Gedi Sibony's 2013 solo exhibition at Greene Naftali explores semiotics and materiality with new representational works

Gedi Sibony's solo exhibition at Greene Naftali in New York City ran from May 10 to June 22, 2013, featuring 21 new works that marked a departure into representational imagery and painterly sensibilities. The artist, known for assembling lyrical objects from utilitarian materials like insulation board, carpeting, and plywood, previously gained attention for sculptures such as The Sleeve Lifter (2013), shown at the Frieze Art Fair. In this exhibition, Sibony drew on his background in abstract painting and semiotics, influenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein, to explore linguistic structures through works like Ceaseless Episodes of Blossom (2013), a triptych on carpet with icons representing seasons. Another piece, All Ants Live in the Wild (2011), features a disordered alphabet on carpet, highlighting system corruption. Sibony's humor is evident in titles like First There Was This (2013), a light box referencing biblical creation, and Migratorius (2013), an appropriated print of birds. A suite of nine framed works on paper reveals hidden marks, challenging distinctions between front and back. Critics have linked Sibony's practice to Minimalism, Arte Povera, and process art, with this show emphasizing semiotic digging, as hinted by a Beatrix Potter nursery rhyme in the press release. The exhibition's address was 526 West 26th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.