Past Exhibitions That Closed #3

Ivan Witenstein's show (closed June 18th) at Derek Eller Gallery included lots of nude and salacious works; bordering pornographic. The show was great, some of the subject matter of his works confused me a little; "why" you ask because, his inspiration for his works come from Nazism and it's history, jazz musicians, Life magazine photos, (Federico) Fellini's cinematic characters and other current pop culture public figures. I liked it, just some of Ivan's references, images and quotes couldn't be processed properly by my little brain; but none-the-less I loved it!





Nir Hod's last show Genius was exhibited at Paul Kasmin Gallery; creepy, creepy, creepy. The artwork is beautiful but I must admit that the subject matter of children depicted as adults, posing with cigarette in hand, scares me because, guess what (news flash), there are "children" out in the world doing "adult things"; reminds me of a PSA for Marlboro cigarettes. I know there's a meaning behind the message but "little adults" scare me. Yikes!

Robert Crumb: Kafka (Russian)

Американ иллустратор анд артист Роберт Д. Црумбьс  латест шов ать Тоны Шафразы  Кафкаьс "сториус" ис он нов тхру Юлы 29т. Црумбьс карьер спанс овер форты еарс. Они оф хис майор сукессес инцлудес а комик титлед
"Кеп он Труцкинь " .  "(Франц) Кафкаьс сториус" инцлуде Црумбьс иллустратионс фор  "Тхе Триал", "Тхе Бурров", "А Хунгер Артист" анд тхе ворлд реновнед "Тхе Метаморфосис". Фор тхосе интерестед вхо ливе ин НИК ор вилл бе ин товн
анд лове/лики арт, иллустратион, Кафкаьс ворк анд Црумбьс иллустратионс сее Кафка ать Тоны Шафразы бы Юлы 29т. Мест сее. - Мадами Ж.

Янице Пена Арт Блог

Robert Crumb: Kafka (Hindi)

अमेरिकेन इल्लुस्त्रटर एंड आर्टिस्ट (रोबेर्ट डी. क्रुम्ब'स) लतेस्ट शो अत टोनी शाफ्राज़ी काफ्का's "सतोरिएस" इस ओं नो थ्रू  जुलाई २९थ. क्रुम्ब'स करियर स्पांस ओवर फोर्टी येअर्स. ओने ऑफ़ हिस मजोर सुच्सस्सेस इन्क्लुदेस अ कॉमिक तित्लेद "कीप ओं त्रुच्किन' ". "(फ्रान्ज़) काफ्का'स सतोरिएस"  इन्क्लुड़े क्रुम्ब'स इल्लुस्त्रतिओन्स फॉर "थे त्रिअल", "थे बुर्रो", "अ हंगेर आर्टिस्ट" एंड थे वर्ल्ड रेनोव्नेद "थे मेतामोर्फोसिस". फॉर ठोसे इन्तेरेस्तेद व्हो लाइव इन नीक और विल बे इन तोवन एंड लव/लिखे आर्ट, इल्लुस्त्रतिओन, काफ्का'स वर्क एंड क्रुम्ब'स इल्लुस्त्रतिओन्स सी थे काफ्का  अत टोनी शाफ्राज़ी बी जुलाई २९थ. मुस्त सी. - मदमे ज.

जानिके पना आर्ट ब्लॉग

Robert Crumb: Kafka (Bengali)

अमेरिचन इल्लुस्त्रतोर एंड आर्टिस्ट रोबेर्ट द. क्रुम्ब'स  लातेस्ट शोव अट टोनी शाफ्राज़ी कफ्का'स "स्तोरिएस्" 

 इस ओन नोव थ्रु जुली २९थ्. क्रुम्ब'स चरीर स्पन्स ओवर फोर्टी येअर्स. ओने ओफ हिस मजोर सुच्चेस्सेस इन्च्लुदेस 

