October 24 – November 21, 1981
Artists Space presents a group exhibition of painting and sculpture by seven artists: Ellen Cooper, Jane Dickson, Bobby G, Rebecca Howland, Carla Perlman, Kiki Smith, Seton Smith, opening October 24 and running through November 21. Most of these artists also work in film, video or other mediums, all previously exhibited at the Times Square Show, and are members of Collaborative Projects.
Selected by Walter Robinson
The artists were selected by Walter Robinson, artist and editor of the Art Letter. Mr. Robinson was co-founder and publisher of Art-Rite magazine (1973-78). Mr. Robinson will have a one person exhibition of his paintings at Metro Pictures Gallery in early 1982.
Ellen Cooper is exhibiting paintings of women, which emphasize the attitudes of individual subjects through their vibrant color and repeating forms. Cooper has collaborated on a number of super-8 films, including Poofo (1979) and Cave Girls (1980).
Jane Dickson's paintings on textured grey vinyl depict scenes from Times Square nightlife. Dickson has recently published a book, Hey Honey Wanna Lift?, which will be available at the gallery, and has completed a 30x50 labyrinth, Forest Avenue Maze, currently on view at I.S. 184 in the Bronx until November 1st.
Bobby G is exhibiting a group of paintings on canvas informally called "choppers over the projects", a three-part work depicting helicopters flying over N.Y. slums. The three paintings on canvas derive from his experience producing video with kids in the now-discontinued Summer Youth Employment Program in Jamaica and other community video projects. Bobby G is a founder and director of ABC No Rio, a Lower East Side art workshop.
Rebecca Howland is showing four cardboard models for Brainwash, a large outdoor sculpture now in process at ABC No Rio, where she is also a founding director. Howland's sculpture, which usually takes the form of fountains designed for public sites, is an assemblage of 3-D imagery--from frogs to money bags to transmission towers--which constitutes a political and geographical landscape.
Carla Perlman is exhibiting a number of large portraits on canvas as well as smaller finger-painted portraits on paper, all painted from live models. Perlman has previously made a number of large drawings and super-8 films, and her recently published book, Finger-paint Portraits, will be available at the gallery.
Kiki Smith's new paintings are straightforward representations of cats, that capture a prototypical mien, such as feline wariness. Smith collaborated on Poofo and Cave Girls, and was proprietor of the A. More Store, an artists' outlet for bargain-priced art items open last holiday season in Soho.
Seton Smith is exhibiting a number of large oil paintings from her Natural Disaster series, which in its entirety makes up a complete four part disaster room. The paintings are free-standing scenes and consist of Volcano, Tornado, Lightning, and Typhoon. She will also be exhibiting a number of drawings on trisected screens depicting exotic settings loosely based on idealized architectural structures: Mayan temple, bunker, teahouse by the river, plantation house in a jungle.
Programming at Artists Space is partially supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Jerome Foundation.
