Artists Space

Jana Euler: Unform

February 21 – September 19, 2020

Two rectangular orange paintings, in portrait orientation, hang on a white wall. Both canvases depict slugs filling up each rectangle. In the painting to the left, the slug almost forms into a square. In the painting to the right, the slug is stretched in a long line, twisting across the surface area of the canvas. The eyes of both slugs protrude from their animated bodies like antennae, raised and peeking over the boundary of each painting
[Two rectangular orange paintings, in portrait orientation, hang on a white wall. Both canvases depict slugs filling up each rectangle. In the painting to the left, the slug almost forms into a square. In the painting to the right, the slug is stretched in a long line, twisting across the surface area of the canvas. The eyes of both slugs protrude from their animated bodies like antennae, raised and peeking over the boundary of each painting's edge.]

February 21 – September 19, 2020
Opening Friday, February 21, 6 - 8pm

Artists Space is pleased to announce an exhibition by Jana Euler. As its title suggests, Euler’s new works extend many of the artist’s painterly investigations of the dynamic interrelations of sentient forms and their surrounding space—institutional, domestic, and perceptual. Unform stretches and complexifies the nature of painting itself, renewing its energy in confronting the conditions that inform identity and self-perception.

Responding directly to the renovation and character of Artists Space’s new exhibition space, Euler’s paintings include both conventionally-stretched canvases and expansive structureless forms that function as autonomous beings and architectural elaborations. In these works, Euler manipulates the forms of figurative representation to delineate new ways of looking at social and cultural confinements as well as those rare catalytic moments of change or realization, be they emotional or institutional, where unforming leads to reforming.

[Three large slug sculptures are installed on a series of cast-iron columns that run through the middle of a light-filled gallery space. The slug sculpture closest to the viewer is the largest and is bound to the column by two straps. The second slug sculpture installed directly behind the first resembles a battering ram and hangs between two columns, suspended by elastic cords. Its body moves back and forth between the columns. A final slug sculpture is installed by the gallery's back wall. It wraps around one of the columns, engulfing it.]
[A large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape is installed around a cast-iron column in a white-walled gallery space. The slug is suspended by eight elastic cords such that it encircles the column at rests at its vertical center. The slug sculpture pivots from side to side around the column in a back-and-forth motion.]
An animated gif of a rotating, square painting installed in a white-walled gallery space. The painting depicts four superimposed nude bodies in various positions (standing, crouching, extending their arms) in an amorphous yet contained space. The painting framed in a black wooden frame with handles on each of its four sides. The animation depicts the painting spinning clockwise, such that at every angle the figures appear to stand in a different position, carrying out a new action.
[An animated gif of a rotating, square painting installed in a white-walled gallery space. The painting depicts four superimposed nude bodies in various positions (standing, crouching, extending their arms) in an amorphous yet contained space. The painting framed in a black wooden frame with handles on each of its four sides. The animation depicts the painting spinning clockwise, such that at every angle the figures appear to stand in a different position, carrying out a new action.]

Jana Euler (b.1982, Friedberg, Germany) lives and works in Frankfurt and Brussels. Past solo exhibitions include Great White Fear, Galerie Neu, Berlin (2019); GLOBAL WARNINGS!, dépendance, Brussels (2018); High in Amsterdam, the sky of Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2017); Cabinet Gallery, London (2017); In It, Portikus, Frankfurt (2015); Where the Energy Comes From, Kunsthalle Zurich & Bonner Kunstverein (2014); Outside Inside Sensibility, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (with Stewart Uoo, 2013); Under Abstraction, Cubitt Gallery, London (2012). Past group exhibitions include Maskulinitaten, Bonner Kunstverein (2019); The Violence of Gender, JC Contemporary (Tai Kwun), Hong Kong (2019); The Absent Museum, WIELS, Brussels (2017); Painting 2.0, mumok, Vienna (2016).

