Wolfgang Tillmans, The State We’re In, A (2015), via Art Observed

Few artists have served as such fervent and enigmatic documentarians of the modern landscape as Wolfgang Tillmans, the German-born, London-based photographer who mixes astute and often empathetic images of nightlife and youth culture alongside his more exploratory projects, mixing natural photos, landscapes, and even surreal images of technological innovations, massive building projects, or the iconography of international commerce.  For his current exhibition at Maureen Paley in London, Tillmans has allowed each of these elements to take their moment in the spotlight, creating an expansive catalog of works that feels remarkably perceptive in the context of current events.

Wolfgang Tillmans, I refuse to be your enemy, 2 (2016), via Maureen Paley

(more…)

Liam Gillick, A Broadcast from 1887 on the Subject of our Time (1996)

On view at Maureen Paley through November 22nd is a solo exhibition by prominent British conceptualist Liam Gillick, continuing the artist’s vastly interdisciplinary practice mining fluid and interconnected social norms, and scrutinizing the overt or arcane methods that agents of society pursue in response to such dynamics. (more…)

Lynda Benglis sculptures and Hans Hurting paintings at Cheim & Read’s booth at Frieze Masters. All photos by Caroline Claisse for Art Observed unless otherwise noted

Frieze Masters and Frieze London concluded on October 14th, with both fairs reporting solid sales on the high end. This year, there was a distinct focus on curated booths and curatorial projects and less of an overt feeling of commercialization. Frieze Masters in particular focused on serious connoisseurship and an academic approach, both of which translated into a successful fair for dealers.

(more…)

Gardar Eide Einarsson, Untitled (Tear Gas Scatters Demonstrators) (2012). All images courtesy of Maureen Paley, London.

Maureen Paley hosts the Gardar Eide Einarsson‘s first ever solo exhibition in the UK. A Norwegian born artist, now living and working in both New York and Japan, Einarsson’s often text-based works come with a certain irreverence. His images, whether borrowed from the internet or history, comment on social structures both in and outside of the art world. The primarily black and white works in this exhibition touch upon themes of death, destruction, and the paradox of protest.

(more…)

Gert and Uwe Tobias, Untitled (2011). All images courtesy of Maureen Paley, London.

The work of Gert and Uwe Tobias is currently on view at Maureen Paley, London. The identical twin brothers collaboratively create large scale woodcuts, mixed-media works, and ceramic sculptures. The artists draw from a multitude of inspirational sources to create pieces that are visually stunning and technically innovative, appearing at the same time both playful and haunting. Decorative patterns, bold colors, and textile qualities are visual characteristics ever present in their abstracted cartoon-like figures, heavily influenced by the Eastern European folk art of their homeland, Transylvania.

Installation View

(more…)