Must See Art

Sterling Ruby "Interior Designer"� and Leslie Shows "Carbon Freeze"�

Comments (0) By Amra Brooks Wednesday, Sep 20 2006

Sterling Ruby show at Marc Foxx Gallery

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Sterling Ruby “Interior Designer” at Marc Foxx Gallery

Going to some of the new shows with my 87-year-old grandmother was just the way to start off the season. We made our way through Sterling Ruby’s maze of large plinthlike sculptures, some with etched junior-high-style graffiti, to see the nail-polish paintings of geometric shapes. The forced negotiation of space between the sculptures was an entirely new way to experience the gallery. Ruby’s video Dihedral is a hypnotizing drip and flow of colors that addresses issues of form and space in a slow monotone. Although my grandmother didn’t care for the voice-over and wasn’t sure what she was “supposed”to make of it, I urged her to tell me how it made her feel or what her initial impression was. “Powerful,” she replied. The sense of longing Ruby infuses into this geometric work keeps us rapt.

6150 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. | (323) 857-5571 | www.marcfoxx.com | Through October 7

Leslie Shows “Carbon Freeze” at Jack Hanley Gallery

Leslie Shows uses collage and abstract-painting techniques to create layers and depth to her constructed landscapes. The paintings really work in two ways: From a distance they read like photorealistic paintings of geological formations, while up close they reveal a miniature otherworld of tiny constellations rich with texture and depth. Looking closely, we see mini Ziploc drug bags filled with yellow powder, a pile of fingernails, salt, mud, confetti and cardboard, all adhered to panels. The result is almost a Where’s Waldo search for her intricacies, with equal pleasures.

945 Sun Mun Way, L.A. | (213) 626-0403 | www.jackhanley.com | Through September 23