Another good show in one of Lower East Sides best little
galleries hidden away from street level behind CRG Gallery. Some solid ceramic
work by Leah Tacha that looks competent in craft in a way that the wave of late
2000s ceramic work sadly did not, and it is paired well with the mosaic-like
paper collages of Josh Slater. But the star of the show is a large new painting
by Lauren Portada. The Brooklyn-based Portada makes something very rare now-a-days
especially in Bushwick, abstract paintings that aren’t intentionally sloppy or
overly rigid, in other words, compelling. Her brushwork is skilled but loose and
oscillates between solid and light swipes of color that breathe in the
lightness of spring. The palate is very contemporary and could feel trite if it
wasn’t for how subtly the color is displayed. It appears to bleed through the
canvas while simultaneously floating above it, allowing the viewer to relax
potential cynicism and enjoy looking.
Through June 10th
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