Monday, May 29, 2006

Heavy Metal: Serra, Smith and de Suvero

Richard Serra@Gagosian Gallery

‘Heavy Metal’ master Richard Serra has done it again. I usually detest most post-David Smith rusted steel sculpture, but this latest show @ Gagosian just whets my appetite for the upcoming show planned for Spring of 2007 at MoMA. See photos of these heavy weight Serra sculptures (thanks to Brent Burket).

Turns out it’s ‘Springtime for Sculpture in Chelsea’ right now. The show of early steel sculpture by Tony Smith@Matthew Marks provides the perfect foil to the rusted surfaces and elemental forces of Serra with precise black geometric constructions. Just when you thought that there was enough strong sculpture here for an entire city in a few small blocks, you stumble upon that other ‘master of the momentous’:

Mark de Suvero@Paula Cooper

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Tony Smith@Matthew Marks

Tony Smith @ Matthew Marks: This is an unexpectedly great exhibit of the earliest large-scale sculptures by Tony Smith, a personal favorite of mine. Minimal but not boring or pretentious, these pieces strike the perfect balance between simplicity and complexity; complete unto themselves yet also complementing one another: this is a must-see show. Catch it before the summer heat drives the real art out of NYC.


Tony Smith @ Matthew Marks Gallery, 522 West 22nd Street through Saturday, June 17, 2006.