Postcard from New York: From sculptures in a garden to voyages to Europe

All the way from New York City, Kaivana writes in to tell us about the most happening art events right now 

Yayoi Kusuma sculpts Cosmic Nature

Get mesmerized with the vibrant, colourful, and larger-than-life sculptures, created by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, that are currently exhibited in the New York Botanical Garden. These immersive sculptures are inspired by the artist’s personal engagement with life cycles of plants and flowers. The artist’s fascination and admiration for nature is evident in her work. The artist relives her favourite childhood memories spent in farms and nurseries through her work. The spectacular exhibition is aptly titled Cosmic Nature and is on view till the August 1. Don’t miss out on this cosmic adventure and a Kusama experience.

Markus Lüpertz: A voyage to Europe

If traveling to Europe has always been on your bucket list then you can’t miss this exhibition at the Michael Werner Gallery on the Upper East Side featuring artist Markus Lupertz. The paintings on display were made in the last four years by the artist while living in Italy and Germany. The paintings have the influence of Italian renaissance and Dutch Golden Age combined with Southern and Northern European traditional painting techniques. Set in the halcyon landscapes of Germany, Greek mythological characters take the centre stage in the paintings. Lupertz is considered as one of the most prolific artists to have emerged from post war Germany. The art historian Eric Darragon has said that Lüpertz “is a contemporary artist who wants a future for his works and finds it by thinking about the past.” Is Europe still on your mind? Go before September 3.

Janaina Tschäpe: Balancing into the Deep

A rather young artist Jananina Tschape promises to blow your mind with her second solo exhibition titled ‘Balancing into the Deep’ at the Sean Kelly Gallery. Large canvasses, swirling gestures, controlled movements, unrestrained actions and vivid colour patterns define her work that was inspired during her time in Covid-19 pandemic in Germany. A first look at her work reminds me of Pollock paintings and palette but with thinner strokes and controlled brush patterns. In her own words the artist describes her process as “… feeling unsettled, surprised, or in awe, I can explore how that feeling becomes a gesture, a color, and an expression. In nature, you expose yourself to the uncontrollable, the sublime; you do not switch off the sun, stop the wind, or silence the noises.” The swirling gesture is one such that doesn’t stop – it is a movement that could continue forever, the gestures being stretched till the edge leaves this impression in the viewer’s mind. The exhibition is on view till August 6.

Mining the Archive

A group exhibition of nine individuals looking into the racial past of African Americans is on view till July 30, at the Yancey Richardson Gallery. The exhibition can bring you to tears as it revisits the hurtful past that is even today a cruel reality. The exhibition titled ‘Mining the Archive’ is curated by Racquel Chevremont and includes works by Sadie Barnette, Alanna Fields, Todd Gray, Lyle Ashton Harris, Leslie Hewitt, Dionne Lee, Wardell Milan, Deborah Roberts and Mickalene Thomas. The artists have dived deep into their personal memories, fragmented histories and popular archive photographs and collages to challenge the notions of beauty, identity, and memories. The exhibition has multiple layers and the simplicity of black and white images on white walls cloud you with emotions and imageries that reveal history.

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