Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Mr.

New York, NY by Thomas Martin- Mr.'s new exhibition at Lehman Maupin's LES space include photographs, a film, and a painting (which doesn't seem to have much relation to the other two). Mr. has taken his critique of Japan's pedophilia subcultures to another level with a team of rag tag preteen girls engaged in war games with their archenemies, a band of older, ruthless punk styled gamers. Cutesy music, outfits and dialog mix with an assortment of butt and crotch shots make for plenty of uncomfortable and/but hilarious moments. Don't bring your mom or 11 year old niece.


Drawn by New York

Chesley Bonestell, "Atom Bombing of New York City" 1950

New York, NY, by Thomas Martin- The New York Historical Society has mounted the first scholarly exhibition of the country's earliest public drawing collection and it's well worth the trip. The exhibit is a grab bag of genres, covering just about every use, as far as I can think of, that drawing has been used for: design sketches, tourist crap, painting studies, illustrations, portraits, historical documentation, art. The show reminds us that artworks are not just aesthetic objects, though much of the show fares well in this category, but also objects of historical import.

Proposed Coat of Arms for New Amsterdam, 1630

Asher B. Durand, "Study of Trees, Catskill Mountains, New York" 1848-9