Jill Levine - "NOW" exhibition catalog

JILL LEVINE NOW

Putting on a Face Jill Levine’s figures present themselves squarely before us like Leonardo’s Vitruvian man to be admired, or a Maori warrior to be feared. Her work’s valence is both outward, weirdly explosive, and inward, implosively bound-up. The work rings from its symmetrical stance an oscillating performance of presence and withdrawal. Levine uses a blunt language of simple geometric shapes and thick black lines reinforced with bright color. The glyph-like simplicity is complicated by unexpectedly subtle asymmetries and a range of cultural associations, from modernist abstraction to Navajo weaving and meso-american symbolic patterning. Abierta, 2019 is constituted of ring shapes, spheres and lozenges built into a stylized figure with large hollow eyes and outstretched arms. Black lines emphasize the branchlike character of the arms while a long shape running down its center feels like an externalized spine; the core becoming ornament. Abierta is polymorphously gendered, if it is even possible to gender the work’s many ins and outs. It beseeches or seeks to embrace the viewer with radiating hyperbolic graphics, the same terms by which it protects its enigmatic interior. Levine’s work is like a mask or a wrapped present that performs a public life while shielding a secret.

Paint has the power to destroy or reorder the coherence of a three-dimensional shape.

It can camouflage or energize, clarify or disorient a volume by graphic subdivision or ornamentation. Levine’s sculptures are assemblages of preexisting forms, like the precut Styrofoam shapes sold at craft stores, which she covers with a thick skin of gauze and modeling compound before applying paint. Color and line seek to flatten the sculpture into a picture while the solid forms push assertively back into the third dimension. Levine also makes very flat painting-like sculptures that she calls tablets. These simpler works are more emphatically modern-art glyphs. T1, Triple Cross and a few others look like a lady’s restroom icon crossed with a martini glass. Jazz hands energize Checkered T, Fanfare and Chispa to give the work an electrically charged hieratic presence. Mercado is a transmission tower totem-figure during a sunset of strictly horizontal bands. Piet Mondrian takes vector graphics on a trip through the American southwest to Mexico.

Levine’s work overflows with allusions, suggestions and citations in dizzying excess of their simplified elements. Fashion and folklore are invoked, scrambled and bound up within each piece. Levine’s sculpture embraces characteristics of the toy, the robot and the fetish to give her object the capacity to transform into powerful and autonomous beings. 2Blue, 2018 is

taking flight while Hielo, 2018 assumes a more confrontational stance. Geometry is charged with the energy of a community practice articulated through an idiosyncratically personal voice. The simplicity of diagrams is infused with the thought-rhythms of distant cultures resonating across time, space and subjective experience.

Mirada, 2019 is a squat little character who gazes from behind a radiating network of black bands. Stripes of red, yellow, white and blue press from behind the black banding to produce a sense of energy under compression. Mirada‘s eyes are unseeing spheres nested in their colored sockets awaiting the return of our probing gaze.

Levine gives her technomorphic glyphs the power to tell stories about embodiment and dress-up, masquerade and cultural memory. Thoughts from distant or lost others are echoed through the living artist, not as quotation or citation but like wave-forms spreading across the surface of water. Or perhaps we could think of these cross-cultural image-thoughts as having thrived symbiotically, like microorganisms inhabiting the ecology of the artist’s language and imagination. What kinds of forms have this power to arrest our attention, transform, and thrive in new contexts? Jill Levine’s work makes a lively case for schematic geometry’s capacity to evolve into the living present.

David Humphrey, 2019

David Humphrey is a New York artist who has shown nationally and internationally. He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Rome Prize among other awards. An anthology of his art writing, Blind Handshake, was published by Periscope Publishing in 2010. He teaches in the MFA program at Columbia and is represented by the Fredericks & Freiser Gallery, NY.

