Luisa Rabbia's Picks
"Huma Bhabha: Unnatural Histories"
MoMA PS1 - 11/18/12 - 4/1/13
An inspiring journey through time and space with totemic figures that remind of ancient forms merged with futuristic ruins. I am particularly impressed by the juxtaposition between a sense of instability and strength, given perhaps by the encounter of classical and contemporary materials with elements of art history and faraway cultures. Freely combining media like clay, chicken wire and Styrofoam and shifting between drawing and sculpture, Huma reminds me that history is one continuous line.
"Rosemarie Trockel: A Cosmos"
New Museum - 10/24/12 - 1/20/13
The exhibit covers the prolific work of this multi-media artist, creating an interesting dialogue between different art expressions and old and new works. I found particularly interesting the extended dialogue with “outsider” artists and especially loved the distinctly emotional work of Judith Scott. Her pieces were, for me, the highlight of the exhibit and perhaps the most touching work I have seen in the past year.
"Francis Alÿs - Reel-Unreel"
David Zwirner Gallery - 1/10 - 2/9/2013
In this exhibit, I particularly loved the video piece that gives the title to the show. Following children playing with a film reel used as a hoop, we are walked through the streets of Kabul. The movie is poetic and open to many interpretations. I personally like to see the film reel as a layer with a movie already recorded, in which the present overwrites the past through a physical contact with the ground of Kabul.
For full Reel-Unreel video click here.
Italian born Luisa Rabbia lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been shown internationally including solo exhibits at: Fundación PROA, Buenos Aires; Fondazione Merz, Turin; Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston; Arte all'Arte IX and X, Associazione Continua, S.Gimignano; Peter Blum Gallery, New York City; Giorgio Persano Gallery, Turin; Massimo Audiello Gallery, New York City; and Mario Diacono Gallery, Boston. Group exhibitions include shows at: Museo del Novecento, Milan; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston; Fondazione Merz, Turin; MAXXI Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo, Rome; and Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai.
Her work is currently represented by Peter Blum Gallery, New York City and Galleria Giorgio Persano, Turin.