Some good photography by Laura Letinsky, Justine Kurland, Paul Graham; Others

Laura Letinsky at Yancey Richardson

At Yancey Richardson, Laura Letinsky continues her exploration of still life photography–using fragments from her own still life photographs.  Beautifully constructed, its hard to discern the object being photographed vs. what has been cannibalized from a previous print.  Using one’s own work as the appropriation medium is intriguing and reminds me of Michael Apted’s Up films–only in the notion of revisiting the past.  But its hard to say this is about recycling old work and finding a new context for it: perhaps it still is about a type of decay.  Displaying the prints without glass, allowing the images to be seen directly “unfiltered”, also plays with the notion of work as object. (Full disclosure: I have shown together with Laura, many years ago.).  I highly recommend this show, and these really need to be seen in person.

Justine Kurland at Mitchell-Innes & Nash

A stunning show that I highly recommend is Justine Kurland’s photographs at Mitchell-Innes & Nash in Chelsea.  In a museum-like space, the modestly sized photographs (by today’s standards), are allowed room to breathe–even though there are more than several dozens of them.  The work, although looking head-on, with “straight” approach,” is moving to me with its mix of tactility combined with a wistful sense of place.  The approach is almost novelistic is scope and feeling.

Paul Graham at Pace Gallery

When coming across some older photographs taken in the United Kingdom in the 80s by Paul Graham fairly recently, as part of the rotating selection at MoMA’s photography galleries, I was struck by how delicately emotive they were.  Here, although the size has changed–they are large scale and with strong color–Paul Graham’s work at Pace Gallery still carries that sense of lostnes in the quotidian.  The subjects are diverse, which I like: rainbows over Ireland; gold shops in New York–not those found on Fifth Avenue, by the way; a woman sleeping in rooms that seem on the other side of the world.  I like too, how they are displayed, with some nearly resting on the floor, while others, like the rainbow appropriately enough, positioned high towards the ceiling.

Roxy Paine at Mariane Boesky Gallery

Although clearly not photography, one of the strongest shows was Roxy Paine’s Checkpoint diorama made of wood at Marianne Boesky.

Gary Panter at Fredericks & Freiser

Just liked these Gary Panter paintings at Fredericks & Freiser.