Clara Maria Apostolatos
Andrea Fraser
By Clara Maria ApostolatosIt is not easy to unravel the different strands of Andrea Fraser’s institutional critique, which remains as clever, wry and provocative as ever. The artist has opened her first US commercial gallery show in over a decade at Marian Goodman, a six-piece survey showcasing the artist’s decades-long study of systems of power embedded within the art system. Bringing together photography, film, and installation art, the show traces her longstanding commitment to addressing local and global issues of structural inequality and marks a shift in Fraser’s angle and attitude in her critical approach—an incited reckoning with questions of social justice.
Loriel Beltrán: Calor y Color
By Clara Maria ApostolatosLoriel Beltrán’s first solo presentation with Lehmann Maupin, Calor y Color (Heat and Color), explores the subject of light and how it is created, perceived, and materialized through vibrant color. Close inspection of his works reveals that congealed paint creates surfaces that ripple like water rather than drippings or brushwork. Beltrán pours diverse hues of paint into specially crafted molds and allows them to dry for extended periods. This laborious process is repeated numerous times over the course of months. Once the paint has fully settled, Beltrán slices open the canvas, revealing a tapestry of stratified bands of paint in mesmerizing layers of vivid color that seem to undulate and converge, forming an entirely new visual field.
Chosen Memories: Contemporary Latin American Art from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Gift and Beyond
By Clara Maria ApostolatosAlthough the show’s title, Chosen Memories, may afford its artists greater agency, it also illustrates the challenging terrain of ongoing debates concerning cultural preservation, identity, and the multifaceted narratives that shape our understanding of the region. MoMA’s exhibition reminds us how important it is to actively engage with history, not only as a passive observer but as an agent of transformation, working towards a future that reflects our collective values and aspirations.
Bispo do Rosário: All Existing Materials on Earth
By Clara Maria ApostolatosIt is tempting to think of Bispo’s work, like that of other artists conventionally grouped under the parameters of the “Outsider” or other approximate synonyms, as launching back and forth from the margins of society to the forefront of artistic innovation. But such a simplistic view misses the complexity and depth of his artistry.
![Arthur Bispo do Rosário, <em>Untitled [Manto da apresentação (Annunciation garment)]</em>, n.d. Fabric, thread, ink, found materials, fiber, 46 × 55 × 2 inches. Courtesy Americas Society. Photo: Rafael Adorjan.](https://brooklynrail-web.imgix.net/article_image/image/36054/apostolatos-bispo-1.jpg?w=200&q=80&fit=max)
