John Dubrow, “Self-Portrait,” oil on linen, 2009
Lori Bookstein Fine Art
138 Tenth Ave. between 17th & 18th Sts.
Tuesday – Saturday through October 30
Admission: free
212-750-0949
www.loribooksteinfineart.com
If you’ve seen some of John Dubrow’s previous shows at Lori Bookstein — the current one is his fifth solo presentation — you might be somewhat confused by its name, “New Paintings,” as several of the works will appear to be familiar. Indeed, Dubrow, born in Massachusetts in 1958 but based in New York City since 1983, has revisited three urban landscapes, breathing new life into them with his master brushstroke and innate sense of color. In the show’s six portraits (including poet Mark Strand, painters William Bailey, Tine Lundsfryd, and Ruth Miller, and a self-portrait), three park scenes, and one street scene, Dubrow infuses each piece with abstract spots of color that demand extended viewing as they slowly make their way to the forefront of the canvas, from the purple and gold in the lower right corner of “Bleecker Playground II” to the green tabletop in “Ruth Miller” to the yellow paper in “Mark Strand.” The combination of Dubrow’s intimate portraits of artists, done in their respective indoor work environments, and outdoor cityscapes, painted from memory and featuring blurred faces, makes for an exhilarating effect that should not be rushed through.