Three New York gallery exhibitions reviewed: Mark di Suvero, Jessica Stockholder, and Jeff Gauntt

Three concurrent gallery exhibitions in New York's Chelsea district present distinct sculptural approaches. At Paula Cooper Gallery, Mark di Suvero's 'XV' (1971), a 21-foot steel construction, and the mobile 'Hopesoup' (1990) demonstrate his position between whimsy and brutalism, with influences from Calder, David Smith, Russian Constructivists, and comparisons to Richard Serra and Anthony Caro. The installation involved assistant Ivana Mestrovic, granddaughter of Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Mestrovic. Jessica Stockholder's exhibition at Gorney Bravin + Lee features 42 works by other artists, including Mel Bochner, Barry Le Va, James Hyde, David Reed, and Elizabeth Murray, arranged with found furniture and objects, continuing her formalist exploration of color and texture without social critique. Jeff Gauntt's second show at Brent Sikkema displays intricately carved and painted wooden tableaux with folkloric and surreal imagery. Di Suvero's exhibition runs through November 15, 2003, at 534 West 21st Street; Stockholder's show is at 534 West 26th Street; Gauntt's continues through November 22 at 530 West 22nd Street. The review originally appeared in the New York Sun on November 6, 2003.