New York’s New Mexico Trifecta

oil on canvas, 63 x 82 ¾ inches (160 x 210,2 cm), Courtesy Sperone Westwater, New York

Reproduction, including downloading of Rothenberg work is prohibited by copyright laws and international conventions without the express written permission of the Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

On a recent trip to New York I hit the trifecta. The New Mexico trifecta of three artists who live and work either full or part time in New Mexico:  Susan Rothenberg, Richard Tuttle and Bruce Nauman.

Rothenbergs paintings at Sperone Westwater are marvels of color, texture and mark making. Her use of pictorial space and exploration of movement tend to haunt the viewer long after walking away from the images. The disembodied legs, arms and heads of marrionettes seem to swing across heavily textured putty backgrounds. Titles are all that hint at a narrative, and one of emotional and psychological tumult.

Tuttles fabric pieces at Pace Wildenstein are lofty and cloudlike and feature his signature use of line. Each of the twelve works on display are 1 x 10 made up of two parallel strips of dyed canvas secured to the wall via grommets and nails. Some include rope woven horizontally through the work. An amalgamation of abstract and real. For Tuttle, Walking on Air represents an “expression of elation for the potential for a new beginning, the possibility to rebuild and discover a harmony for existing in the world today.”

An iconic Tuttle paper octagon was also featured in the “The Third Mind” at the Guggenheim.

Speaking of iconic, Carlos Basualdo, curator of Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and co-curator for the Pavilion of the United States at the 53rd La Biennale di Venezia seems to think Bruce Nauman is himself an icon. “Nauman is one of the most influential artists alive–American or non American.” Basualdo said during the Biennale press conference at the Italian Cultural Institute.

Bruce Nauman: Topological Gardens is the official United States represenation at the Biennale and will offer a thematic view of the work that Nauman has produced over the past four decades, including video, installation, performance, sculpture and neon. The presentation will include seminal works by Nauman and will premiere a new sound installation by the artist. Naumans work will be spread across three locations: The US Pavilion at the Giardini dell Biennale, Universita luav di Venezia at Tolentini and the Exhibition Spaces at Universita Ca Foscari.

As a teaser, this Untitled work from 1965 and this sculpture from 1966 are currently on display at MOMA.