As galleries and art institutions around the world begin to reopen, we are spotlighting individual shows—online and IRL—that are worth your attention.
“(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma
Through September 13, 2020
What the gallery says: “The flower persists throughout art history. It figures prominently across memento mori still lifes; huaniao hua bird-and-flower motifs; the intricate patterning of Mbuti bark cloths; the tendrils and palmettes of Islamic miniatures. Botanical symbolism spans libertine excess, Dionesian glut, and delicate innocence; it evokes vanity, fertility, and the mortal coil.
“Yet most essentially for the present day, the tending and gifting of flowers is steeped in cultural practice. As balms of solace and support during times of remembrance and growth, blooms connote the sharing of emotion, and are given in sympathy, love, joy, or appreciation.”
Why it’s worth a look: Walking around New York after dusk these days, it can almost feel like any other summer day, with lights draped across al fresco sidewalk dining rooms, dogs roving once again in grassy parks, and—yes—flowers blooming everywhere.
This show at Karma is the artful equivalent of that bittersweet haze: some of the flora are drooping, or shedding petals as they near the end of their season, while others are pulsing with color and life.
This group show—which includes works by Nicole Eisenman, Hilary Pecis, Peter Doig, Susan Jane Walp, and Henni Alftan, among others—features artists with as diverse backgrounds as the flowers they’ve committed to canvas, and is the perfect respite for a summer afternoon.
What it looks like:
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Susan Jane Walp, Blueberries with Hollyhock Blossom, (2000). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Henni Alftan, Summer Shirt (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Nicole Eisenman, Still Life with Takis (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Calvin Marcus, Begonia, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Peter Doig, Lemons (1989). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Woody De Othello, Space for Growth, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Gertrude Abercrombie, White Cat and Red Carnations, (1941). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Lubaina Himid, 2 Swallow II (2006). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Zenzaburo Kojima, Roses (1951). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Honor Titus, Jazmine Perfume, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Jeanette Mundt, More Heroin – A Remarkable Time (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.
Installation view, “(Nothing but) Flowers” at Karma.