We were celebrating Stella’s birthday last weekend in New York. You know, lots of shopping and one art event. So I coralled the gang and we went to the opening of our friend and artblog contributor Astrid Bowlby’s “INMEYE” at Elizabeth Harris Gallery in Chelsea.
Bowlby’s ink-on-cut-paper installation has a new black presence I hadn’t seen before. Amidst the flower petals, butterflies and leaves, all outlined freehand in deft, thick strokes were large and small blobby shapes painted completely black.
Some had rounded edges and looked like ink drops flung at the walls and floor. Others were improbably long thick black lines that crawled the floor (tripping was a possibility) or headed up walls to evoke a kind of architectural space — an ur gazebo maybe.
The large outcroppings on the walls might have had the greatest impact visually but most of the piece’s physical presence was on the floor. Polly Apfelbaum comes to mind…and Kara Walker.
The piece is darkness in the garden; Alice in Wonderland in fishnet stockings and black lace underwear. (images are detail shots of the piece) Show’s up to Jan. 31.
