Filed under: NAP News, Noteworthy | Tags: Daniel Lefcourt, David Korty, Hugh Scott-Douglas, Joshua Abelow, Julia Rommel, Keltie Ferris, Liam Everett, Lucien Smith, Nikolas Gambaroff, Noam Rappaport, Paul Cowan, Publisher, Publisher Picks, Scott Olson, Steven Zevitas, Yoshiaki Mochizuki
There is always a lot happening in the super charged art world of the 21st-Century, and I am constantly amazed by the number of new artists who seem to emerge each year. Some would say that the cart is driving the horse – that the machine that is the contemporary art world demands new artists at an ever-increasing, and unhealthy rate. I understand where the cynical view comes from, but I choose to be a bit more sanguine about the situation. After all, more artists than ever now have a chance to support themselves through their creative efforts, and that is certainly not a bad thing.
While the idea of historically identifiable “–isms” has largely been jettisoned as a quaint 20th- Century notion, there are certainly notable areas of artistic practice that seem to, for whatever reason at certain moments, gain traction with large numbers of artists. For the past several years, non-objective painting has been one such area.
Keltie Ferris. Courtesy of Mitchell-Innes & Nash.
As of late, emerging artists from throughout the world have been busy tearing painting down, and building it back up again; questioning exactly what a painting is; and coming up with ever more inventive and unique processes for making paintings. Many artists have taken a “provisional” stance, while others are producing highly finished work that so blurs the line between two and three-dimensional practice that categories of media such as painting and sculpture become all but useless. (The latter tendency is being explored in a soon-to-open exhibition at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA.)
My list of painters to watch in 2013 intentionally reflects this current moment in painting. As such, it could fairly be asked whether some of the artists on the list are even painters per se. Without a doubt, all of them take cues from the history of painting and, whether or not paint is actually used in the execution of their work, produce objects that force the viewer to address issues central to painting.
Steven Zevitas
Editor and Publisher
New American Paintings
13 to Watch in 2013:
Joshua Abelow
Paul Cowan
Liam Everett
Keltie Ferris
Nikolas Gambaroff
David Korty
Daniel Lefcourt
Yoshiaki Mochizuki
Scott Olson
Noam Rappaport
Julia Rommel
Hugh Scott Douglas
Lucien Smith
Joshua Abelow
Joshua Abelow. Courtesy of James Fuentes.
Paul Cowan
Paul Cowan. Courtesy of Clifton Benevento.
Liam Everett
Liam Everett. Courtesy of Altman Siegel.
Keltie Ferris
Keltie Ferris. Courtesy of Mitchell-Innes & Nash.
Nikolas Gambaroff
Nikolas Gambaroff. Courtesy of Overduin and Kite.
David Korty
David Korty. Courtesy of Kimmerich Gallery.
Daniel Lefcourt
Daniel Lefcourt. Courtesy of Mitchell-Innes & Nash.
Yoshiaki Mochizuki
Yoshiaki Mochizuki. Courtesy if Marlborough.
Scott Olson
Scott Olson. Courtesy of Overduin and Kite.
Noam Rappaport
Noam Rappaport. Courtesy of James Fuentes.
Julia Rommel
Julia Rommel. Courtesy of Bureau.
Hugh Scott Douglas
Hugh Scott Douglas. Courtesy of Jessica Silverman Gallery.
Lucien Smith
Lucien Smith. Courtesy of OHWOW.
4 Comments so far
Leave a comment
[...] American Paintings lists 13 Painters to watch in 2013, highlighting the changing practice and definition of painting itself among emerging artists around [...]
Pingback by Cultural Kaleidoscope: January 25, 2013 | Culture Grinder January 25, 2013 @ 11:42 amAbout those contemporary art machine demands…The contemporary art world makes a point of leaving true talent and vision behind. So great artists sit on the sidelines while a constant feed of ‘trenders’ –artists who look at what is currently trendy and build their work around that—is shuffled through at an alarming rate. A big part of this is because of these trend seeking artists, who are rarely totally true to themselves, are producing things people get tired of easily. Another reason is to cover up the deficiencies and shallowness of the artists the contemporary art scene showcases. They are replaced by the next cash cow before their weaknesses can be picked apart.
Comment by Elephant January 25, 2013 @ 10:33 pmAll drawings are great and really creative, nice post.
Comment by Photo to Pencil Sketch January 26, 2013 @ 7:44 pmMochizuki and Olson are beauties!
Comment by Amy Huddleston February 1, 2013 @ 10:48 am