And we're off! First opening night in Chelsea

September 8 marked the official beginning of gallery season---dealers back from the Hamptons, artists back from their residencies, and art lovers back from the beach all showed up for the openings. One fun show was Nick Cave's blond yeti-creatures at Jack Shainman Gallery. At Yancey Richardson Gallery Helen Van Meene turned her lens from children and adolescents to dogs and Amy Elkins showed portraits of slightly bloodied rugby players. Over at Yossi Milo Gallery Pieter Hugo opened the season with large, post- apocalyptic portraits of trash-pickers at the giant technology dumps in Ghana. Shen Wei's captivating landscapes at Julie Saul showed a wonderful contrast between the Israeli desert scenery and the sites of politically charged events.



© Shai Kremer Zaura 2008

BRIAN ULRICH at JULIE SAUL GALLERY

Brian Ulrich's new show at Julie Saul was a wonderfully timely exhibition considering the current in-the-trenches state of big box stores such as Circuit City and the financial crisis. Following on the heels of his work examining the remnants of material goods when they finally are dumped off in thrift stores and flea markets, the newer work was complimentary and beautiful. Carefully photographed large-format, the once easily-recognizable big box stores remained as closed and silent as tombs, and the small, pristine prints helped to highlight their ultimate anonymity.

© Brian Ulrich