Ofrenda, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 19 x 12 x 10.5 inches

Green T, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 8.25 x 6.25 inches 3 Points, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 8 x 6 inches

Flecos Locos, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 19 x 12 x 8 inches

Checkered T, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 12 x 9 inches

Abierta, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 15 x 10 x 9 inches

2 Blue, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 14 x 13 x 6 inches

Nueve, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 15 x 14 x 7 inches

Mirada, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 10 x 11 x 6 inches

Two Step, 2019, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 11.5 x 7.5 x 7 inches

Sentado, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 10 x 6 inches Diamond T, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 10 x 6 inches Las Alas, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 10 x 6 inches

Triple Cross, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 12 x 9 inches

Hielo, 2018, styrofoam, plaster dipped gauze, modeling compound, and oil, 17 x 8 x 7.5 inches

Jill Levine b. New York, NY

EDUCATION MFA Yale University, School of Art, New Haven, CT, 1977 Royal College of Art, London, 1976 BA Queens College, New York, NY, 1975 ​ SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2019 NOW, High Noon Gallery, New York, NY BODY/Object (with John Franklin), Hionas Gallery, New York, NY​ 2018 Can U Dig It? (with Colin Thomson), High Noon Gallery, New York, NY​ 2015 Jill Levine, Wall Drawings, Hionas Gallery, New York, NY 2014 Jill Levine, Cats Talk, Hionas Gallery, New York, NY ​ 013 2 Gravity’s Elbow (with Theresa Hackett), the George Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA ​ 007 2 South of the Border, P.P.O.W, New York, NY ​ 003 2 P·P·O·W, New York, NY Bernard Toale Fine Arts, Boston, MA ​2001 Fine Silver Gallery, San Antonio, TX 2000 Mid Career Survey show, Art Inc. New York, NY

1999 P·P·O·W, New York, NY 1997 Esso Gallery, New York, NY Conversation #2, with Susan Wanklyn, Art Inc., New York, NY 1993 Project Space, Jose Freire Fine Art, New York, NY 1992, 1990 fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY 1989 Real Art Ways, with Ian Harvey, Hartford, CT fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY 1988, 1987 fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2018 Languages of the Heart, curated by Lindsay Walt and Colin Thomson, John Molloy Gallery, New York, NY 2017 The Painted Desert Part II, curated by Jared Linge, High Noon Gallery, NY, NY The Painted Desert Part I, curated by Jared Linge, High Noon Gallery, NY, NY Last Picture Show, curated by Danny Rolph, 532 Gallery, New York, NY The Interaction of Colour, curated by Virginia Walsh, Ann Street Gallery, Newburgh, NY​ 2016 Drawing for Sculpture, curated by Courtney Puckett, TSA Gallery, Brooklyn, NY Voyage of the Beagle, curated by Peggy Cyphers, Radiator Gallery, LIC, NY Sensing Place, Chris Davison Gallery, Newburgh, NY Ways and Means, curated by Jason Andrew, 1285 Avenue of the Americas Art Gallery, New York, NY 2015 #TBT, Hionas Gallery, NY, NY Twofold: Artist-Teacher, Teacher-Artist (catalogue), curated by Cecile Chong, Dedalus Foundation, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY Ulterior Motif, curated by Naomi Cohn, The Painting Center, New York, NY

2013 Flux/Quirk, The George Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 2012 Pillow Talk, Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY Between the Two: Six Artists from NY, the George Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 2010 Make Yourself at Home, 7eleven Gallery, New York, NY 50 Works for 50 States, The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI Drawn to New York, Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery, SUNY Geneseo, NY 2009 Mary’s Choice, 303 Gallery, New York, NY ​ 2006 Two Friends and So On, Andrew Kreps, New York, NY 2004 Conceptual Realism, Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2003 Port Louis Art In Embassies Program, Port Louis, Mauritius 2001 She Lives on Love Street, Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art, New York, NY Expanding Tradition: Contemporary Works Influenced by Indian Miniatures, Deutsche Bank, New York, NY ​ 2000 Snapshot, Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, MD Paintland, Schmidt Contemporary Art Center, Los Angeles, CA Paintland, Lemon Sky, A Project Space, Los Angeles, CA ​ 1998 Women Artists in the Vogel Collection, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA 1997 Sculpture, James Graham and Sons, New York, NY New Gallery Artists, Lemberg Gallery, Birmingham, MI Across Lines, curated by Dan Devine, Rosenberg Gallery, Hofstra University, New York, NY

