Stanley Whitney: Twenty Twenty at LISSON GALLERY

James Kalm is out for an extended art tour through Chelsea, when he finally makes it in to capture views of the latest offerings from Stanley Whitney. “Twenty Twenty” presents recent works completed during the last year. These works seem more simplified and dramatically explicit. Whitney’s blocks of color are larger and more broadly painted. Thin washes of oil paint are in some passages layered, showing underlaying scrims of color, at other points, the color is transparent and glows like stain glass. The exquisitely intuitive color harmonies play off each other with beautiful slightly discordant notes, recalling Thelonious Monk’s Jazz (Monk and Munch is the title of a major series of smaller paintings here). This exhibition bares testament as to why Whitney is considered by many as one of New York’s master abstractionists. A musical introduction is provided by Greg Banks. This program was recorded November 6, 2021. #jameskalmreport #jameskalmroughcut #lorenmunk