Sotheby's Institute of Art: London • New York

From Christian Marclay's "Clock" exhibition at Paula Cooper Gallery, NY

If you are in New York this weekend, or if you can get to New York this weekend, be sure to see Christian Marclay’s “Clock”  at Paula Cooper Gallery. The 24 hour film is one of the most compelling works of art on view right now. Shown first in London, “Clock” is rumored to be on hold for MoMA’s collection, and as an edition of 6, it is sure to be in the holdings of other museums soon.  In his new role as art critic for Tina Brown’s Daily Beast/Newsweek, Blake Gopnik calls it a “masterpiece.” Click here to read his review. The exhibition closes Saturday at 6 pm. Don’t miss it.

a drawing from Marcel Dzama's "Behind Every Curtain" at David Zwirner Gallery, NY

Marcel Dzama’s new work on view at David Zwirner Gallery also involves film and performance, but is a work created from the artist’s imagination instead of from a collage of found material. Dzama has commissioned a ballet dedicated to the game of chess. He worked with dancers and craftsmen in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the influence of the setting and culture can be felt throughout the resulting film, which on opening night was accompanied by a live Mariachi band. The installation, called “Behind Every Curtain” includes rotating sculptures made from the original costumes, as well as dioramas of the action and story boards. The work comes out of a dada tradition, melding performance, magical realism and almost kitschy staging. Dzama has developed his own distinctive vocabulary of images that are charming and haunting at the same time. This new work is delightful and some of his strongest to date.

One of Tara Donovan's early pin drawings at Pace Gallery, NY

Chelsea’s galleries are full of good stuff right now. Just opened at Pace are Tara Donovan’s exquisite push pin paintings. Abstractions made from varying the density of the pins on the surface, these works are seductively beautiful and take Donovan’s work to a different place. She has, for many years, worked with everyday materials to make site specific sculptural objects, but these works are more painterly and depart from her usual explorations, while remaining true to her core practice. I find it interesting that she and Dan Steinhilber were working in Washington DC at the same time in the 1990′s and early 2000s and both using cups, rug remnants, pins, thread and other commonly found objects in transformative ways. ArtInfo made this show one of its top picks.

Works from "Soot and Shine" at Donald Sultan's studio

Donald Sultan has some fine new works on view at Mary Ryan. The show is called “Soot and Shine” and characteristically Sultan uses tar, wax, and floor tiles to create domestic-scale objects of desire. 

From Mika Rottenberg's "Squeeze"

Walking into Mary Boone has proved extraordinary in recent months. In December, her show of Mika Rottenberg blew me away and a planned ten minute visit turned into an hour or more in front of the screen. Now, she’s showing Terence Koh and a ten foot high conical mound of salt. Koh, on his knees in a white suit, eyes closed, circumnavigates the salt pile as if in prayer. Sounds rather tame, but in fact, the work is mystical and gorgeous.  Of course, because it is Koh, the work is meditations on shades of white, while at the same time, asking us to consider pain, suffering, need, want and shame.  The gallery assistant said he will be performing in the space for eight hours every day it is open. I liked this work much better than I ever expected.

Jennifer Rubell with her sculpture of Prince William at Stephen Friedman Gallery, London

And, although I’m not there, if I were in London I’d be rushing over to the Stephen Friedman Gallery on Old Burlington Street to check out Jennifer Rubell’s “Engagement” exhibition. Rubell plays with our royals obsession by commissioning a wax sculpture of Prince William with THE RING attached to his arm, inviting all who wish to grab hold and slip our fingers into the conveniently vacant slot. The result? I’m on the arm of the prince, wearing that famous ring. Beyond funny and all the rage.