Samaritans

    Samaritans

    Samaritans

    Curated by Dan Nadel

    January 12 to March 3, 2019

    Eva Presenhuber, 39 Great Jones Street, New York, NY 10012

    Opening on Friday, January 11, 6 to 8 pm

    Ellen Berkenblit, Huma Bhabha, Joe Bradley, Joan Brown, Steve DiBenedetto, Carroll Dunham, Christopher Forgues, Jason Fox, Mike Kelley, Takeshi Murata, Gary Panter, Sarah Peters, Laurie Simmons, Kyle Staver, Alan Turner, Michael Williams

    I See A Darkness

    Well, you’re my friend

    That’s what you told me

    And can you see what’s inside of me?

    Many times we’ve been out drinking

    And many times we’ve shared our thoughts

    But did you ever

    Ever notice the kind of thoughts I got?

    Well, you know I have a love

    A love for everyone I know

    And you know I have a drive to live I won’t let go

    But could you see it’s opposition comes rising up sometimes?

    That it’s dreadful and position comes blacking in my mind

    And that I see a darkness?

    Well, I hope that someday, buddy,

    We have peace in our lives

    Together or apart

    Alone or with our wives

    That we can stop our whoring

    And pull the smiles inside

    And light it up forever

    And never go to sleep

    My best unbeaten brother, this isn’t all I see.

    O no, I see a darkness.

    Did you know how much I love you

    Is a hope that somehow you

    You

    Can save me from this darkness?

    Will Oldham, 1999. Used with permission.

    The best way through this exhibition is by looking at the art and reading the lyrics above by Will Oldham. I’ve organized this thing with very particular modes and works in mind: Myth-making; emotive figuration; idol worship; humanism and its defects. There is also a sprawling and sometimes gnarled network here: Each artist is connected to at least one other, and usually more, by friendship, inspiration, and influence.

    Moreover, I’m nearly always involved in wanting the art to touch me and to, in turn, give it a place to go –inside of me, or you. Minds in which to dwell. I want a sense of beings in these rooms – beings you can talk to. So, where you sense the connections, believe me, they are there. And if you don’t, please drop me a line and we can chat: dannadel@icloud.com.

    A few ways in: Gary Panter’s drawing of a gentle metaphysical picnic, which I used as a map; Ellen Berkenblit’s striding familiar offering hope; Jason Fox’s eternal hulk bridging mud and cosmos. Laurie Simmons’ action figure, on the brink of saving or suiciding. The amorphous figure of refusal by Mike Kelley, who I miss all the time.

    Try that. And please don’t forget to go to the basement.

    *poster by Joe Bradley