In the 19th century ledger drawings became a concentrated point of resistance for Indigenous people, an expression of individual and communal pride.
John Yau
John Yau has published books of poetry, fiction, and criticism. His latest poetry publications include a book of poems, Further Adventures in Monochrome (Copper Canyon Press, 2012), and the chapbook, Egyptian Sonnets (Rain Taxi, 2012). His most recent monographs are Catherine Murphy (Rizzoli, 2016), the first book on the artist, and Richard Artschwager: Into the Desert (Black Dog Publishing, 2015). He has also written monographs on A. R. Penck, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol. In 1999, he started Black Square Editions, a small press devoted to poetry, fiction, translation, and criticism. He was the Arts Editor for the Brooklyn Rail (2007–2011) before he began writing regularly for Hyperallergic. He is a Professor of Critical Studies at Mason Gross School of the Arts (Rutgers University).
Tony Bechara Creates Chaos With Grids
Bechara’s grid paintings are dazzling, engaging, and unsettling, since they undermine any sense of stability that we associate with a grid.
Harriet Korman’s Nonchalant Rigor
What surprised me about Korman’s new works was the degree of inventiveness I encountered in her off-kilter compositions.
Anant Joshi’s Art Cuts Through Political Propaganda
While Joshi’s artwork addresses India’s current political and social state, these works are about more than just current events.
The Slow Joy of James Siena’s Intricate Compositions
The deepest pleasure of Siena’s drawings was giving up the search for what generated them and getting lost in the intricacies of the composition.
The Maverick Art of Richard Artschwager
Although the artist’s work had affinities with Pop Art, Minimalism, and Conceptual Art, it did not fit into these categories or any others.
The Impurities of Pure Abstraction
David Diao uses Barnett Newman as a sounding board to explore his own fascination with the artist and the contradictory legacies of modernism.
In His Final Works, Brice Marden Found Freedom
The artist, who passed away this year, finally let go of his desire for control and perfection without surrendering his self-imposed restraints.
Steve DiBenedetto’s Art Embraces Incoherence
I can think of few other artists who, through the process of painting, are willing to place their work in jeopardy by denying the viewer a definition or resolution.
John Rogers Cox’s Somber Clouds
As beautifully controlled as his paintings are, they also present a ghastly vision of the world.
What to Do With Our Anger?
In painting, Gandy Brodie could find moments of beauty and defenselessness, as well as the endurance and will to survive, despite a difficult life.
Sean Scully Goes Down a Rabbit Hole
By introducing his motifs into a children’s story, and avoiding any sense of self-importance, Scully reveals another side of himself.