Three NYC Gallery Exhibitions Reviewed: Will Cotton's Nudes, Ena Swansea's Figuration, Lois Dodd's Plein Air Art

In the fall of 2004, three solo exhibitions debuted in New York galleries. At Mary Boone Gallery, Will Cotton showcased four photorealist paintings until October 23, blending his trademark candy themes with erotic female nudes. His artistic style draws inspiration from 19th-century masters like Cabanel and Bouguereau, utilizing a straightforward academic technique. While his education at the New York Academy shapes his work, critics often find his nudes lacking compared to his still-life pieces. Ena Swansea's show at Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert, which concluded on October 9, featured figurative paintings on graphite backgrounds that utilize camera obscura methods, including a 15-foot dinner party scene reminiscent of Tintoretto and Manet. Lois Dodd exhibited 50 small oil sketches on aluminum roof flashings at Alexandre Gallery until October 2, reflecting plein air studies dating back to 1990. Her work resonates with Alex Katz and Milton Avery while preserving her unique maverick realist style. The New York Sun reviewed these exhibitions on September 16, 2004.