GAYLETTER

It’s fall which means the art world gets back in gear with a barrage of new shows opening all over the city. I decided to take on Chelsea over the course of three visits to galleries from 18th Street to 26th Street all with ground level access as a defining factor of my search.

Following is a list of the stand out shows from the pack. Start out your sojourn at the new Highline Hotel which has a cute coffee bar at 180 10th Ave. at 20th Street, then take a deep breath and go check out the following exhibitions:

Hauser & Wirth, 511 West 18th St. Matthew Day Jackson: ‘Something Ancient Something New, Something Stolen, Something Blue‘ up til Oct. 19. Housed in the former club, The Roxy, this extraordinary space presents new works by an artist who “Incorporates traditional techniques and cutting edge computer mapping to explore a realm he calls ‘The Horriful‘ where everything we do has the potential to create horror and beauty.”  The photo mural in the big space changes imagery every 5 minutes, be sure to stay for the whole cycle and make sure you visit the bar; you’ll see what I mean.

David Zwirner, 525 W. 19th St. Philip-Lorca DiCorcia: ‘Hustlers‘ up ’til Nov. 2. Do NOT miss this show. Philip-Lorca paid hustlers in and around LA the same amount a john would, to photograph them in specific pre-determined settings. The results are stupendous. The video installation is quite enthralling as well.

David Zwirner, 519 W. 19th St. Raymond Pettibon: ‘To Wit‘ up til Oct. 26. This eye opening installation of floor to ceiling collaged drawings, paintings and texts travel along in a disconnected stream of consciousness like rhythm that on closer inspection makes perfect sense. Pettibon has a “longstanding interest in the way language moves through its many registers:formal and highfalutin, literary, lyrical and spoken.”  There’s a lot to read but well worth it.

David Zwirner, 537 W. 20th St. John McCracken: ‘Works from 1963-2011‘ up til Oct. 19 (David Zwirner has great taste and great spaces). Truly one of the most exquisite  shows I’ve seen in years. McCracken’s sculptures fill the space with candy colored shapes and forms that “meld the restrained qualities of minimalist sculptures with a distinctly west coast sensibility.”

Jack Shainman Gallery, 513 W. 20th St. Kerry James Marshall: ‘Dollar for Dollar‘ up til Oct. 12. This afrofuturist artist (google him) has a small taste of his impeccable work on view that consistently “…challenges and engages Western Art history while making black identity and representation their prime subject.”  That’s a mouthful but see the work it will make perfect sense.

Paula Cooper Gallery, 534 W. 21st St. Sol LeWitt up til Oct. 12. On view is an important wall drawing LeWitt originally conceived for the Venice Biennale of 1988. The work is immense and covers most of the wall space of the galllery implementing a new technique for Lewitt at the time of superimposing pigments layer upon wet layer with ink soaked rags.

Getty Station, 239 10th Ave. Francois-Xavier Lalanne: ‘Sheep Station‘ up til Oct. 20. On the site of a former gas station with all the architectural elements still intact ,Lalanne has placed 20 sheep sculptures in a surreal faux grass landscape.

Sonnabend, 536 W. 22nd St. Barry LeVa: ‘Early Installations‘ up til Oct. 26th. There are three powerful sculptures by the leading practitioner of post minimalism and process art. My friend Beth was made uneasy by them and I found them to be quite stunning and unexpected. Also check out the Robert Morris sculpture in the outdoor space.

Stephen Kasher Gallery, 521 W. 23rd St. William John Kennedy: ‘Warhol Love Indiana‘ up til Oct 19. This power packed exhibition consists of 20 photographs of Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana taken from 1963-64 as well as early works by both artists. One of the most iconic pieces by Indiana, in one of it’s original versions, the LOVE banner, is on view as well as a unique plexiglass portrait compilation by Warhol of famous artists from that period .

Galerie Richard, 514 W. 24th St. Dionisio Gonzalez: ‘Halong Series‘ up til Oct. 12. These mesmerizing and serene images  find the artist playing both photographer and virtual architect. Gonzalez digitally places buildings and inhabitants in landscapes shot of the free waters surrounding the Vietnamese islands of Halong Bay. The  gallerist Jean-Luc Richard was kind enough to take some time with me to discuss the work — much appreciated.

Hasted Kraeutler, 537 W. 24th St. Nick Brandt: ‘Across The Ravaged Land‘ up til Oct. 19. On view are breathtaking images taken without the use of a telephoto lens of the disappearing natural world and animals of Africa. Brandt spent countless hours in Kenya and Tanzania to take these masterful portraits the likes of which I have never seen.

Pace, 510 W. 25th St. Irving Penn: ‘On Assignment‘ up til Oct. 26th. A flawless show of images Penn took while “on assignment” for advertising campaigns as well as editorial shoots for The New Yorker, Vogue, Look and House and Garden. Can’t go wrong with Penn!

Robert Miller Gallery, 524 W. 26th St. ‘Suddenness & Certainty‘ up til Oct 26. This extraordinary show curated by artist Robert Greene includes his own paintings as well as works by 52 artists that reflect his “principal aesthetic and conceptual concerns.”  Not sure I was on the same page as Greene but thoroughly enjoyed the show including notable images by Diane Arbus, Daniel Buren, George Platt Lynes and Warhol.

That’s it. My eyes get tired just thinking about all the amazing works you’re about to see…