SAN FRANCISCO ART GALLERIES OPENINGS

FIRST THURSDAY - 05.06.10 Part I

(with assistance from Eileen P. Goldenberg )

Programming note: People occasionally ask me about my famed generic image caption which simply reads "Art." In the interest of full disclosure, I already have no time to cover all these gallery openings and put them online, and if I start taking down the names of every single artist who makes every single work of art that I photograph, then I'll really already have no time. In fact, I'll probably have to check myself into the boo-boo hatch. Now that I've got that albatross off my chest, wanna see some "art"? Of course you do...

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Gallery Paule Anglim : Louise Bourgeois - Mother and Child.

Comment by AB: I suppose the mystery here is how this art melds with the 60-year oeuvre of Louise Bourgeois. Perhaps it's the reductive nature of wisdom-- being able to quantify an essence with several select strokes of ink or brush. Or maybe it's emblematic of the license to depict whatever you want 'cuz you've earned the privilege. Or perchance it's a pure and enlightened embrace of the inexorable passage of time...

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Brian Gross Fine Art : Teo González - New Paintings.

Review by Eileen P. Goldenberg: I have been watching the work of Teo Gonzalez for a few years. These paintings represent a bit of a departure from his previous work. Responding to a change in the formula of the acrylic paint he uses, he now opts to paint thin lines around each orb in his pieces. This alters, but does not disturb the feeling of his work. In fact I think it opens it up. The pieces have a lively movement, a more random placement of elements combined with the wonderful unique nature of each of his thousands of hand painted circles. The colors he chooses are strong and definite. I love how we artists can adapt to surprises and continue to advance our visions.

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Fraenkel Gallery : Furthermore.

Photographers: Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Andy Warhol, Helen Levitt, Sol LeWitt, Robert Adams, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Dorothea Lange, Photographer Unknown, Anonymous, and many more

Comment by AB: A work of art doesn't always have to be by a big name to be really really good, and this thirtieth anniversary exhibition at Fraenkel Gallery proffers ample proof of that-- considering the individual works within context, of course. Yep. Owner Jeffrey Fraenkel's got an eminently fine eye.

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A440 Gallery : Jay Howell - Alligator Fuck House.

Comment by AB: The title of Jay Howell's show instantly intrigues me as to its origins me so off I prance to research it online. Did Howell burp this baby up in an unparalleled paroxysm of visionary brilliance or is it a pre-existing condition? Those of you who opted for option B are absotutely correctamundo. I discover via one of my favorite websites, urbandictionary.com, that "alligator fuck house" is defined as "three or more individuals involved in sex acts in water of at least ankle depth." But wait; there's more. I can officially say, "Been there, done that."

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Toomey Tourell Gallery : Joe Thurston.

Comment by AB: Oregon artist Joe Thurston continues his intricate and admirably accurate escapades in carved sanded wood and paint. Bright, vibrant, upbeat, energized and... I like 'em.

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George Lawson Gallery : Masaru Kurose - Recent Paintings; Nancy Haynes - Selected Paintings; Alan Ebnother - Selected Blue Paintings.

Review by Eileen P. Goldenberg: Alan Ebnother is showing a small selection of his monochromatic works here this month. He creates very thick dense paint with pure pigments that he applies with energetic strokes. His surfaces are rich and textured, the color pure and glowing. In these blue paintings he lets a little more of the support show through, giving us a glimpse of the under layers. This gives me a feeling of taking a breath, having a little space.

Comment by AB: Also on the docket-- circuitous paintings on clear vinyl by Masaru Kurose and sumptuously subtle abstractions by New York artist Nancy Haynes.

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Modernism Gallery : Elena Dorfman - The Pleasure Park.

Comment by AB: Intense, haunting and remarkably intimate portraits of race horses and their jockeys by Elena Dorfman. You gotta know the territory to gain this level of access. Co-pick of First Thursday.

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Bond Latin Gallery : Bruce Hasson - Sculpture and Prints.

Comment by AB: Fine fabulously patinated bronzes by Bruce Hasson, particularly his inspiring pyramidic abstractions. Co-pick of First Thursday.

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Sandra Lee Gallery : Kelly's Tales - Kelly Detweiler.

Comment by AB: Kelly Detweiler abides by the traditions of Sixties Bay Area Funk, then seasons it up with a pinch of that good old fashioned down home Picasso-esque Cubism.

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Frey Norris Gallery : Hayv Kahraman - Waraq.

Comment by AB: Iraq-born artist Hayv Kahraman, an unwilling participant in the great Iraqi Diaspora, much of it due to-- well, you know... us-- portrays her displaced countrymen and women like mirror-image face cards in a poker deck, one face reflecting life in the homeland, the other, wandering the wilderness in exile. Good show; go see.

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Addendum:

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Here's a thought.... support the cause .

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First Thursday - April 1, 2009

First Thursday - March 4, 2009

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