John Currin's 'New Paintings' at Sadie Coles HQ London Critiqued for Libidinous Grotesquerie
John Currin's showcase titled 'New Paintings' is on display at Sadie Coles HQ in London until 26 November. The exhibition includes three pieces portraying bourgeois hippies in a Renaissance aesthetic, which some critics have labeled as repulsive and unethical. Since the early 1990s, Currin has been known for his grotesque depictions of women, leading critic Kim Levin to initially advocate for a boycott of his 1992 exhibition, although she later changed her opinion. The artworks feature slender-legged, wide-hipped women clad in absurd robes against vibrant tangerine and lilac backgrounds. Currin's style stands apart from movements like 'Public Service Announcement Painting' and 'zombie figuration,' showcasing human spirit through themes of desire, coinciding with Frieze and many other figurative shows.
Key facts
- John Currin's exhibition 'New Paintings' is at Sadie Coles HQ in London through 26 November
- The show features three paintings depicting bourgeois hippies in a Renaissance style
- Currin emerged in the early 1990s and is known for grotesque, libidinous portraits of women
- American critic Kim Levin called for a boycott of Currin's first gallery show in 1992
- The exhibition opened during Frieze, when London galleries had many figurative painting shows
- Amy Sherald's 'The World We Make' was on view at Hauser & Wirth during this time
- Alex Greenberger coined 'zombie figuration' to describe a trend in contemporary painting
- Walter Robinson coined 'zombie formalism' in 2014 to describe empty commercial abstraction
Entities
Artists
- John Currin
- Amy Sherald
- Emily Mae Smith
- Picasso
- Matisse
Institutions
- Sadie Coles HQ
- Hauser & Wirth
- Frieze
- The Village Voice
- Vogue
- Artreview
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom