015. Introducing: ONE GOOD SHOW
I found a diamond in the rough for you.
Friends, I have seen a lot of blah/bad art in the last week. I TRIED to scope out some good stuff to share with y’all. I braved Friday night openings in Tribeca last week, stuffed into rooms full of hot guys with girlfriends—my personal hell. I spotted someone I’ve been talking to on Hinge ducking through the crowd at Andrew Kreps, seemingly on a date with another girl (illegal). There were fish tanks full of rocks. There were greenhouses containing kinetic sculptures. There was a wall of woven satchels. None of it was very moving, but perhaps we should blame the setting (openings are admittedly a terrible time for experiencing art).
In an Art Break first, I am focusing on one single show I think is worth your time right now. Necessity is the mother of all invention, as they say. So welcome to ONE GOOD SHOW.
On Wednesday, I tried to go to 12 Matcha but there was a line of like 40 people? I allowed myself 12 seconds to internally rant about how social media ruins everything cool and NYC is so fucking annoying sometimes, and then I was back to loving life. I spent a few hours working from the designated laptop table at The Mandarin, which was actually a lovely place to “lock in.”
Since I was already in the neighborhood (Two Bridges), I decided to check out a few spots in that little three block zone which houses some smaller galleries I typically like. I saw a few shows I didn’t care for, and then I found myself in Lyles & King.
I did a lap and felt a sense of relief washing over me, the relief of seeing something good, sexy, and not unintelligibly conceptual.
Twist to strengthen is up at Lyles & King (19 Henry Street) through May 10th, featuring paintings by Sarah Miska and sculptures by Carla Edwards.
Rarely do I see a show with two or more artists that issues such a crystal clear joint statement, despite major formal differences. There are topical similarities: as the title would suggest, ropes, braids, and knots feature heavily. However, one artist depicts horses and their keepers in intimate detail, the other disassembles, dies, and reconstructs ropes and American Flags.
There is a blanket perversity to the works that makes the show enjoyably tense. Or taut, like the ropes in Edwards’ sculptures.
The pieces ping pong off one another, volleying themes of American patriotism, abstract eroticism, and mastery/bondage/restraint around the room.
I was reminded of a German film that I didn’t really like, called Piaffe (2023). It’s about a woman who must step in for her sister to create sound effects for a film scene in which a horse trots around in the dirt. Spoiler alert: she does kind of become a horse (grows a tail) through the process of trying to sound like one. I found the scenes that showed the protagonist bridling herself with a chain necklace, licking and gnawing uncomfortably against the restraint, to be especially compelling. It was as if I had to see a human become a horse to emphasize with horses, to see the parallels between the equestrian world and BDSM. The main difference being, of course, that humans can and should offer consent, whereas horses can only be broken.
On a technical level, I love both of these artists’ work. Miska’s acrylic paintings are painstakingly detailed, a true labor of love when you imagine the tedium of painting each individual hair—makes me think of trimming a yard with only a pair of scissors. A level of focus and patience few of us possess in 2025!
Edwards’ sculptures are beautiful and clever, quietly provocative. A lot of artists work with flag motifs and a lot of sculptors drape panels of fabric on walls—somehow she does it in a way that feels fresh, and the execution is flawless. I like art that has an “Ah-ha!” moment, but one that isn’t too obtuse. I would buy one of the flag pieces in a heartbeat if I was of the collecting class!
I hope you make it to this one and let me know what you think! xx