NAP News

December 19, 2013, 3:59pm

14 Artists (+2) to Watch in 2014

Artists kept making paintings in 2013, and they did so in ever more inventive ways. If any single word can sum up the overriding concern of many younger artists over the past few years it is process. As of late, many painters have defined themselves not so much with a specific image or style, but with the way in which they go about “producing” their work. Fire extinguishers, bleach, the sun, printing technologies and even spaghetti have all been employed in the quest for aesthetic advancement. For these artists, the way in which an artwork is made becomes deeply embedded in the meaning of their work. The results of such technical explorations can occasionally come of as gimmicky, but, when successful, they can lead to extraordinary art and new ways of thinking about the medium of paint.

What does painting hold for 2014? If a quick survey of upcoming museum shows, including the 2014 Whitney Biennial is any indication, it will be more widely exhibited and talked about than ever, and mature artists such as Dona Nelson (a 2012 Painters to Watch pick) and Suzanne McClelland will, more and more, have their long overdue day. I will also go out on a limb and say that, after several years where abstraction has been the dominant language of painting, representational work will start to mount a comeback. Among the hundreds of artists I consider each year while publishing New American Paintings, I have noticed a considerable uptick in the number of young painters working with recognizable imagery, some in, dare I say it, almost traditional modes. (And yes, I am aware that representational painting never left, but the institutions that make up the so-called art world have been preoccupied with other things in recent years.)

Dona Nelson. Courtesy of Thomas Erben Gallery, New York, NY.  

Over the past year I conducted dozens of studio visits, traveled to numerous art fairs, and saw hundreds of gallery and museum shows. The list of Painters to Watch in 2014 is made up of some new discoveries, a few artists who, in my mind, presented breakout work this year, and a few old favorites who deserve wider attention. For the purposes of this list, I am defining the activity of painting as broadly as possible. Traditional definitions of media have become less and less important for emerging artists, and, no doubt, some of the listed artists would not consider themselves to be painters per se. - Steven Zevitas, Publisher

Who is on your list?

December 02, 2013, 10:46am

Art Basel Miami Beach; Can't Wait (Part One)

Here we go again: it is Miami time for the art world. Over the next week hundreds of galleries representing thousands of artists will descend on southern Florida for an annual event that is part cultural bazaar, and part art world summer camp. Once again, there are a multitude of art fairs: NADA, Untitled, Miami Project and Pulse just to name a few. At the top of the art world pyramid though, stands the fair that got the whole week humming: Art Basel Miami.

For someone who is in Miami working, on-line art fair catalogs are a god send. I spent a few hours scouring the Basel online catalog in search of work/exhibitions that I “must see” in the relatively brief time I will have to spend at the cavernous Miami Beach Convention Center. I am also always curious as to which artists from past issues of New American Paintings have made it to what is arguably the biggest stage in the commercial world today (for example, Andrew Brischler who appeared in NAP just a couple of years ago and now finds himself at the big show with GAVLAK).

Andrew Brischler (NAP #98)
Gavlak

In the next few days I'll be posting lists comprised of artists, artworks, and exhibitions appearing at this year’s installment of Art Basel Miami that I am eager to see. I focused mostly on emerging artists. There is obviously a plethora of historic and blue chip work that will be on view as well, but I tend to focus on the new and interesting at these things.

Today's list is comprised of former New American Paintings artists that you'll find at this year's Art Basel. Tomorrow we'll start posting other artists at the fair. - Steven Zevitas, Publisher

October 18, 2013, 7:45am

New American Paintings #108

In case you haven't noticed the big new image on our home page, New American Paintings West Issue #108, was released this week. Juror, Veronica Roberts, did an amazing job. We'll do our best to have sneak peek photos early next week. In the meantime, check it out online and buy it now!

Congrats to all 40 selected artists! 

July 25, 2013, 10:30am

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