Ruby Silvious' beautifully rendered paintings on delicate teabag paper.  Each is a marvel to behold.  All these stunning paintings are reproduced in Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea.  Ruby will sign her books on Friday, December 2nd (reception 6- 8 pm - during the Hastings Night Crawl) and Saturday, December 3rd (along with her artist's talk, 3 - 5 pm).  

On Sunday, December 4th - Tom Lecky, the owner of Riverrun Books and former Head of Books at Christie's, will share his secrets on "How to Think Like a Collector" - pearls of wisdom from a pro.

Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving - and looking forward to seeing you in Hastings next week - 
Beth New York

aka Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, Ph.D.
Director
New York Arts Exchange


Monday, November 21, 2016

Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea, Opening on Friday, December 3



You are cordially invited to:

Ruby Silvious: 363 Days of Tea

A Pop-Up Exhibition and Book Signing
at
Riverrun Books and Manuscripts
12 Washington Avenue
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Friday, December 2, from 6 to 8 pm: Opening reception 

Saturday, December 3, from 3 to 5 pm: Artist's Talk and Booksigning

Sunday, December 4, from 2 - 4 pm: "How to Think Like a Collector"
advice from Tom Lecky, 
former Head of Books at Christie's, now owner of Riverrun Books

Tea and cookies served 
Come join us for one or all three events!

Sponsored by 
   
and     





Thursday, November 17, 2016

Last Call: Man Ray at Francis Naumann Fine Art, through November 18th

Man Ray, Self-Portrait with Half-Beard, 1943

Francis Naumann is a national treasure and one of the smartest art historians I can think of - particularly when it comes to Dada artists.  So any Man Ray exhibition deserves our attention, for it is indeed a reason to celebrate as we head into the holidays. Alas, today and tomorrow mark the end of Man Ray: Continued and Noticed - a most excellent show that should be noticed by everyone.  

Naumann explained that he has mounted an homage to Man Ray's 1948 show at Copley Gallery in Beverly Hills entitled Man Ray: Continued and Unnoticed.  "Man Ray must have wanted these words to let his audience know that he was still working ('continued'), but that he worked with virtually no recognition ('unnoticed').  The present exhibition - held 68 years after his show at the Copley Galleries - is intended to demonstrate that Man Ray's work not only continues to be of interest, but that it is still noticed and, with the passage of time, better understood and appreciated (although the latter may never have been his intent)." 

May I add that the same goes for Francis Naumann's endeavors.  They continue to enlighten us and are always noticed for their insightful analyses.

Man Ray, Self-Portrait (on Plexiglas), 1916/70

Man Ray was born Emmanuel Radnitzsky on August 27, 1890 - about 10 years after Picasso (whose photograph is included in the show) and closer in age to Marcel Duchamp (born July 28, 1887), who befriended him while he lived in New York in 1915 - 1920.  Man Ray moved to Paris in 1921.

In Man Ray's self-portrait on plexiglas, we see evidence of the artist's grasp of French as he attempts to visually pun his name with his handprint (main - pronounced "meh") and beams of lights or stripes (rayons or rayures).  This images also demonstrates Man Ray's fertile mind for invention. Naumann attributes this "defiance of artistic convention" and "commitment to absolute freedom in the arts"  to "his association with the anarchist movement in New York."  Moreover, this portrait speaks to the artist's infusion of humor in his work, which Naumann points out several times in his essay, particularly at the end in Marcel Duchamp's definition, 1959: "Man Ray, n.m. la joie, jouer, jouir  [Man Ray, noun, masculine, joy, to play, to enjoy]."




Man Ray, L'Heure de l'observatoire les amoreaux, 1932-36

And for those of you who cultivate a love of Man Ray's work, this exhibition will not disappoint. One of his best known works (among so many) entitled Observatoire Time: The Lovers is on view.  Based on Lee Miller's lips, which he kissed so often and missed intensely after their breakup, it wistfully conjures up this photographer in her own right, who was Man Ray's assistant and lover from 1919 to 1932.

Would love to add more to this blog post, but the "heure" is late and I must post asap.

Man Ray: Continued and Noticed closes at 6 pm on Friday, November 18.
Francis Naumann Fine Art, 24 West 57th Street, 3rd floor.

