Tara McPherson and Lori Earley Solo Shows

by Allicette Torres
Originally published March 6, 2008 on the Brooklyn Art Project website.

It was a brisk and chilled night as I headed to the Tara McPherson and Lori Earley solo shows at the Jonathan Levin Gallery. While I walked at a breakneck pace towards the location the condensation in the frigid air lingered as I breathed in and out. The venue, located in the last bastion of art in Manhattan, is in the western most place on 20th street. It’s scary and dismal, until you begin to sense a divine herding of people amassing as you get to the last half of the block. There was a hop shuffling of people in double single file moving at a small trot to get to the building. It was 7pm exactly as I wiggled my way into the room; so many others had also thought to arrive on time.

Upon entering the gallery I walked into the McPherson show, Lost Constellations. There was a loud roar of people chatting and greeting each other as I made my way to a piece which almost looked like it didin’t belong with the ones flanking it. That painting, How Easily They Fly Away, subsequently became my favorite piece. It is then that I decided to not look at the pieces in any particular order, since it was impossible to do so anyway. I aggressively positioned myself at each piece and battled with other spectators that look like they had fallen out of one of McPherson’s painting—pink haired girls covered in tattoo’s with metal stilettos and shiny glitter makeup. The sheer volume of pieces from McPherson is prolific—she included paintings, drawings and sculptures. McPherson is an art rock star that legends are made of. Her women, the only real subject in her paintings and drawings, are these bold lined creatures that burst out at you. There is no question about her skill and mastery of her medium. Each piece was a titillating assault on my pupils. I fell more in lust with each image that I ventured in front of. Suddenly, I heard Bjork’s song Bachelorette coming from the other gallery and knew that I was being personally called over by the art muses to see Lori Earley show.

Walking into Earley’s show, Fade to Grey, was almost painful. McPherson’s show had been full of hyper-saturated canvases in black frames; by contrast most of Earley’s work was in grey tones and all the work was framed in Rococo stark white frames. The walls of the gallery space were covered in white and light gray wallpaper that also had ornate scrolls and delicate patterns. This gallery was much smaller and a bit more sparsely populated as the artist had not arrived yet. I was pulled cosmically to the piece, Ms. V, my heart pounded and fluttered in my chest. I took a step back and needed to refocus my eyes. I was grateful to be able to wander around and take inventory liberally while listening to music selected by the artist for the viewing of her art. Earley’s women, again the only subject matter, are ethereal gorgeously alien women whose eyes are pools that are meant to pull you under and drown you. Her painting skill is as impeccable as a French master and her layering technique alone is worth studying and eternal adulation. The paintings were diminutive in size by comparison to McPherson’s, but felt just as large because of the detail and framing of her subjects. If McPherson’s women would cause you to lust and sell your soul for them, Earley’s women were the sort that you would kill yourself with a smile for.

The juxtaposition of these two artists by the gallery is the genius, creating lightening in a bottle. By the time I left both artists had definitely worked their followers into a hot wet frenzy. As I was about to get onto the elevator to leave there was a woman crying and pleading with a man that she needed a piece from each of the artist as he quietly kept insisting they could only afford one.

Through March 22, 2008

Tara McPherson, Lost Contellations
Lori Earley, Fade to Grey
Jonathan Levine Gallery
529 West 20th Street, 9E
New York, NY 10011
212-243-3822

Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 6pm

http://jonathanlevinegallery.com/

Photos from the McPherson show:

Photos from the Earley show:

______________________________________
The party continued:

After the show I made my way over to Billy’s Bakery which is a fantastic cupcake house dujour. I was forced by their friendly and cute staff boys to eat cake and lick icing. I had mine to go and at the persistence of a super nice fellow took home 2 slices of heaven, I mean cake—banana and carrot respectively. My dears this is literally sugar porn in a box. The pieces were huge and could feed at least 2 people. I ate one whole piece myself after I got home and was so devastated the next morning when I found the other slice mysteriously gone.

Billy’s Bakery

184 9th Avenue
NYC, 10011
212.647.9956

http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/

Store Hours
Monday to Thurs 9am-11pm
Friday 9am-12am
Saturday 9am-12am
Sunday 10am-10pm