Community: feminist.bloggers@brooklynmuseum

Cecily Brown’s solo exhibition just opened this weekend at the Gagosian Gallery. Brown combines the figurative and abstract to create her paintings, which often contain a sexual subtext. This show features a series of paintings much smaller than Brown’s usually large scale and will be on view until October 25th.

(Cecily Brown, Untitled (#38), 2007. Oil on linen, 12-1/2 x 17 inches. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery.)

The first part of A.I.R Gallery: The History Show, just opened last week at the Tracey/Barry Gallery at NYU’s Bobst Library. This multi-part exhibition features artwork and archival materials from A.I.R.’s opening in 1972 to present, and will include October and November openings at the A.I.R Gallery’s new location on Front Street in DUMBO. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the first artist-run, not-for-profit art gallery for women artists in the United States.

(Image from A.I.R. Gallery: The History Show. Courtesy of A.I.R Gallery.)

The Myth of Loneliness, featuring artist Amy Wilson, just opened at BravinLee Programs in Manhattan. With a style that is reminiscent of a long forgotten childhood methodology, Wilson uses watercolor and text bubbles to unfold her narratives. This exhibition will be open to the public until October 18th.

(Amy Wilson, It was harder for girls, I think, 2007. 5 1/2 x 7 inches, watercolor on paper. Courtesy of the artist.)

PASSWORDS 5. Our Bodies, Our Selves, an exhibition whose title references the 1970’s health book written by feminist activists, just opened at Centro Cultural Montehermoso in Vitoria-Gastiez, Spain. This group show includes the artwork of Trisha Baga, Pauline Boudry & Nao Bustamante, Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Leah Gilliam, K8 Hardy & Wynne Greenwood, Marriage (Math Bass & Wu Ingrid Tsang), Alex McQuilkin. The 8 videos featured in this exhibition will be up until February 1st, so if you’re in the area between now and then, definitely add this one to your docket!

(Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Uh-Ohtopia, 2007. Courtesy of Montehermoso .)

Patricia Barube: Paintings, Drawings and Monoprints will be closing this week at Soho20 Gallery. Barube uses the human figure to investigate familial relationships and events in her paintings, and even creates a portrait of an ancient Greek fertility goddess in the work pictured below.

(Patricia Barube, Ancient Greek Doll, 2008, Oil on canvas. Courtesy of Soho20 Gallery.)

Steve DeFrank: Mirror, Mirror, currently on view at Margaret Thatcher Projects, is deceptively playful as it confronts stereotypes about homosexuality. DeFrank has embraced his new medium of casein, rather than the lite-brite, which he used so often in the past, to create both sculptural and graffiti-like works. Check this show out before it closes on October 18th!

(Steve DeFrank, Fairy Nice, 2007. Casein on panel, 48″ x 48″. Courtesy of Thatcher Projects.)