1996 Thing, Deven Golden Fine Art, New York, NY Art Exchange, Esso Gallery, New York, NY A.R.T., Gramercy Park Hotel, New York, NY Incestuous, curated by Carter Kustera, Thread Waxing Space, New York, NY ​ 1994 Delving and Tinkering, curated by Tom Butler, E.S. Vandam, New York, NY 1993 Legend in My Living Room, curated by Terry Myers, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, IL Hybrid Sculpture: New Direction in Contemporary Sculpture, Art Finds, Marsha Fogel Gallery, East Hampton, New York, NY Inaugural Exhibition, Tennisport Arts, Long Island City, NY ​ 1992 Play Between Fear and Desire, curated by Jennifer Gross, Germans Van Eyck, New York, NY 1991 Gallery Group Exhibition: The Second One, fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY Object/Subject: Sculpture/Installation, Paul Cava Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1990 Gallery Group Exhibition: The First One, fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY 1989 Strange Attractors: Signs of Chaos, curated by Laura Trippi, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, N.Y fiction/nonfiction, New York, NY 1988 Wreaths, Arsenal Gallery, New York, NY Sculpture 1988: A Salon of Small Scale Work, White Columns, New York, NY John Davis Gallery, New York, NY The Summer Exhibition 1988: 22 Artists, Michael Walls Gallery, New York, NY Sculpture: On the Wall and on the Floor, curated by Jane Rosen, Katzen/Brown Gallery, New York, NY 1987 Sculpture Center, New York, NY The Level Volume, curated by Judy Pfaff, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH Contemplating Things, A sculpture Show in Two Parts, fiction/nonfiction, NY Queens College Alumni Show, New York, NY Tower Gallery, New York, NY Equilateral, Six to Six Gallery, New York, NY

1986 Not For Sale, Six to Six Gallery, New York, NY Transformations, Richard Green Gallery, New York, NY Indoors/Outdoors, El Bohio, New York, NY Wrap-Up, Six to Six Gallery, New York, NY 1985 The Mystery Show, The Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ On Relief, Washington Square East Galleries, New York, NY 1984 Exhibition One, Madeline Carter Fine Arts, Brookline, MA 1983 CAPS Fellowship Exhibit, Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY 1981 Artists of the Eighties, Webb Parsons Gallery, New Canaan, CT 1979 Bates College, Lewiston, ME 1977 Seven Springs, Bedford, NY SELECTED COLLECTIONS The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Vogel Collection at the National Gallery of Art Colorado Springs Fine Art Center The University of Michigan Museum of Fine Art, Ann Arbor Plains Art Museum, Fargo, North Dakota Akron Art Museum, Ohio Oklahoma City Museum of Art Portland Art Museum, Oregon Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pa. Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina South Dakota Art Museum, South Dakota State University, Brookings Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Tennessee Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan

