My review of the Do-Ho Suh exhibit at PAFA and the FWM is in today’s paper. Here. I love Suh’s work for its embrace of community and for what I see as ambiguity expressed about the relationship of the one and the many. Suh comes out of Korea and a Buddhist tradition, and the works can be read in that context but I think his depth comes from the openness with which his pieces can be read by a Western eye.
My take on “Paratrooper II” at PAFA, the piece made in collaboration with the FWM, is that it’s about the relationship of the past and the present. The whole thing is ghostly and still and to my mind quite unlike the two other works which are vigorous and show struggle. (top image is “Paratrooper II.” Photo by Aaron Igler)
Suh is one of the most exciting artists working today. Zhang Huan is another. These artists transcend the East/West dichotomy in art by making work with human concerns whose metaphors speak beyond borders. Among Western artists, Pepon Osorio and Kara Walker do similar humanist magic in their works. (image is “Paratrooper V”. Photo by Aaron Igler)
“Paratrooper V” and “Screen” are up at FWM through Sept. 17 and Paratrooper II is up through Aug. 21 at PAFA’s Morris Gallery. And, by the way, don’t forget there’s no charge to get in to the Morris Gallery however if you want to see the rest of the museum you pay the bucks. Here’s Libby’s post on Suh. (image is “Screen” detail. Photo by Aaron Igler)
Sketches
Don’t miss these emerging artist shows opening Friday:
–“Nexus Selects” the first annual competition for Philadelphia art school seniors organized by Nexus Gallery, up only through July 10; and
–“Point of View” an emerging artists landscape show at Vox Populi curated by Vox executive director Yana Balson, up til July 30.
Editors Choice
In the listings, my blurb about the local Cerealart hitting Manhattan with an exhibit at Chelea’s Perry Rubenstein Gallery (through Aug. 12.) Larry Mangel‘s enterprise — which commissions toys for grown ups from artists like Marcel Dzama (action figures — see image) and Yayoi Kusama (polka dot pillows) — is a natural outgrown of Mangel’s earlier product line, Bozart Toys which features a dollhouse by Laurie Simmons and a chess set by Karim Rashid.
A-list
Yes I was wordy this week. The A-list has my preview of the new show, “Eccentric Space” opening Friday at Freeform at MBN Studios. That show’s up through Aug. 17, but best to see it at the opening Friday, July 1, 6-10 pm. Leslie Mutchler, whom we’ve written about when her work was in the “Pulp” show up at Tyler will have her tabletop piece in the show. (see artist’s list at left for more on Mutchler) And come out to say ‘bye to Leslie and her partner Jason Urban (we’ve written about him, too) who are leaving Philadelphia for twin jobs in Carbondale, Illinois teaching at Southern Illinois University. Stay in touch y’all.
