Briskly strolling through the french concession me and a few of my compatriots pass by all manner of stores, shops and houses. Entering a small ally way we walk by some brightly colored exercise equipment and make our way through a small rusted front gate into a courtyard, we had finally made it to James Cohan. The rustic mystic of the situation was a perfect setting for the Folkert de Jong show. Entering the courtyard the juxtaposition of the old and the faux old was apparent. The scholar rock in the courtyard and the 20th century hand painted ceiling merged quietly with north european aesthetic of Folkert. Yet with all calm and tranquility of the asian feng shui surrounding it, the Folkert sculptures demanding violent kinetic chaos. The surreality of the work forces one to enter Folkart's mind and face the ferocity of the pieces, creating an environment that urges the viewer to deconstruct each item. The unnerving narratives reminded me of Daniel Richter or Neo Rauch if their paintings came to life. The stark black or luminous white of the figures canvas the pastels and neons, screaming 'contemporary palette', the oil barrel in one piece calls upon current political issues and the Matisse-sque dance references art culture. Yet at the time none of it hit you over the head, instead it all just added to the confusion and eerie beauty of installation. Indeed it was 'business as usual' at the James Cohan, another strong show.
~Bo
James Cohan Gallery
Folkert de Jong
"Thousand Years Business As Usual"
4/5
1 comment:
James Cohan definitely seems like a place to check out. The show sounds interesting too. Chaotic forms in a serene environment? I'll have to see this soon
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