Joyce Pensato's Studio Chaos and Pop Icons Revisited in Dual Petzel Gallery Shows

Petzel Gallery presents two concurrent exhibitions of Joyce Pensato's work in New York City. 'Fuggetabout It (Redux)' at 456 West 18th Street from January 15 to February 27, 2021 partially recreates her 2012 installation, incorporating studio remnants like torn wall sections, furniture, and paint-splattered objects alongside new drawings and paintings. A separate show, 'Batman vs. Spiderman,' runs from January 15 to March 20 at 35 East 65th Street, focusing on her superhero depictions. Pensato, who died in 2019, transformed her Williamsburg studio evacuation into art, embedding pop-culture figures such as Batman, Spiderman, Homer Simpson, and Daisy into expressive, gestural works. Her approach merges Abstract Expressionist energy with pop iconography, evident in large-scale eye portraits that blur representation and abstraction. The estate-managed exhibition highlights her journey from New York Studio School struggles to a distinctive voice, using commercial enamel and vigorous mark-making.