Phil Frost at RUTTKOWSKI;68 Jim Dine at 125 NEWBURY

James Kalm is investigating the nooks and crannies of the latest hot gallery district below Canal Street, Tribeca. In his pursuit of culture, your correspondent is attracted to a nondescript alley, discovers a new space, and decides to visit. Phil Frost’s “Interstitial Stints” is the artists first show with Ruttkowski;68. This selection of assemblage paintings on doors displays Frost’s accumulation of symbols, tattoo-like elements, odds and ends picked up on the streets or from the studio all collaged together, with the central picture plane drowned in a thick layer of clear resin.
Drifting west, viewers are invited to tour “Jim Dine, the ‘60s” at 125 Newbury. Dine is arguably one of the most recognized talents in the tendency that became known as “Pop Art”. Coming out of the rough and tumble world of late Abstract Expressionism, Dine and a group of restless provocateurs started challenging every aspect of the over determined existential angst that had governed the Downtown scene since the end of WWII. Many of the pieces in this show have been seen in art history books by generations of artists, making this show like a visit to the Pop Art archive. A musical introduction is provided by Twisted Wrist. This program was recorded March 21, 2024 #jameskalmreport #jameskalmroughcut #lorenmunk