Cecily Brown's 2017 Solo Show at Paula Cooper Gallery Presents Immersive Paintings as Antidote to Instagram Culture
Cecily Brown's inaugural solo exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery, titled 'A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!', took place from October 22 to December 2, 2017, at 534 West 21st Street in New York City. The exhibition showcased immersive paintings, highlighted by her largest piece, the 2016 triptych 'A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!', which drew inspiration from shipwreck depictions by Théodore Géricault and Eugène Delacroix. The show was a complete sell-out and explored themes related to the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze. Frequently likened to Willem de Kooning, Brown’s art also resonates with Barnett Newman’s emphasis on human proportions. Among the works displayed was 'Madrepora (Shipwreck)' from 2016, encouraging viewers to delve deeply rather than simply capture fleeting images.
Key facts
- Cecily Brown's first solo show at Paula Cooper Gallery ran October 22-December 2, 2017
- The exhibition was titled 'A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!' after the 2016 triptych centerpiece
- The show completely sold out during its run
- Brown's largest work to date was featured in the exhibition
- Her paintings reference shipwreck scenes by Théodore Géricault and Eugène Delacroix
- The work engages with Gilles Deleuze's philosophical concept of the fold
- Exhibition positioned as antidote to Instagram-friendly art like Yayoi Kusama's installations
- Paintings create immersive experiences that require sustained, iterative viewing
Entities
Artists
- Cecily Brown
- Yayoi Kusama
- Théodore Géricault
- Eugène Delacroix
- Francis Bacon
- Gilles Deleuze
- Willem de Kooning
- Barnett Newman
Institutions
- Paula Cooper Gallery
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- 534 West 21st Street