Graham Nickson's Beach Scenes Reveal Modernist Tensions at Betty Cuningham Gallery

Graham Nickson's exhibition at Betty Cuningham Gallery from November 4 to December 22, 2017 presented beach scenes that challenge traditional figurative painting. Located at 15 Rivington Street in New York City, the show featured works like Bather with Reflector (1982-83), which displays dramatic horizontal divisions and artificial skies influenced by Brice Marden's monochromes and Alex Katz's portraits. Another large painting, Departure (1977-1994), contrasts intensely lit skies with dark foregrounds containing fishermen and beachgoers. Tracks (1982-91) originally appeared in full color before becoming a near-monochrome with daring perspective. Maine Grey: Yellow Jacket (2017) places a back-turned figure in the immediate foreground. Nickson emphasizes drawing and direct observation while acknowledging the abstract nature of artistic creation. His beach scenes exist between urban culture and nature, revealing artificial qualities in supposedly timeless settings. The exhibition included five paintings alongside smaller watercolors and charcoal drawings that represent more immediate responses to motifs. Nickson's approach avoids psychological exploration of subjects, focusing instead on visual experience rather than internet-sourced imagery.