Greenbaum and Green at D'Amelio Terras

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Installation view: Joanne Greenbaum at D'Amelio Terras

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Joanne Greenbaum's paintings hit me right in the solar plexus. Sure, I took them in with my eyes first, but their demanding materiality, almost Day-Glo palette, and agressive compositions produced a visceral response. These are not paintings you "like." You either love them or hate them. I happen to love them for all the reasons just noted. Plus Greenbaum handles paint like nobody's business.

Moving around the gallery, above: all paintings are 2009, oil and acrylic on canvas, 80 x 78 inches
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Two more, below

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A surprise for me was the work of Elliott Green in the smaller gallery. These easel-size paintings, lyrical and poetic, were a perfect fit for the space. There's a narrative in there, I think, but I was content to go with the flow of a purely visual experience.

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Both shows are up at D'Amelio Terras through October 31.
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Installation view: Elliott Green at D'Amelio Terras

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Below, Pudding Shadows, 2009, oil on linen, 18 x 24 inches

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