The article reviews two summer group shows in New York. At 56 Henry, "Small Format Painting," curated by painter Josh Smith and actor/former gallerist Leo Fitzpatrick, features 34 artists working on identical 10x8 inch canvases, including blue-chip names like Nate Lowman and emerging talents. At Matthew Marks Gallery, Julien Nguyen presents a solo show of compact oil-on-copper paintings, inspired by Rembrandt's techniques and featuring his muse Nikos.
These reviews matter because they capture the seasonal shift in the art world toward group shows, often dismissed as unfocused, but here praised for their clever constraints and quality. Nguyen's show highlights a contemporary artist's technical mastery and influence on fashion, while the 56 Henry exhibition demonstrates how size limitations can level the playing field and produce surprising, revelatory work.