Orly Genger’s rope-based “Red, Yellow and Blue” winds through Madison Square Park (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
“Iron Maiden”: Larissa Goldston Gallery, 530 West 24th St. between Tenth & Eleventh Aves., through June 22, free, 212-206-7887, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
“Red, Yellow and Blue”: Madison Square Park, through September 8, free
orly genger slideshow
New York City native Orly Genger has two very different, yet at the same time very similar, exhibits in her hometown right now. Through September 8, her sprawling “Red, Yellow and Blue” winds through Madison Square Park, melding with the green grass of summer to create simply lovely combinations of primary colors inspired by Barnett Newman’s series “Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue.” The exhibit consists of three elongated structures composed of 1.4 million feet of hand-knotted rope, in three different parts of the north side of the park. Evoking playful fortresses as well as captivating waves, the works, which weigh more than one hundred thousand pounds and are covered in three thousand gallons of paint, invite visitors to sit on them or rest against them, offering respites from the surrounding traffic and the rest of the New York City maelstrom. They reference the knitting craze, a traditionally female-centric activity, while adding an inherent strength and power that goes beyond mere materiality. “I wanted to create a work that would impress in scale but still engage rather than intimidate,” she explains in a statement. “The repurposed rope brings with it the stories of different locations and by knotting it, a space is created for the words and thoughts of viewers in New York City to complete the work, creating a silent dialogue that waves along.” The bold primary colors create happy, uplifting sensations that help bring out the kid in people, while also dazzling actual kids, who have a ball running around the pieces.
Orly Genger’s miniatures are on view in a tiny room in Chelsea through June 22 (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
In conjunction with the spacious outdoor installation, Genger, who won the 2011 Rappaport Prize from the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, where “Red, Yellow and Blue” will be seen next — the first Mad. Sq. Art commission to travel — is also currently showing “Iron Maiden” in Larissa Goldston’s closet-size pop-up gallery in Chelsea, through June 22. The small exhibition begins with a pair of 2013 gold rope sculptures on white pedestals, the cast-bronze “Caught” and the rope “Sink Man,” which winds onto the floor, leading to a nearly claustrophobic back room where a table is populated by gold- and silver-colored miniatures that range from rope works to comical depictions of fantastical cartoonish figures. “Iron Maiden” offers quite a visual and physical contrast to “Red, Yellow and Blue,” yet both have an innocent intimacy that is a hallmark of Genger’s oeuvre. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Genger’s work has also inspired several jewelry collections by designer Jaclyn Mayer, including MSP, based on the Madison Square Park exhibition.