The exhibition will be featured in the Francis Naumann booth at Art Miami Basel, December 1st through 4th.   Please inquire at the gallery for details.

N. B. - I highly recommend the catalog for this show, even if you are not able to see the works in person - a must-read for any serious art historian and all Man Ray fans. 


Beth New York

aka Beth S. Gersh-Nesic
Director
New York Arts Exchange

Friday, November 11, 2016

In Honor of Veteran's Day: "Cubism and War" at Museu Picasso in Barcelona


In honor of Veteran's Day, we remember those who fought in all wars, especially World War I - 100 years ago today.  

Here is a poster for Cubism and War: The Crystal in the Flame at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona, from October 21, 2016 through January 29, 2017.

May peace prevail and goodness triumph - 




Saturday, October 29, 2016

Fall into Fall 2016 - Part 3: Women in the Arts, Hurrah!

Carmen Herrera (b. 1915), Siete, 1949, acrylic on canvas,
Paul and Trudy Cejas Collection

Right now- ending this weekend - most of the major museums in New York (and Greenwich, CT) are featuring women artists as the main exhibition in their galleries.  How about that, feminists!  Take note - and savor the strides that your hard work has accomplished.  This is only the beginning.  Today we are paying attention to this historic moment.  Tomorrow, the equality of women in the workplace, whether in the arts or in the auto industry, will be completely normal and unremarkable.  We are almost there.  Yes, we can! 

So here's the evidence:
Alma Thomas, Studio Museum of Harlem, through October 30th.
Cornelia Parker, Metropolitan Museum of Art, through October 31st. 
Diane Arbus, Metropolitan Breuer, through November 27th.

Charlotte Moorman Performing in 1971

Charlotte Moorman, Grey Art Gallery, NYU, through December 10th,
Her Crowd: New Art by Women Artists in Our Neighbors' Private Collections, Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT, through December 31st. 
Carmen Herrera, Whitney Museum, January 2, 2017.

Agnes Martin, Summer 1964, watercolor, ink and gauche on paper,
Agnes Martin/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy Pace Gallery

Agnes Martin, Guggenheim Museum, through January 11, 2017.
Pipilotti Risi, New Museum, through January 15, 2017.

Sara Zapata, Siempre X, 2016, mixed media, courtesy of the artist

Sara Zapata, Museo del Barrio, ongoing.


Gustave Klimt, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907,
Gold, silver, and oil on canvas
Neue Galerie New York. Acquired through the generosity of Ronald S. Lauder, 
the heirs of the Estates of Ferdinand and Adele Bloch-Bauer, and the Estée Lauder Fund


And the subject of women in art:
Klimt and the Women of Vienna's Golden Age, 1900-1918, Neue Galerie, through January 16, 2017.
Mrs. Carl Meyer and her Children, Jewish Museum, through February 5, 2017

  


FYI - the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is still on at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. Tickets are still on sale for November 1 - 26.

Happy Halloween!
Beth New York

aka Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, Ph.D.
Director
New York Arts Exchange



Friday, October 21, 2016

Fall into Fall 2016 - Part 2: Alma Thomas closing October 30

Scarf on sale at Studio Museum of Harlem:
Alma Thomas, The Azaleas Sway in the Breeze, 1969 


Is there any artist more joyful and uplifting than Alma Thomas?  I doubt it.  We have had the pleasure of touring her work at Michael Rosenfeld Gallery in May 2015 and now her work has been on view at the Studio Museum of Harlem since July 14th - closing next Sunday, October 30th.   If you cannot purchase your own Alma Thomas, this lovely limited-edition scarf is on sale in the Studio Museum of Harlem's book/gift shop-another way to support this wonderful museum.

In addition to Alma Thomas, there are two other excellent temporary exhibitions, plus the ongoing project Harlem Postcards: 2016.   Below are works by the three artists in Tenses -  Artists-in-Residence Jordan Casteel,  E.J. Hill, and Jibad-Khalil Huffman: 

Jordan Casteel, Kevin the Kiteman, 2016
Courtesy of the artist and the Studio Museum of Harlem

E. J. Hill, A Monumental Offering of Potential Energy, 2016
Installation at the Studio Museum of Harlem

Jibade-Khalil Huffman, Untitled (Landscape), 2016
Video installations at the Studio Museum of Harlem


Huffman's video installation cannot be imagined online, so make an effort to visit this exhibition, which also closes on October 30th. 

