Three New York exhibitions explore perverse portraiture, surrealist rediscovery, and Op Art revival
During the summer of 2005, New York hosted three simultaneous gallery exhibitions. At Bellwether Gallery, 'Idols of Perversity,' curated by Thomas Woodruff and Becky Smith, presented modern portraits of dark female figures, reflecting fin-de-siècle misogyny and Max Nordau's 1892 work 'Degeneration,' with contributions from artists like John Currin and Christoph Steinmeyer. Meanwhile, at 77, Agustín Fernández held his inaugural solo exhibition in New York at Mitchell Algus Gallery, showcasing surrealist art. Additionally, 'Good Vibrations' at McKenzie Fine Art explored contemporary revivals of Op Art, featuring Julian Stanczak among other emerging talents. The exhibitions concluded in July and August 2005: Bellwether until August 6, Mitchell Algus until July 16, and McKenzie until July 30.
Key facts
- Three gallery exhibitions ran in New York in summer 2005: 'Idols of Perversity' at Bellwether, Agustín Fernández at Mitchell Algus, and 'Good Vibrations' at McKenzie.
- 'Idols of Perversity' featured contemporary portraits of sinister female figures, referencing fin-de-siècle misogyny and Max Nordau's 1892 book 'Degeneration'.
- Artists in 'Idols of Perversity' included John Currin, Christoph Steinmeyer, Graham Little, and Duncan Hannah, among others.
- Agustín Fernández, born in Havana in 1928, had his first New York solo exhibition at Mitchell Algus Gallery in 2005 at age 77.
- Fernández's painting 'Développement d’Un Délire' (1961) appeared in Brian de Palma's 1980 film 'Dressed to Kill'.
- 'Good Vibrations' at McKenzie Fine Art focused on contemporary Op Art, featuring veteran Julian Stanczak and younger artists like Susie Rosemarin and Barbara Takenaga.
- Bellwether Gallery was located at 134 Tenth Avenue, while Mitchell Algus and McKenzie Fine Art shared 511 W. 25th Street.
- The article originally appeared in the New York Sun on July 7, 2005.
Entities
Artists
- John Currin
- Christoph Steinmeyer
- Graham Little
- Catherine Howe
- Pieter Schoolwerth
- June Kim
- Mel Odom
- Sas Christian
- Ted Mineo
- Lori Earley
- Ben Blatt
- Ray Caesar
- Thomas Woodruff
- Julie Heffernen
- Duncan Hannah
- Agustín Fernández
- Julian Stanczak
- Susie Rosemarin
- Sara Sosnowy
- Tom Martinelli
- Barbara Takenaga
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti
- John Everett Millais
- Edvard Munch
- Gustav Klimt
- Max Nordau
- Bram Dijkstra
- Yves Tanguy
- Caravaggio
- Matta
- Francis Bacon
- Balthus
- Georges Seurat
- Peter Selz
- James Siena
- Brian de Palma
Institutions
- Bellwether Gallery
- Mitchell Algus Gallery
- McKenzie Fine Art
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Art Students League
- New York Sun
- artcritical
- Playboy Club
- Amazon
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Havana
- Cuba
- Paris
- France
- 134 Tenth Avenue
- 19 Street
- 511 W. 25th Street
- Tenth Avenue
- Eleventh Avenue