अ  कमिक "कीप ओन त्रुच्किन' ".  "(फ्रंज़) कफ्का'स स्तोरिएस्"  इन्च्लुदे क्रुम्ब'स इल्लुस्त्रतिओन्स फोर "द त्रिअल", "द बुर्रोव", "अ हंगेर आर्टिस्ट" एंड द वोर्ल्ड रेनोव्नेद "द मेतामोर्फोसिस". फोर ठोसे इन्तेरेस्तेद व्हो लिवे इन् नीच ओर विल बे इन् तोवं एंड लोवे/लिके अर्त, इल्लुस्त्रशन, कफ्का'स वोर्क एंड क्रुम्ब'स इल्लुस्त्रतिओन्स 

सी Kafka अट टोनी शाफ्राज़ी बय जुली २९थ्. मुस्ट सी. - मदमे ज.

জনিকে পেন আর্ট ব্লগ  

Robert Crumb: Kafka (English)

American illustrator and artist Robert D. Crumb's latest show at Tony Shafrazi Kafka's "stories" is on now thru July 29th. Crumb's career spans over forty years. One of his major successes includes a comic titled "Keep on Truckin' ". "(Franz) Kafka's stories" include Crumb's illustrations for "The Trial", The Burrow", "A Hunger Artist" and the world renowned "The Metamorphosis". For those interested who live in NYC or will be in town and love/like art, illustration, Kafka's work and Crumb's illustrations see the Kafka at Tony Shafrazi by July 29th. Must see. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Slawomir Elsner: Collecting Images

The next best thing to an orgy is some good ole' porn, circa a la 1970's; there's something intriguing about porno flicks and mags that were produced in the 1970's. There was a seediness and not to mention corniness (bad acting) and an enormous amount of hair (mainly pubic) that made you stop and stare, you know like a car crash with fatalities that you just can't help but stare, and stare. Polish artist Slawomir Elsner's new show Collecting Images now at Marc Jancou thru July 29th was a reminder to those born in the sixties and before that, what it was like to have access to these little "gems". Boys who still had their father's around, knew what it was like to sneak around and try and find their dads porn. Lest were forget the big names in the "golden age of porn" and the "adult entertainment" industry; remember Linda Lovelace (Deep Throat), Marilyn Chambers (Behind The Green Door) and John C. Holmes (the inspiration for the character "Dirk Diggler" from the 1997 hit Boogie Nights.) and don't forget Mr. Surreal Life house guest himself Ron Jeremy. "Sla" constructs his works (with pencil and paper) then tacks his work up onto the wall and rips the center away, leaving the viewer with the remnants of his work; leaving the rest up to the imagination. Genius. Mouth watering like a "Pavlovian experiment". Great show. See some porn (well sorta') at Marc Jancou thru July 29th. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

The Chadwicks: Furling the Spanker:Masterworks from the Chadwicks Collection

Winkleman Gallery's latest exhibition of The Chadwick family's nautical collection Furling the Spanker: Masterworks from the Chadwicks' Nautical Collection. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Why is it that I think about pirates, peg legs, eye patches and the movie trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean? I don't particularly care for pirate culture, maritime history and all of that good stuff, but (and there is a but,) this show is great; I was intrigued, interested and engaged in the art and sculptures that were included in this show. The works of art rendered with/and on ink and watercolor on paper were superb. The almost life-sized ship model, fantastic!But I still can't figure out if this Chadwick family really did/does exist? See it at *(and please don't show up at the gallery with a peg leg, eye patch, barnyard wench and/or booze because you will be 86'ed out the door by gallery staff and/or the cops)* Winkleman Gallery thru July 29th. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Olivier Mosset

Merci Monsieur Mosset for creating a dark hole of abysmal-ness you call "art" at Leo Konig gallery that ran from February 10th - March 19th; thank you for the wonderful birthday surprise; when I pulled on the heavy glass door that greets you at Leo Konig Gallery I found "monochromatic art" gingerly placed on the walls. Black canvas after black canvas had invaded the gallery space. I was so offended by the obnoxious pretentiousness of the artists' work/show that my blog "Madame J" was born, so thank you Leo Konig and staff and my special thanks goes out to "artist" Olivier Mosset. Merci beau coup. I've included an excerpt from "artist" Olivier Mosset's press release explaining his inspiration for his show (which I took the liberty of calling/naming "Abysmal-ness of Nothing-ness")
*Oh and p.s. "yes we all know how the art world can be a soul sucking business/existence to/for some artists (i.e. Basquiat), but come on now! Mosset! Forty (40) black paintings, $#1+!!! "*
- Madame J

