Richard Prince, It’s All Over, 2008. Photo: Courtesy the artist and Venus
Weekend Edition: 12 Things to Do in New York’s Art World Before February 29
By Paul Laster
Opening: “Fétiche” at Venus
This intriguing show makes an argument for artworks having the same mystical power as religious icons by combining pieces of modern and contemporary art with African and Oceanic artifacts. The Cubists were inspired by African relics and the Surrealist were stirred by Oceanic pieces, thus maybe today’s Neo-Pop stars—Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Richard Prince—feel that vibe, too.
Mr. Prince’s big, mixed-media painting, depicting altered female nudes and Rastafarian musicians, is from his controversial Canal Zone series, while Mr. Koons is represented by his famous 1988 carved-wood sculpture Ushering in Banality, which captures three angelic children pushing a prize pig into a position of glory. Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet and Pablo Picasso also star in this list of 22 artists matched up with a convincing collection of tribal arts.
