Barnaby Furnas returns to Chelsea with new paintings of rock bands, Civil War heroes and post- apocalyptic landscapes.
There is no unifying theme in the artist’s fourth exhibition at the Marianne Boesky Gallery. His new show looks as if it were done by three different artists - or by one who is confused about how to move things forward following his early success.
Works by Furnas, 35, have attracted high-profile art collectors, including London-based advertising mogul Charles Saatchi, Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz and New York real estate developer Aby Rosen.
At auction, Furnas’s record of $520,000 was achieved in 2006 at Sotheby’s in New York, but recently many of his pieces failed to find buyers.
The Chelsea exhibition features three groups of paintings that explore mostly familiar themes. Furnas shows an ongoing preoccupation with death and historic figures; abolitionist crusader John Brown makes an appearance yet again.
The artist builds on his “flood” paintings, shown at the gallery two years ago, by covering their crimson-and-blue surfaces with black paint — and in some instances, by burning them with a torch. A black hole at the top center of each of these dreary landscapes replaces the glowing suns in the “flood” paintings. Given Furnas’s very specific, and often seductive, color sense, black is an unfortunate choice to display his skills.
The third group depicts rock concerts of such bands as the Misfits and the Pixies. “Pink Concert,” the first work visitors encounter, impresses with its dynamic, complex composition. The 7-by-9-foot canvas features a funky pink-and-black checkerboard palette, video-game-like musicians and disco balls.
In the next room, several other paintings from the group offer only the slightest variations, diluting their impact. (Bloomberg)