Founded by Adam Lindemann in 2012, Venus Over Manhattan dedicates itself to presenting the show-stopping works of contemporary and historical artists from around the globe. Located in the heart of downtown Manhattan, fine art gallery Venus Over Manhattan is famed across New York and beyond for its unique, iconoclastic exhibitions.
The gallery regularly hosts an array of generation-spanning artists, each famed for their uniqueness and routinely challenging artistic boundaries. Among the latest artists to appear at Venus Over Manhattan’s two gallery spaces on Great Jones Street are Chéri Samba and Xenobia Bailey.
This week, the gallery has wrapped up its two latest show-stopping exhibitions by Samba and Bailey. The following is a closer look at each, starting with Xenobia Bailey’s ‘Paradise Under Reconstruction in the Aesthetic of Funk: The Second Coming.’
The Second Coming of Xenobia Bailey
From May 15 to June 15, 2024, Venus Over Manhattan hosted Xenobia Bailey’s immersive ‘Paradise Under Reconstruction in the Aesthetic of Funk: The Second Coming’ exhibition at its gallery space at 39 Great Jones Street.
Bailey is an artist and cultural activist celebrated for her intricate, vibrant, large-scale mandalas and sculptures constructed from hand-crocheted yarn. Meticulous design, visual impact, and abundant cultural references characterize her work, which often draws upon domestic textiles’ long and fascinating history.
‘Paradise Under Reconstruction in the Aesthetic of Funk: The Second Coming’ represented Xenobia Bailey’s debut solo exhibition with Venus Over Manhattan. It also marked the artist’s first solo gallery exhibition in New York City in over 20 years. The highly immersive installation, by now almost a decade in the making, is the follow-up to Bailey’s 2015 show, ‘Funktional Vibrations.’
‘The Second Coming’ explores the artist and cultural activist’s signature crochet method and features twenty new and historic pieces. Washington-born Bailey will head from Venus Over Manhattan to Seattle Art Museum to participate in their upcoming ‘Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture’ exhibition.
Chéri Samba at Venus Over Manhattan
Last month, Venus Over Manhattan welcomed Chéri Samba, one of Africa’s preeminent artists, to its gallery space at 55 Great Jones Street. A major solo exhibition of Samba’s most recent paintings appeared at Venus from May 8 before concluding on June 15, 2024.
Chéri Samba, a key figure in the history of African contemporary art, enjoys worldwide recognition for his detailed and vibrant paintings. Samba’s works depict life in his home city of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The artist also regularly tackles the myriad economic, social, and political matters facing the world through his art.
Recently appearing at Venus Over Manhattan following a retrospective of his work at the Musée Maillol in Paris, Chéri Samba’s paintings feature in major institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art. Samba’s latest, just-concluded exhibition at Venus marked his first solo show in New York City for 30 years.
Adam Lindemann’s Venus Over Manhattan
Venus Over Manhattan specializes in engaging new audiences of art collectors, curators, and enthusiasts. Exhibitions at the gallery have subsequently facilitated showcased artists’ work being presented at and acquired by major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Venus Over Manhattan, under founder Adam Lindemann, also regularly participates in major international art fairs such as Art Basel, ensuring global engagement for its carefully selected roster of showcased artists. The gallery and its artists have appeared in major publications ranging from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal.
Twelve years since opening, Venus is now a critically acclaimed presence in the art world, presenting around a dozen exhibitions annually. For more from the acclaimed Manhattan-based fine art gallery and its founder, Adam Lindemann, visit VenusOverManhattan.com.
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