REVIEW: Marianne Boesky Gallery, The Mechanics of Fluids

The current exhibition at Marianne Boesky Gallery, The Mechanics of Fluids, explores the concept of liquids through a wide variety of approaches. The artists included within the show are entirely female, which gives them an abstractly shared perspective. The techniques range from minimalist to impossibly complicated, from playful to grotesque when portraying the “femininity of fluids”. None of the pieces explicitly reference this connection, but the overarching character could be interpreted as distinctly female.

The works are predominantly abstract, save for photography by Lisa Oppenheim and Josephine Pryde. These explore fluids in their subjects in wildly different ways. Oppenheim’s work depicts the billowing smoke of an explosion as of fluid nature, while Pryde’s striking, mildly absurd photograph portrays a string of pearls resting on a glass bank counter, with an animal liver visible underneath. While extremely different works in relation to subject matter, their photographic quality and identifiable ideas set them apart from the rest. The work of Amy Sillman, Helen Frankenthaler, and Charlotte Posenenske are all entirely abstract in both concept and execution. The complexity in the shows overarching concept leaves much room for such interpretation. As with much of contemporary work, some of the artists represented use seemingly simple execution to represent more complicated ideas. The sculpture by Lynda Benglis appears to be tri-colored amorphous sludge, but speaks to the concept of fluidity on a much deeper scale.

Each piece is technically impeccable and well produced, carrying a strong level of technique throughout the exhibition. That being said, this collection of work wasn’t exactly balanced, with predominantly abstract work, and obviously favoring specific artists. This wasn’t necessarily un-appealing, but a more varied selection would be more compelling. Overall, the Mechanics of Fluids is a worthwhile gallery experience in the famous Chelsea District, showcasing the works of female artists with strong and nuanced perspectives.

Emma Hughes is a senior in the Art Quest program at Santa Rosa High School in Northern California. She is currently studying to be a fine artist, but is also interested in political journalism. She enjoys creating art that explores the complicated nature of consumerism and the beauty within modern societies. She can be contacted by email at emma.kapiolani@gmail.com or on insta @bbillyraycyrus