“Hannah Beerman: Delicate Rubbernecking”

through October 25, 2020 at Kapp Kapp, New York

What the gallery says: “Known for her distinctly punk and vibrant assemblage paintings, Beerman’s process is heavily based in object. For Beerman, no material is discriminated against, therefore, every material becomes paint as all paint becomes material. 

‘The paintings are like fly-paper,’ says Beerman, ‘they pick up on things that are going on around them.’ Paintings in this new body of work include pita bread, pins, a book sock, neti pot, and ice tray, among others.”

Why it’s worth a look: There’s a particular joy in looking at Beerman’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink assemblages in September 2020, as we slowly extricate ourselves from the maddening grip of quarantine. All but one of the works in “Delicate Rubbernecking” were made this year, and they feel like it, capturing the best of what the pandemic has brought out in all of us: the resourcefulness, the humility, the quotidian joy.  

Beerman is also an easy artist to root for, representing as she does another one of the positives from the last couple of months: a sense of community. In March, she launched Artists for Humans, an Instagram initiative that sees artists give away artworks in exchange for donating money to various relief causes. To date, the project has raised over $150,000 for charity.

What it looks like:

Installation view of “Hannah Beerman: Delicate Rubbernecking” at Kapp Kapp, New York, 2020. Courtesy of Kapp Kapp.

Hannah Beerman, Waterproof Reversible (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Kapp Kapp.

Hannah Beerman, Pale (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Kapp Kapp.

Installation view of “Hannah Beerman: Delicate Rubbernecking” at Kapp Kapp, New York, 2020. Courtesy of Kapp Kapp.

Hannah Beerman, My Vocabulary Did This to Me (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Kapp Kapp.

Hannah Beerman, Glitter Pita (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Kapp Kapp.

Hannah Beerman, Pants (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Kapp Kapp.