Everyday Abstract - Abstract Everyday at the James Cohan Gallery

The James Cohan Gallery, 533 West 26th Street, New York, NY, is presenting Everyday Abstract - Abstract Everyday, a quietly subversive show curated by Matthew Higgs, director of the downtown alternative space White Columns.

These coolly modern pieces have painterly allusions and also recall mixed media pioneers such as Marcel Duchamp and Robert Rauschenberg. Many of these abstractions are made of commonplace materials that aren't immediately obvious until you read the gallery labels: postcards, instant noodles, koolaid, broom sticks, chewing gum, urine.

The show raised some interesting questions that brought me out of my art school mindset: how is formal perception altered by knowledge of process, is surrealism still relevant, why does abstraction seem more lifelike than figuration, do utilitarian objects have symbolic meaning, and finally, what is art?

This engaging, experimental show will be on view until August 1, 2012. You'll be happy to know that the spirit of Dada is alive and well in Chelsea.

WALEAD BESHTY 20-inch Copper (FedEx® Medium Kraft Box ©2004 FEDEX 155143 REV), Standard Overnight, Los Angeles-New York trk#798399701913, May 15-16, 2012 2012 Polished copper, accrued FedEx shipping and tracking labels 20 x 20 x 12 in. (50.8 x 50.8 x 30.5 cm)

ALEXANDRA BIRCKEN Wärmegitter 2011 Wool, aluminum frame 87 x 55 x 2 in. (219.7 x 139.7 x 5.1 cm)

SARAH BRAMAN Slowpoke 2012 Aluminum, paint, and Plexiglas 43 x 54 x 22 in. (109.2 x 137.2 x 55.9 cm)

TOM BURR his personal effects (white v-neck, two) 2012 Men’s v-neck t-shirt, upholstery tacks and wood 15 x 15 in. (38.1 x 38.1 cm)

ERNST CARAMELLE Untitled 1991 Paper exposed to the sun Paper: 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.8 cm)

ANDY COOLQUITT LW4EAAEMH 2012 Metal, wire, epoxy, and light bulbs 110 X 5 X 5 in. (279.4 X 12.7 X 12.7 cm)

MICHEL FRANÇOIS Untitled 2012 Paper Approx. 8 x 12 feet (240 x 360 cm)

DAVID HAMMONS Koolaid Drawing 2004 Koolaid and pencil on paper 43 29 in. (109.22 x 73.66 cm)

ANN CATHRIN NOVEMBER HØIBO Untitled #06 2012 Bronze cast of instant noodles 4 x 3 ¾ x 1 ¼ in. (10 x 9.5 x 3 cm) Unique

BILL JENKINS Bed with Rope and Fence 2012 Bed with rope and fence 52 x 73 x 9 in. (132.1 x 185.4 x 22.9 cm)

SERGEJ JENSEN Untitled (Binary One) 2005 Money on canvas 47 ¼ x 45 ¼ inches (120 x 115 cm)

UDOMSAK KRISANAMIS Acid Rain 1996 Ink and collage on blanket 60 X 60 in. (152.4 X 152.4 cm)

AGNES LUX #91-L 2012 Graphite on postcards 82 5/8 X 52 1/2 in. (210 X 133.5 cm)

DAVID MORENO Television Noise #10 2006 Silver gelatin print 20 x 24 in. (50.8 x 60.96 cm)

MICHAEL E. SMITH Untitled 2012 Metal, plastic 19 ¼ x 3 x 15 ½ in. (48.9 x 7.6 x 39.4 cm)

SHINIQUE SMITH Bale Variant No. 0022 2012 Mixed media 90 x 30 x 30 in. (228.6 x 76.2 x 76.2 cm)

AL TAYLOR Untitled: (Rinse) 1988 Wooden broomsticks with enamel paint & metal mounted on Formica laminate with latex paint 92 x 9 ½ x 39 in. (233.7 x 24.1 x 99.1 cm)

HANNAH WILKE S.O.S. – Starification Object Series (#2) 1975 Chewing gum on rice paper, mounted on rag board 33 ¾ x 25 ½ x 2 ½ in. (85.7 x 64.8 x 6.4 cm)

NANCY SHAVER Fanny 2011 Scrap metal, found upholstery board, upholstery fabric, canvas, glue, paper, house paint, acrylic paint 66 x 27 x 20 in. (167.6 x 68.6 x 50.8 cm)

ANDY WARHOL Oxidation Painting 1978 Copper metallic pigment oxidized by urine on canvas - twelve panels 48 X 49 1/2 in. (121.92 X 125.73 cm)

More images here.