Janice Pena Art Blog

Romain Schaller: Dawn of a New Age

Romain Schaller's latest show Dawn of a New Age currently at NoHo Gallery is a wonderful example of bucolic abstract art. Romain's calming and otherworldly art helps the viewer see his point of view and his love of nature and the outdoors. Who wouldn't want to live in these beautiful landscapes that Romain (a self- taught artist) has painted on canvas? I wanna move there! See Dawn of a New Age thru July 2nd at NoHo Gallery. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Jim Gaylord: Spoilers

Jim Gaylord's current show Spoilers at Jeff Bailey Gallery is an incredible show that displays the insurmountable creative gift that artist Jim Gaylord holds and nurtures. His fast action characters that are rendered frozen is also a where's Waldo of who, what, where, when and why of stories. A must see before it closes on July 1st at Jeff Bailey Gallery. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Bill Richards, Jim Sullivan and Group Show

Jim Sullivan



Jim Sullivan



Bill Richards



How are Jim Sullivan and Bill Richards artistic genius abilities even possible? Jim Sullivan's tree trucks look like actual black and white photos and not drawings that are rendered with graphite pencils and Bill Richards beautifully high contrasted floral drawings fooled my eyes when I first walked into Nancy Hoffman Gallery. The third show (in the back gallery/room) at the gallery that runs in conjunction until July 1st is a group show titled A Rose By Any Other Name, displays an assortment of artistic mediums and talents grouped together. Joseph Raffael's April, a flower/rose rendered with watercolors on paper. Joan Bankemper's Garden of Earthly Delights, a beautiful ceramic decorative vase made with mixed media. Gregory Halili's Summer Rose depicts a delicate floral dress on a hanger done with watercolor and paper. Don Eddy's Beatrice a flower done in peach tones, color pencils and Last Few Tears a tri-panel of overlooking down on a clear evening, a flower and a ground view of majestic building decorated with ionic columns. David Bierk's Still Life with Steel, to van Aelst; while there were there painter's with the name van Aelst, this one may be attributed to Willem van Aelst. And finally we come to Carolyn Brady's Mill Road XVIII a mono type of a bushel of roses. See it at Nancy Hoffman Gallery til July 1st. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

John McDermott: Elegy: Reflections on Angkor

John McDermott's latest show Elegy has caused me to have a religious experience and I feel the need to re-evaluate my life and my beliefs. Beautifully haunting with slightly melancholic undertones; John's photos make me wanna visit this "beautiful" country; John's ability to intensify the magnificence of this once troubled country; no doubt John's work appears dream-like and the photos "sequences" will provide the viewer with a beautiful end result.See at Sundaram Tagore Gallery thru July 1st. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Ashley Bickerton: Nocturnes

Ashley Bickerton's Nocturnes characters grossed me out so much so I had to write a review about this show which is now at Lehmann Maupin Gallery thru June 25th. Ashley's characters are like a car crash that involves vileness but it's tough to look away; I just want to rubber neck my way through. I got creeped out by the greasy perverted sumo wrestler with his greasy and topless companions. I loved the custom made wood frames with the logos that surround the pictures; the logos remind me of the height of surfing in the 90's and the stickers that were consistantly displayed on ones personal property and items. The show is good but that wrestler makes me wanna throw up. See it, enjoy it, bring some Altoids and a gag (throw-up)bag. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog

Joel Morrison: Sculptures

Joel Morrison's silver sculptures now on view at Gagosian thru June 25th, are beautiful shiny marvels that are reminiscent of those silver reflective balloons you get as a kid from street fairs or circus'. Joel's funny sense of humor and highly intuitive imagination makes this show a hit. It leaves you coming back for more...and more... and some more. See now before the 25th, when it ends. - Madame J.

Janice Pena Art Blog