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

SHARON CORE and AMY ELKINS at Yancey Richardson Gallery

Several good shows opened up last night, including Sharon Core and Amy Elkins at Yancey Richardson Gallery.

Sharon Core's show in the main gallery, 'Early American,' featured exquisite still lives, an homage, in essence, to Raphaelle Peale, considered the first early American still life painter.


In the rear project gallery was Amy Elkin's project 'Wallflowers,' featuring cute young men up-front-and-center of flowered wallpaper.



I loved these two projects together. It would have been great to see the works in one room, instead of separate spaces. Both artists used a painterly, careful use of light and color palette; both are heavily entrenched in art historical reference.

This show is open until December 6th.