The artists we’re highlighting this week have diverse practices, ranging from the earthy, unglazed ceramics of Stanley Rosen to the complex, multicolored tapestries of Kenny Nguyen to the embroidered textile-photographs of Spandita Malik, but all share a desire to express personal preoccupations, personalities, and concerns through their art. Along with these impressive solo shows, a group show at Scandinavia House is a wonderful exploration of Nordic art traditions by artists from the Upper Midwest. And NYU’s MFA students make a solid showing with works focusing on the body. —Natalie Haddad, Reviews Editor
The New York University MFA Class of 2025 Thesis Show: Part 2
80 WSE, 80 Washington Square East, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Through May 24
“[The exhibition is] about coming up with novel ways to think about the bodies we inhabit, the stresses they carry, and what they can and can’t perceive.” —Daniel Larkin
Read the full review here.
Kenny Nguyen: Mother Tongue
Sundaram Tagore Gallery, 542 West 26th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Through May 31
“Kenny Nguyen’s undulating tapestries feel like a miracle, offering a truly new visual experience through the most analog of means.” —Lisa Yin Zhang
Read the full review here.
Stanley Rosen: Alligators & Objects
Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects, 208 Forsyth Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Through May 31
“While the history of ceramics is filled with perfectly modeled, symmetrical pots with flawless surfaces and glazes, Rosen knew that any ideal is ultimately impossible.” —John Yau
Read the full review here.
Spandita Malik: Jālī–Meshes of Resistance
Robert Mann Gallery, 508 West 26th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Through June 28
“Against the grain of a country and world that punishes and denies dignity to survivors, Malik’s show is more than a mere embellishment or reclamation.” —Lakshmi Rivera Amin
Read the full review here.
Nordic Echoes – Tradition in Contemporary Art
Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, Manhattan
Through August 2
“These contemporary interpretations offer a way for artists to acknowledge their roots while building new forms, and each work opens up portals into other lineages.” —Mána Taylor
Read the full review here.