Harriet Shorr, After Ensor, 2007, 40 x 64 inches, oil on canvas
I respect Shorr for being such a dedicated still-life painter. She is able to create whole worlds with her simple arrangements. While her oil colors tend to flatten and sometimes appear muted, her watercolor images are lively and energetic. Check out Shorr’s latest show at Cheryl Pelavin. I’ve been a keen observer of her art for years now and whether I like the work or not I find there is something about them that makes me want more.
The show has a catalogue, which contains an essay by Lilly Wei titled “Allegories from the Studio,” but I don’t think it does much to illuminate the work. My favorite (by which I mean my least favorite) line is “Shorr had to come to terms with a modernist legacy on the verge of collapse as one longstanding model reluctantly made way for another.” Huh? Hasn’t the modernist legacy been on the verge of collapse since 1972?
Cheryl Pelavin, 13 Jay Street, New York, NY
OBJECTS OF USE TO ME: New Paintings & Works on Paper (January 7 – February 7, 2009)
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