‘Substraction’ Sorta’ Subpar
Nick Haramis
March 28, 2008
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, New York was teeming with bohemians—painters, beat poets, dancers, musicians—who gathered in an informal group called The New York School. During this time, artists like Trisha Brown, Charles Mingus, Jack Kerouac, and John Ashbery gleaned inspiration from Surrealism to create unique works in their own avant-garde movement.
But maybe the line from Rent, “Bohemia is dead,” is accurate—today’s artists who strive to recreate the glory days of artistic innovation’s past just look like they’re trying too hard. An example of this is “Substraction,” a group exhibition at Deitch Projects including works by Elizabeth Neel and Aaron Young. It’s meant to show how today’s painters are updating New York School abstraction with the “energy of the streets.” A tired, well-worn idea, the show is unsuccessful in evoking any updated thoughts or feelings. The title “substraction” is meant to invoke “low” influences like subways, subwoofers, and subprime—which just translates to a lot of dark paint splattered on canvas. Kristin Baker recreates car crashes and other volatile images using industrial materials, Dan Colen has a painting that looks like bird defecated all over a highway overpass, and Rosson Crow derives inspiration from the neon of dive bars and strip malls. Though seemingly edgy, the pictures here all look like things you’ve seen—and quickly forgotten—before.
Through April 26 at Deitch Projects, 76 Grand Street, New York.
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