Contemporary artists are once again exploring the medium of wallpaper, hearkening back to the wall-based works of Andy Warhol and Sol LeWitt in the 1960’s.  Using new developments in digital printing and , many artists are using the classic decorative material to move beyond the canvas and explore new modes of exhibition and presentation in their works.  “Artists are becoming more interested in that line between what’s art and what’s part of your everyday life, and wallpaper becomes this weird fuzzy space—is it art, or is it decoration?” Says 29-year-old Brooklyn artist Gregg Louis. (more…)

Mr. – Give Me Your Wings – Think Different (2012), Courtesy Lehmann Maupin

Japanese artist Mr. has a remarkable ability for blurring the lines of contemporary culture.  Using the forms and imagery of the potent manga, otaku and kawaii subcultures of his homeland, the artist turns the lens towards the Japanese identity, highlighting what these icons say about the national culture.  On now, Lehmann Maupin gallery in New York City is presenting a large-scale installation by the artist that incorporates these works into a broad statement on the the emotionally frustrated climate of Japan after a year of economic stagnation and natural disaster. (more…)

Eric Yahnker, Finger (Bush’s Country Style Baked Beans), 2012 via The Hole, New York

LA-based artist Eric Yahnker’s first solo exhibition in New York City, entitled Virgin Birth ‘n’ Turf, opened earlier this month at The Hole.  An irreverent and and visceral exploration of the current socio-political climate, Virgin Birth ‘n’ Turf “provides a mad lab where “I get to swab the inner-cheek and place under a microscope a petri dish of the contemporary American experience in the shadow of another blisteringly contentious Presidential election, analyzing the gray matter and microorganisms which make us tick as well as the flesh-eating bacteria which plague us.”, according to the artist.

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Laura Vitale – White Sands (Installation View) (2012), Recess Gallery

For the past two months, multimedia artist Laura Vitale has set up shop at Recess Gallery’s Soho space as part of the gallery’s Session program, an ongoing series of installations that allow the visiting artist to use the space as a blend of exhibition and studio space, blurring lines of presentation, and allowing the artist to explore new grounds in the process of creation and exhibition. (more…)

Ugo Rondinone – Nude (2012), Cycladic Art Museum

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone has built a reputation for himself as an artist who doesn’t stay in one place very long.  Exploring a variety of themes through panting, installation, video, sculpture and drawing, Rondinone seems to use his art as a way to explore context, shaping his exhibitions and pieces to interact with their location on a metaphorical level.

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Yoko Ono – To The Light (Installation View), Serpentine Gallery

As part of the London 2012 festival, The Serpentine Gallery has invited international art icon and activist Yoko Ono to exhibit a major retrospective of her work. Spanning the artist’s 50 year career, the exhibition covers both classic and newer works, including Smile, Ono’s large-scale participatory video project.

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