Richard Hunt, Hybrid Figure #3, 1970

Most important of all the exhibitions, Richard Hunt: Framed and Extended reminds us that this Hunt (as opposed to Bryan Hunt) is among the greatest sculptors of our time and surely deserving a larger show in a larger venue.  Curated by Lauren Haynes, Associate Curator, Permanent Collection, and Hallie Ringle, Assistant Curator, this well-chosen introduction to Hunt's work features 17 lesser-known works from various periods in this artist's career: prints, small sculptures and wall sculptures. This exhibition closes on January 15, 2017.

Richard Hunt is best known for his outdoor commissions, including

Richard Hunt, Harlem Hybrid, 1976
Roosevelt Triangle, Morningside Avenue and 125th Street

Studio Museum of Harlem consistently offers outstanding exhibitions of well-established and emerging black artists and for that I am always eager to see their shows. However, I hope that we see more of these exciting artists' works at such powerhouses as the Met, MoMA and the Whitney - where most time-pressed New Yorkers and tourists spend most of their art-allowed hours. 



Best wishes for the weekend,
Beth New York

aka Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, Ph.D.
Director
New York Arts Exchange




Thursday, October 20, 2016

Fall into Fall 2016 - Part 1 - The Met


Jean Honore Fragonard, Island of Love, 1770-80, 



The Fall 2016 Art Season is in full swing with so many exhibitions and so little time in our busy holiday schedules.  So, feeling overwhelmed myself, I decided to roll out my recommendations in a series of short blog posts, beginning with our favorite museum: the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And a review by one of my favorite art lovers, Natasha Nesic.  Here is her video live from the Met on the Fragonard drawing exhibition, on view through January 8, 2017.


Lantern, Syrian origin, 13th Century

Jerusalem: 1000-1400 tells the story of this multicultural destination through rarely-seen sacred and secular art.  A feast for the eyes through January 8, 2017.


Cornelia Parker, PsychoBarn, 2016

Cornelia Parker's installation on the roof will close on October 31 - so hurry to see this surprising construction.  No spoilers here for those who haven't experienced the full Parker concept.   And even if you have already visited this "fun house" over the summer, you want to see the fall foliage from atop the Met before it blows away.

Valentin de Boulogne, Judith with Head of Holofernes, 1626-27



Valentin de Boulogne's name may not be on your list of "must-sees" this fall. Perish the thought: this guy can really paint well and his subjects tell the stories you may already know - a great combination for those who prefer Old Master paintings.  De Boulogne was born in France in 1591 and died in Rome in 1632. He was a follower of Caravaggio, hence the title: Valentin de Boulogne: Beyond Carravaggio, on view through January 18, 2017.



And finally, Beckmann! as in Max Beckmann in New York, featuring 25 works from a short period in our fair city, 1949-50. Not quite your suave Valentin de B., but probably a good chaser for Cornelia Parker's Halloween-ish treat. Consider Beckmann an artistically angst-y fellow, curtsy of the New Objectivity movement in Germany (Neu Sachlichkeit).   It just opened on Wednesday, closing February 20, 2017.

That's it for now - back soon with another installment of "Fall into Fall 2016"
Beth New York

aka Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, Ph.D.
Director
New York Arts Exchange






Friday, October 14, 2016

Jay Milder: White Lines, Tuesday, October 18th, Bogardus Mansion, 6 - 8 pm


Please join us to celebrate the opening of


 Jay Milder: White Lines


Curated by Beth S. Gersh-Nešić. Ph.D.

at 
The Bogardus Mansion
75 Murray Street

on 
Tuesday, October 18th
6 - 8 pm

(subsequent viewing by appointment)

Hosted by


Esterhazy Art

Sylvie Esterhazy Kovacs, Director





        




Please join us to celebrate the opening of


 Jay Milder: White Lines


Curated by Beth S. Gersh-Nešić. Ph.D.

at 
The Bogardus Mansion
75 Murray Street

on 
Tuesday, October 18th
6 - 8 pm

(subsequent viewing by appointment)

Hosted by


Esterhazy Art

Sylvie Esterhazy Kovacs, Director