I want to recommend a show off the Old City path. Anthony Palumbo, painter and recent Pennsylvania Academy graduate, has a solo show notable for its portraits at Ashley Gallery on Third St. near Brown.
The work is nuanced and the paint handling is divine. This is a youngster to watch. (Image, top is “Concrete and Glass;” image, left is “Self Portrait.”)
Although Palumbo’s work is less edgy and more academy, I want to compare it to paintings by Rebecca Westcott.
Westcott, another youngster who’s into portraits, paints in the Alice Neel tradition of chronicling her circle with portraits of psychological depth.
You may remember Westcott’s two solo shows at the now defunct “One Pixel” Gallery across from Nexus — or from the Space 1026 show at ICA in 2002 (she’s a 1026er or was). She will have her first solo show with Spector gallery some time next year. (bottom image is painting by Westcott)