Robert Hull Fleming Museum, University of Vermont, Burlington Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond Huntington Museum of Fine Art, West Virginia Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin The Dupont Corporation Prudential Insurance Company of America The Edwards Collection The Oliver-Hoffman Collection The Peter Norton Collection PAFA, Philadelphia, PA BIBLIOGRAPHY Wanklyn, Susan, “Studio Visit with Jill Levine,” Two Coats of Paint, November 2019 Gola, Izabela, and Major, Rebecca, I Art NY, Brooklyn Free Radio podcast, “Interview with Jared Linge and Jill Levine,” November 2019 Fisher, Michelle, Artnews, review, “Cats Talk”, Hionas Gallery, New York, NY, July 2014 Waltemath, Joan, the Brooklyn Rail, Web Exclusive, review, “Mutable and Immutable Divides”, “Cats Talk”, Hionas Gallery, New York, NY, 2014 Walsh, Daniella, ArtScene, Review, “Gravity’s Elbow,” Theresa Hackett and Jill Levine, The George Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, January 2013 The Herb and Dorothy Vogel Collection, “Fifty Works for Fifty States,” p. 210 & 236, 2008 Naves, Mario, The New York Observer, June 17,2007 The Flag Project, Rubin Museum of Art, Book, pp. 114 & 182, 2007 Berwick, Carly, Review, ARTnews, October 2003 Amy, Michael, Review, Art in America, October 2003 Review. The New Yorker, p. 50, June 16 & 23, 2003 Naves, Mario, “Loop – the – Loop, Hindu Style, Archives Cluttered Equilibrium”, The New York Observer, p. 16, June 23, 2001 Carter, Holland, Review. The New York Times, p. E33. May 4, 2001 Freeman, David McCall. Voices of Art, (9:1), p. 6-7, cover. February-May, 2001 Naves, Mario. The New York Observer, p. 24. December 18, 2000 Johnson, Ken, The New York Times, Fine Arts, Leisure, p. E44. Dec. 8, 2000 Jim, Ruth. Guggenheim Sculpture Freedom, Sunday News, pp H1 & H8, Lancaster, PA, 2000 Princenthal, Nancy. Review, Art in America, pp. 140-141. November 1999 Myers, Terry R. Review, Art/Text, pp. 92-93. August-October 1999 Arning, Bill. Review, Time Out New York, p. 55. March 4-11, 1999 Glueck, Grace. The New York Times, p. E42. February 26, 1999 Glueck, Grace. Review, The New York Times, February 19. 1999 Kimmelman, Michael. Review, “Sculpture,” The New York Times, Aug. 8. 1997 Drucker, Johanna. “Things and Objecthood,” Sculpture, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 20 -23, reproduction. April, 1997

Bell, J. Bower. Review, Art, p. 13. October 15, 1996 Patner, Andrew. Review, “Legend in My Living Room,” New Art Examiner, April 1994 Braff, Phyllis. Review, “Hybrid Sculpture,” The New York Times, June 13, 1993 Myers, Terry. Review, Tema Celeste, p. 95, reproduction. Autumn, 1992 Hagen, Charles. Review, “Play Between Fear and Desire,” The New York Times, May 8, 1992 Myers, Terry. “Abstraction Gets A Life,” Tema Celeste, Summer. 1992 Sozanski, Edward, J. Review, The Philadelphia Inquirer, p. 3C, July, 4, 1991 Jones, Mary. Review, “ Marilyn Lerner/Jill Levine,” Arts Magazine, p. 82, reproduction. 1991 Myers, Terry. Review “Chaos Exhibition,” Flash Art, pp.137-8. Nov./Dec. 1989 Johnson, Ken. Review, Art in America, p. 212, reproduction. October 1989 Catalogue, Strange Attractors: Signs of Chaos, curated by Laura Trippi, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY, 1989 Cyphers, Peggy. Review, Arts Magazine, September, p. 100, 1989 Hirsh, David. “Summer Thrills for Humid Heat,” The New York Native, p. 30. July, 24, 1989 Kalina, Richard. Catalogue, fiction/nonfiction, New York, reproductions. 1989 Schwedenwein, Jude. Review, “Real Art Ways,” The Hartford Current, p. G8, reproduction. March 12, 1989 Raynor, Vivien. “Jersey City Mystery Show,” The New York Times, p. 24, 1985

Jill Levine | NOW November 14 - December 29, 2019 Edition of 100

Publisher: © 2019 Jared Linge HIGH NOON GALLERY

Art © 2018 - 2019 Jill Levine Text © 2019 David Humphrey

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, without prior permission from the publisher.

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cover: NOW, 2019, watercolor on paper, 8” x 8”