Berlinde De Bruyckere "No Life Lost" @ Hauser and Wirth in New York

Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere’s work is currently on view at Hauser & Wirth in New York. The solo exhibition No Life Lost is centered by the monumental project Kreupelhout – Cripplewood, an ambitious work composed of wax, wood, fabric, blankets and ropes, reminiscent of a decomposed stack of bones. The almost entirely dark exhibition space underlines the macabre atmosphere created by the eerie art pieces. De Bruyckere’s work is informed by traditional Flemish Renaissance paintings whose influence she translates into a contemporary psychological terrain of pathos, tenderness and repulsion. Skin-like draperies are hanging from the ceiling and hauntingly distorted animal carcasses are presented on tables and glass vitrines. The artist’s interested in the dualities of the human condition are immediately apparent to the viewer. The ordinarily repulsive vision of a decomposing animal carcass becomes alluring while the shrine-like presentation allows for a sense of quiet respect. No Life Lost will be on view at Houser & Wirth until April 2, 2016. Text and photographs by Adriana Pauly

In Xavier Cha’s "Feedback" The Audience Are The Performers @ 47 Canal in New York

When I entered 47 Canal, I immediately assumed that the metal bleachers in the otherwise empty gallery were an open invitation to take a seat, only to be gently ushered to the opposing wall by a smirking gallery staff. After a while a group of young people entered the gallery from a side door and started taking their seat on the bleachers, lightly chatting and exchanging cordial glances only to fall completely silent on the hour. The silence spread into the audience, the focused stares of the performers all gathering on the digital clock behind us. Out of nowhere, the performers erupted in cheerful screams and started hugging each other in ecstasy similarly as a crowd cheering on an iconic band or during a charismatic speaker. The laughs and screams ricochet off the empty walls and filled the entire room, sweeping the audience up in the excitement. The performers continued to change their reactions every 30 seconds, going from happy, to outraged over to embarrassed and completely stunned. Each emotion filled up the entire room, washing over the audience with such intensity that at times it felt as though the 18 people were actually laughing at us. With that sense of paranoia it became harder and harder to sit and watch the performed reactions, each laugh became accusatory and each open mouth became a judgment.  It is this that truly characterizes Xavier Cha’s work, the ability to channel unseen energies through an almost banal scene that makes her audience reflect on indivisible stimuli we face everyday. The work is a meditation on our own self-centeredness and shows how quickly we take other peoples reactions personally. Xavier Cha's "Feedback" was on view from November 11 to November 15 at 47 Canal in New York. Images and text by Adriana Pauly

Tadanori Yokoo: 49 Years Later at Albertz Benda Gallery In New York

49 Years Later is the title of the solo exhibition of Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo at Albertz Benda. The newly opened Chelsea gallery exhibits the artist’s never-before-seen paintings that focus on two major themes, the swimmer, an ongoing investigation of the artist, and the dancing couple, borrowed from old Hollywood.  The artist builds on his early iconography; he started his investigation of the swimmers in 1966, and becomes a plagiarist of himself. The crossing figures reappear in different color pallets, with different backgrounds and in different themes, their mouths aggressively distorted in the action. The position of the swimmers can be seen as a natural predecessor to the dancing couple. Similarly to the swimmers the dancing couple gets further lost in abstraction with each painting. The swimmers faces melt into each other while the dancers are covered in different patterned blankets.  49 Years Later will be on view until December 19, 2015 at Albertz Benda Gallery, 515 W 26th St, New York, NY. photographs by Adriana Pauly