Tom Friedman's 'Paint and Styrofoam' exhibition at Luhring Augustine presents meticulously crafted illusions

Tom Friedman's exhibition 'Paint and Styrofoam' at Luhring Augustine in Bushwick ran from May 22 to August 8, 2014, featuring works created exclusively from paint and Styrofoam. The show included wall pieces like Blue (2014) and Toxic Green Luscious Green, which appeared as messy assemblages but were actually monochromatic compositions of carved Styrofoam frames covered in paint. A self-portrait of the artist wearing glasses with a feather in his hat was painted in bright canary yellow, while Night precisely replicated Van Gogh's 1889 Starry Night in tarry blackish-blue tones. Floor works included a microphone, chair, and guitar without strings, all crafted from the same limited materials. Friedman's practice since the early 1990s has involved transforming inexpensive, disposable materials through meticulous craftsmanship, with previous works including a self-portrait carved from a single aspirin and a starburst made from thirty-thousand toothpicks. Gallery assistants confirmed that every piece in the exhibition used only paint and Styrofoam, despite initial viewer skepticism about the materials. The artist refers to his wall works as 'sculptures of paintings,' while floor pieces function as sculptures of sculptures, questioning traditional exhibition expectations. A chipped plinth revealing the underlying Styrofoam provided the only visible clue to the works' construction methods.