A large, orange and brown stuffed slug sculpture is strapped around a Greco-Roman style columns on the facade of a cast iron building. The slug’s antennae points upwards.
Jana Euler, Unstretched, bound, outside mission, 2020, acrylic on linen, bubble wrap, ratchet strap, chicken wire, dimensions variable. Photo: Daniel Pérez [A large, orange and brown stuffed slug sculpture is strapped around a Greco-Roman style columns on the facade of a cast iron building. The slug’s antennae points upwards.]
In the foreground is a slug sculpture leaning against a cast-iron column in a white-walled gallery space. In the background slug sculptures forming circular ring shapes can be partially visible around columns and two square paintings are visible on walls adjacent to one another.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [In the foreground is a slug sculpture leaning against a cast-iron column in a white-walled gallery space. In the background slug sculptures forming circular ring shapes can be partially visible around columns and two square paintings are visible on walls adjacent to one another.]
In the foreground a large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape is installed around two cast-iron columns suspended by ten elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests close to the ceiling. Behind it is a large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape installed around one cast-iron column suspended by eight elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests at its vertical center. In this white-walled gallery space one can also notice a partial view of a painting in the background.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez [In the foreground a large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape is installed around two cast-iron columns suspended by ten elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests close to the ceiling. Behind it is a large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape installed around one cast-iron column suspended by eight elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests at its vertical center. In this white-walled gallery space one can also notice a partial view of a painting in the background.]
Two large, orange slug sculptures forming a circular ring shape around separate cast iron columns suspended by black elastic chords in a white walled gallery space with a square painting in the background.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two large, orange slug sculptures forming a circular ring shape around separate cast iron columns suspended by black elastic chords in a white walled gallery space with a square painting in the background.]
A large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape around a cast-iron column suspended by eight elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests at its vertical center. This is next to a square painting of a partially nude human figure in a white-walled gallery space. In the foreground the viewer can identify a partial view of a large, orange slug forming a circular ring near the ceiling.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A large, orange slug sculpture forming a circular ring shape around a cast-iron column suspended by eight elastic cords such that it encircles the column and rests at its vertical center. This is next to a square painting of a partially nude human figure in a white-walled gallery space. In the foreground the viewer can identify a partial view of a large, orange slug forming a circular ring near the ceiling.]
A partial view of a large, orange circular slug sculpture is in front of a painting hanging in a white-walled gallery space.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A partial view of a large, orange circular slug sculpture is in front of a painting hanging in a white-walled gallery space.]
Partial view of two large orange slug sculptures forming a circular ring shape around cast-iron columns suspended by black elastic cords and two square paintings of the human form are on adjacent walls in a white-walled gallery space.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Partial view of two large orange slug sculptures forming a circular ring shape around cast-iron columns suspended by black elastic cords and two square paintings of the human form are on adjacent walls in a white-walled gallery space.]
Two large, orange slug sculptures forming circular ring shapes around cast-iron columns suspended by elastic cords are visible inside a white-walled gallery space along with square paintings on walls in the background.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Two large, orange slug sculptures forming circular ring shapes around cast-iron columns suspended by elastic cords are visible inside a white-walled gallery space along with square paintings on walls in the background.]
A square painting of a partially nude human figure is visible next to large, orange slug installations attached with black elastic cords onto cast iron columns.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [A square painting of a partially nude human figure is visible next to large, orange slug installations attached with black elastic cords onto cast iron columns.]
Large, orange slug forms are visible with the cast iron columns in a white-walled gallery with paintings of slugs hanging on the opposite side of the image behind a staircase.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Large, orange slug forms are visible with the cast iron columns in a white-walled gallery with paintings of slugs hanging on the opposite side of the image behind a staircase.]
Large black straps wrap around some cast-iron columns, an orange, slug skins covers one of the cast-iron columns and other large, orange slug forms interact with the white-walled gallery space in the background. A black table sits in the corner and a figurative painting of an upright shark is in the back left corner.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez. [Large black straps wrap around some cast-iron columns, an orange, slug skins covers one of the cast-iron columns and other large, orange slug forms interact with the white-walled gallery space in the background. A black table sits in the corner and a figurative painting of an upright shark is in the back left corner.]
In the left foreground of the image is a painting of a shark standing upright in water and in the right background of the image is a large, orange stuffed slug sculpture strapped to a cast-iron column in a white gallery space.
Jana Euler: Unform. Installation view, Artists Space, February 21, 2020 – September 19, 2020. Photo: Daniel Pérez [In the left foreground of the image is a painting of a shark standing upright in water and in the right background of the image is a large, orange stuffed slug sculpture strapped to a cast-iron column in a white gallery space.]

Jana Euler: Unform Exhibition Brochure

Lescaze, Zoë. "Jana Euler." Artforum. May, 2020. Online.

Luquet-Gad, Ingrid. "Jana Euler: Contextual Painting in Times of Global Groundlessness." Flash Art. April-May, 2020. Print. 70-79.

Moffitt, Evan. "The Best Shows in New York During Armory Week." Frieze. March 4, 2020. Online.

Siboni, Katherine. "Jana Euler: Unform." The Brooklyn Rail. April, 2020. Online.

Vogel, Wendy. "Jutta Koether's '4 the Team' / Jana Euler's 'Unform.'" art-agenda. April 7, 2020. Online.

Wetzler, Rachel. "THE GOOD THE BAD & THE UGLY." Art in America. April 6, 2020. Print. 34-41.

Alessandro, Brian. "Artist Jana Euler Brings Her Phallic Sharks to New York." Interview Magazine. February 20, 2020. Print. 40-41.

Lead Support for Unform is provided by Blue Rider Group at Morgan Stanley, Murray Abramson, Richard Chang, and R.H. Defares.

Exhibition support is provided by Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Eleanor Cayre, Lonti Ebers, Paul Leong, Modica Carr, and Julien Wolf & Alexandre Chastel.

Additional support is provided by The Friends of Artists Space, The Artists Space Program Fund, Atelier4, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Greenwich Collection LTD, Lambent Foundation Fund of Tides Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and the New York State Legislature.