(under)Exposed

(under) Exposed at Carl Hammer Gallery, was a sort of pupu platter of contemporary work. Work ranged from a painting of refugees by Grace Graupe Pillard to a dodecahedron of “Cloud Gate” by Nathaniel Smyth. While it is difficult to judge the show as a whole because of the disparity of work, there were a few artists who stood out amongst the pack.
Alex Fleming's Flying Carpets were tucked away behind the gallery desk and didn't receive the visibility they deserve. The work consisted of two Persian rugs cut into the shape of airplanes. While the two were similar, the more successful was when the carpet was cut to mimic the interior forms of the plane. Whereas the other just seemed to be two scrap pieces combined to fill the space. Fleming's work addresses the issue of globalization in a very simple yet sophisticated way.
South Korean artist, Seung Wook Sim, displayed the work Black Mutated Ornamentation. The piece was a black, oblong blob consisting of layered hot glue on top of a non-visible metal structure. While the work itself is nothing new (actually somewhat reminiscent of some Eva Hesse work), it was a great opportunity to see some of the work coming out of Korea.
The most exciting pieces in the show came from artist Rebecca Kardong. Her works Reverse Alchemy and Inverted Void look like two cherubs gone horribly wrong. The works, which are an extension of her early work with dolls and figurines, are like over exaggerations of fleshy baby dolls. The figures bulge and twist in a way that show off Kardong's strong knowledge of anatomy, to the point she can manipulate it into a believable contorted form. The forms are finished of with iridescent coats of paint, which contribute too their eeriness. I was impressed by what I saw of Kardong's work in the gallery and then online, I highly recommend you take a look.